What does the Interprofessional Communication competency involve?

• A. Building team protocols and expectations
• B. Communicating with patients, families, communities, and other health professionals in a responsive, respectful manner that supports a team approach.
• C. Providing patient education about treatment options
• D. Leading therapy sessions without interprofessional input

Answer: (B)

Interprofessional communication centers on how you exchange information across the care team and with the people you serve in ways that keep everyone on the same page and focused on the patient’s needs. The best description emphasizes communicating with patients, families, communities, and other health professionals in a responsive, respectful manner that supports a team approach. This means sharing clear, timely, and accurate information; listening and asking clarifying questions; using plain language with patients; and coordinating with other professionals to align goals and plans of care. When teams communicate well, care is safer, more coordinated, and more patient-centered.

Building team protocols and expectations is valuable for teamwork, but it’s more about structuring collaboration than the day-to-day communication with patients and colleagues. Providing patient education about treatment options is important for informed consent and engagement, yet it focuses on the patient education role rather than the bidirectional, cross-professional communication that underpins teamwork. Leading therapy sessions without interprofessional input runs counter to the idea of team-based care and collaboration.