Some historical notes on interdisciplinary and interprofessional education and practice in health care in the USA

Abstract

The origins and development of interdisciplinary health care teams in the US is traced from World War II successes with multidisciplinary medical and surgical teams to President Johnson's vision of The Great Society, in which the poor and underserved would have access to benefits of good health through the creation of community health centers located in areas of need. The concept of interdisciplinary teams of health professionals was espoused as a means for providing comprehensive and continuous care to such populations. This movement had significant implications for the education and training of future health professionals and both the federal government and philanthropic foundations have endeavored to effect changes in traditional disciplinary models. Despite repeated efforts, there remain many barriers to interdisciplinary and interprofessional education and practice in the US.