WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) and the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) are pleased to announce the University of Central Florida (UCF) as the recipient of the inaugural Public Health Excellence in Interprofessional Education Collaboration Award. A joint effort between the USPHS and IPEC, the Excellence in Interprofessional Education Collaboration Award is presented to a team of health professional students and/or faculty, whose interdisciplinary work has significantly impacted the community they serve. USPHS and IPEC applaud UCF’s interprofessional teams from the schools of medicine, nursing, social work, physical therapy, and pharmacy that collaborated with the Farmworkers Association to provide free clinics for uninsured farmworker families.
USPHS and IPEC received many impressive applications from around the country and awarded the top honor to the UCF project addressing population health focused on the care of farmworkers, which exemplified excellence in interprofessional collaboration, community integration, and service to medically-underserved populations. UCF project members will be recognized by the IPEC Council on June 7, 2017, at the headquarters of the Association of American Medical Colleges in Washington, DC.
“Public health starts with education,” emphasizes Rear Admiral Pamela M. Schweitzer, Pharm.D., BCACP, Chief Professional Officer of Pharmacy, U.S. Public Health Service. “To build a strong community health infrastructure, we must continue to learn collaboratively and serve collectively. In doing so, we can effectively promote and advance the health of our Nation.”
In addition to an overall winner, USPHS and IPEC also recognize an honorable mention winner in five categories. A complete list of the winners follows:
2017 USPHS IPEC Inaugural Award: Overall Winner
University
of Central Florida from Orlando, FL
Harnessing the Strength of
Inter-Professional Teams to Provide Comprehensive Care for the
Farmworkers of Apopka, Florida
Judith S. Simms-Cendan, M.D.,
College of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Heather
Peralta, DHSc, MSN, RN, College of Nursing
Priya K. Patel, BS,
College of Medicine (MedPACt)
Alexander Diaz, BS, College of
Medicine (MedPACt)
2017 USPHS IPEC Honorable Mention: Health Communications and Health
Technology
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine from
Lakewood Ranch, FL
Community Paramedicine
Victoria
Reinhartz, Pharm.D., School of Pharmacy
James Crutchfield, NREMT-P,
CCEMT-P, CCHW, Manatee County Public Safety Department
David
Nonell, M.D., Manatee County Emergency Medical Services
Melissa
Larkin-Skinner, MBA, LMHC, Centerstone of Florida
2017 USPHS IPEC Honorable Mention: Behavioral Health
University
of Alabama at Birmingham from Birmingham, AL
Bridging the Gap:
Caring for Birmingham’s Most Vulnerable Populations
Cynthia S.
Selleck, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, School of Nursing
Maria R. Shirey, Ph.D.,
MBA, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FACHE, FAAN, School of Nursing
2017 USPHS IPEC Honorable Mention: Public Health Infrastructure
Massachusetts
General Hospital Institute of Health Professions from Charleston, MA
Crimson
Care Collaborative: An Interprofessional Academic-Practice Partnership
Patricia
A. Reidy, DNP, FNP-BC, School of Nursing
Marya J. Cohen, M.D., MPH,
Harvard Medical School
2017 USPHS IPEC Honorable Mention: Community Empowerment and Education
East
Tennessee State University from Johnson City, TN
East Tennessee
State University Prescription Drug Abuse and Misuse Working Group
Robert
P. Pack, Ph.D., M.P.H, School of Public Health
Nicholas Hagemeier,
PharmD, Ph.D., Gatton College of Pharmacy
Fred Tudiver, MD, College
of Family Medicine
Angela Hagaman, MA, LPCA, College of Public
Health
2017 USPHS IPEC Honorable Mention: At Risk and Vulnerable Communities
University
of Alabama at Birmingham from Birmingham, AL
Increasing Access
to Healthcare Services through an Interprofessional, Student-Led, Health
Education and Medical Screening Program for Homeless Men in Birmingham
Alabama
James R. Kilgore, Ph.D., PA-C, School of Health
Professions
Kimberly Meadows Clark, Firehouse Ministries
Doug
Kovash, Firehouse Ministries
J.M. Trimm, Ph.D, School of Health
Professions
Award nominations submitted by interprofessional teams were evaluated by their contribution to public health promotion through multidisciplinary collaboration among health professionals and the community. These partnerships are the cornerstone of accessible, safe, impactful, high quality community healthcare and demonstrate IPEC’s vision for team-based, community-oriented practice.
“Interprofessional health care practice is achievable and it works,” says Richard W. Valachovic, D.M.D., M.P.H., President of IPEC and President and CEO of the American Dental Education Association. “We applaud the students and faculty of the University of Central Florida, and all of the nominees, for showing that if we educate health professionals together, patients and the entire health care system benefit.”
For more details about the award winners and upcoming 2018 application cycle, visit IPEC’s website.
