Health care experts highlight interprofessional conference

The 12th annual Midwest Interprofessional Practice, Education, and Research Center (MIPERC) conference will focus on embedding interprofessional initiatives within health professions.

Hosted by the Office of the Vice Provost for Health, the MIPERC conference is September 19-20 at the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. MIPERC is an organization founded by Grand Valley, Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners and Michigan State University-College of Human Medicine to support collaborative health care initiatives across disciplines and institutions; it has a membership of more than 25 institutions and organizations.

Cost to attend is $125 for both days, with lower one-day rates. A schedule, details and registration link are online at gvsu.edu/mipercconference. Keynote presenters are listed below.

• Barbara Brandt, director, National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education, and associate vice president for education, Academic Health Center, University of Minnesota;

• Dr. Peter Hahn, president and CEO of Metro Health University of Michigan Health;

• Susan Hanrahan, dean of nursing and health professions, and president, Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions;

• Lucinda Maine, executive vice president and CEO, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

A pre-conference workshop on September 19 will include a team-building challenge that has participants focusing on "imprinting interprofessional collaboration in their "safety DNA." Participants will apply tools for building healthy habits into daily patient safety processes.

Continuing education credits are available for nursing, pharmacy and medical education.