Developing core competencies for interprofessional integrative healthcare education: An example from public health

Background: The University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, in collaboration with the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine received a HRSA grant to establish the National Center for Integrative Primary Healthcare (NCIPH). A primary goal of the NCIPH is to develop a coordinated set of competencies in Integrative Health across primary care professions, and a uniform curriculum to address those competencies. Methods: Experts representing primary care residency training programs, nursing, public health, pharmacy, behavioral health, and complementary and integrative health professions convened to create a set of meta-competencies in Integrative Primary Healthcare. Results: Nine domains of competencies were developed: 1) patient-centered care, 2) obtaining an integrative health history, 3) collaborative treatment planning to develop a personalized care plan, 4) utilizing evidence-based integrative health treatments, 5) knowledge of integrative and conventional health professions, 6) facilitating behavior change, 7) working interprofessionally, 8) self-care, and 9) incorporating integrative healthcare across settings. Each profession developed competencies for the domains applicable to their practice. The Public Health sub-competencies were adapted from the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals and will be presented. Conclusions: The competencies provide guidance on how to have public health incorporate integrative primary care into public health settings. The specific competencies provide the basis for developing an Interprofessional Integrative Health curriculum for public health professionals who support primary care. Next steps include strategies for adoption of the competencies within primary care disciplines and broad dissemination of competencies, curriculum, and related resources through the NCIPH and partner organizations.