8 Chapter 1 The healthcare sector has become significantly more complex in recent decades due to various factors, such as an aging population, an increase in chronic conditions, and the rapid development of medical technologies and treatment methods. This complexity was further amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, which put pressure on healthcare systems worldwide and introduced new challenges, such as managing limited resources, treating a large number of critically ill patients, and adapting to rapidly changing protocols and guidelines. Furthermore, the demographic landscape of the world is undergoing a profound transformation marked by a significant increase in the aging population. The number of people over 65 years old will double in 2050 and the proportion of people over 80 years old will increase (CBS, 2024; Hilderink & Verschuuren, 2018; Olshansky & Carnes, 2010). This demographic shift presents unique challenges to healthcare systems globally, as older adults often have complex health needs, multiple chronic conditions, and functional impairments (Balogun et al., 2015; Wolff et al., 2002), requiring a coordinated and holistic approach to their care. Throughout the world healthcare systems struggle with a shortage of health care workers and increasing costs (Boniol et al., 2022). As a result of all these profound changes, collaboration between different disciplines in healthcare has become crucial. Only by working together effectively and leveraging each other's expertise, healthcare providers can continue to deliver high-quality, efficient, and patient-centered care in this dynamic and demanding context. This practice when multiple health workers from different professional backgrounds providing comprehensive services to deliver the highest quality of care, is referred to as ‘interprofessional collaboration’ (Gilbert et al., 2010). Interprofessional collaboration can improve healthcare processes and outcomes (Flaherty & Bartels, 2019), and can also help to overcome the worldwide shortage of healthcare professionals (Wei et al., 2022). FROM INTERPROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION TO INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION To collaborate interprofessionally, one needs knowledge about one’s own and others’ professions. What are the boundaries of my knowledge? What can other professions contribute to the care for this patient? How do I discuss my concerns about a patient, and how do we find a solution together, while putting the patient’s needs first? These are skills that do not come naturally to each healthcare professional and are often not explicitly present in health care education curricula. In interprofessional education, students/future healthcare professionals can be trained for these skills. Therefore, interprofessional Education (IPE) is essential to prepare students for interprofessional
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