29A. A Model for Integrative Women's Health in an Interprofessional and Academic Setting: Vision, Implementation, and Sustainability

Conventional women’s healthcare has been evolving beyond a reproduction-based model, creating a paradigm shift in obstetric and gynecologic ambulatory care. This system change is driven by a triad of influences: women being the most frequent users of complementary and alternative medicine, a rapid aging of the population with an increased life expectancy, and a mandate for women’s preventive care fostering health and well-being. Women’s Health Specialists Clinic at the University of Minnesota is a comprehensive integrative women’s clinic serving an urban, diverse community on the banks of the Mississippi River. It has a commitment to changing the lives of women through expert integrative clinical care, education, and research. The clinic participates in the education of a number of healthcare students and integrates the complementary modalities of acupuncture, Reiki therapy, integrative nutrition, and health coaching into the teaching and practice experience. The University of Minnesota’s Academic Health Center was selected by the Health Resources and Services Administration in 2012 to lead a new coordinating center that will provide national leadership in the field of interprofessional education and collaborative practice among health professionals. This designation provides an opportunity for cutting-edge innovation and leadership in the academic-based clinical setting. Women’s Health Care Specialists Clinic is poised to significantly impact the next generation of women’s healthcare professionals by moving from theoretical models of interprofessional education to integrative practice models. This session will explore the challenges and successes of building an integrative clinic in an academic setting with an interprofessional education program creating the foundation for team-based interdisciplinary care. The process of envisioning, implementing, and sustaining will be presented by an interprofessional team of integrative healthcare professionals in an interactive learning experience.