TY - JOUR
T1 - Interprofessional student clinics: an economic evaluation of collaborative clinical placement education
AU - Haines, Terry Peter
AU - Kent, Fiona Maree
AU - Keating, Jenny Lyn
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Interprofessional student clinics can be used to create clinical education placements for health professional students in addition to traditional hospital-based placements and present an opportunity to provide interprofessional learning experiences in a clinical context. To date, little consideration has been given in research literature as to whether such clinics are economically viable for a university to run. We conducted an economic evaluation based upon data generated during a pilot of an interprofessional student clinic based in Australia. Cost-minimization analyses of the student clinic as opposed to traditional profession-specific clinical education in hospitals were conducted from university, Commonwealth Government, state government and societal perspectives. Cost data gathered during the pilot study and market prices were used where available, while AUD currency at 2011 values were used. Per student day of clinical education, the student clinic cost an additional 289, whereas the state government saved 49 and the Commonwealth Government saved 66. Overall, society paid an additional 175 per student day of clinical education using the student clinic as opposed to conventional hospital-based placements, indicating that traditional hospital-based placements are a cost-minimizing approach overall for providing clinical education. Although interprofessional student clinics have reported positive patient and student learning outcomes, further research is required to determine if these benefits can justify the additional cost of this model of education. Considerations for clinic sustainability are proposed.
AB - Interprofessional student clinics can be used to create clinical education placements for health professional students in addition to traditional hospital-based placements and present an opportunity to provide interprofessional learning experiences in a clinical context. To date, little consideration has been given in research literature as to whether such clinics are economically viable for a university to run. We conducted an economic evaluation based upon data generated during a pilot of an interprofessional student clinic based in Australia. Cost-minimization analyses of the student clinic as opposed to traditional profession-specific clinical education in hospitals were conducted from university, Commonwealth Government, state government and societal perspectives. Cost data gathered during the pilot study and market prices were used where available, while AUD currency at 2011 values were used. Per student day of clinical education, the student clinic cost an additional 289, whereas the state government saved 49 and the Commonwealth Government saved 66. Overall, society paid an additional 175 per student day of clinical education using the student clinic as opposed to conventional hospital-based placements, indicating that traditional hospital-based placements are a cost-minimizing approach overall for providing clinical education. Although interprofessional student clinics have reported positive patient and student learning outcomes, further research is required to determine if these benefits can justify the additional cost of this model of education. Considerations for clinic sustainability are proposed.
UR - http://informahealthcare.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/13561820.2013.874983
U2 - 10.3109/13561820.2013.874983
DO - 10.3109/13561820.2013.874983
M3 - Article
SN - 1356-1820
VL - 28
SP - 292
EP - 298
JO - Journal of Interprofessional Care
JF - Journal of Interprofessional Care
IS - 4
ER -