The Future of Pediatric Speech-Language Pathology in a More Collaborative World

Abstract

Examining interprofessional practice through the lens of speech-language pathology identifies a number of challenges to and opportunities for interprofessional practice. While practitioners believe they practice interprofessionally, health services are often distributed across a network within which collaboration can falter. Certain professions, like speech-language pathology, are well-positioned to work across this network and improve care. Barriers to collaboration are interpersonal, structural, regulatory, and governmental. To enhance interprofessional practice, students should receive interprofessional education; practitioners should engage in interprofessional continuing education based on their practice environment; and leaders and researchers should identify frameworks to support better interprofessional practice.

Keywords: Interprofessional education; Interprofessional practice; Networks; Speech-language pathology; Teams.