More than 120 health care educators and community leaders are expected at a conference next week that will focus on an interdisciplinary approach to patient care. The conference is in response to a national report that criticized health care education programs.
"Advancing Interdisciplinary Health Professions Education in Grand Rapids" is scheduled from 8:30 a.m.-noon on Tuesday, August 24, in the Hager Auditorium at the Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences, 301 Michigan St. NE in Grand Rapids. The conference is sponsored by the Grand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center, Grand Valley's Kirkhof College of Nursing and Grand Valley's College of Health Professions.
Grand Valley's colleges of nursing and health professions are responding to recommendations from a report by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science that raised questions about the adequacy of education received by doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other professionals. The report recommended education programs take steps to promote proficiency in delivering patient-centered care, working in interdisciplinary teams and focusing on quality improvement.
Keynote speaker Joan Shaver, professor and dean of the College of Nursing at the University of Illinois at Chicago, will address "Visioning the Future" at 9 a.m. Shaver is a member of the National Advisory Council for Nursing Research and co-director of UIC's National Center of Excellence in Women's Health Research. Her research in sleep-related issues that affect women has been extensively published.
Prior to Shaver's address, remarks will be made by Phyllis Gendler, dean of the College of Nursing; Jane Toot, dean of the College of Health Professions; Glenn Davis, dean of Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine; and Dr. Kent Bottles, president and CEO of Grand Rapids MERC.
