Ellen
Patterson, MD, MA
Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
As director of IPE since 2013, Dr. Patterson has piloted multiple educational programs at TUSDM promoting interprofessional collaboration for dental, dental hygiene, pharmacy, medical, occupational therapy, and pediatric medicine learners. She co-directs a first year foundational course on patient-centered care, has expandedthe behavioral sciences across the Tuftss dental school curriculum, and has helped to integrate a comprehensive approach to managing the risks associated with prescribing controlled substances in dental settings. A graduate of Boston University School of Medicine and a formerly a practicing psychiatrist, Dr. Patterson also has received training in Health Policy and Management and holds a master's degree in Health Communication.
Presenting at the Nexus Summit:
Project overview: An interprofessional team of educators (dental, medicine, public health, and psychology) embarked on a multi-year “proof of concept” project to apply the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) framework and develop an IPE intervention to promoting collaborative care for children with special health care needs (SHCN). Using continuous quality improvement cycles, the team produced a set of educational materials that teach interprofessional learners to apply the basic concepts of a functionally based assessment method. This unique IPE model…
Background: The opioid crisis requires coordinated effort from health professions educators to provide students from all disciplines with the tools and skills to recognize potential opioid abuse and to effectively mitigate risks associated with controlled substances. Health practitioners must also be able to educate patients at elevated risk, recognize the signs and symptoms of opioid overdose, and administer naloxone when clinically indicated. Since the professional roles of physicians, dentists and pharmacists regularly intersect clinically around the assessment and treatment of pain,…