Understanding Interprofessional Health Care Interdisciplinary health care has been cited as a possible response to the crisis facing the modern health care system. A team of healthcare professionals responding to the needs of the patient promises to combat the increasing complexity of diseases as well as the lack of resources currently facing healthcare systems around the world. This report describes what interprofessional health care is, its benefits, methods of implementation, and barriers to implementation. The modern healthcare system is made up of a number of different areas and specialties. Interprofessional health care is a relatively new concept that focuses on a holistic, collaborative approach to treatment involving multiple health care disciplines. Meredith Menken (senior director of publications and communications at the American Dental Education Association) states that “health care professionals realize that they must all work together to provide the best possible care for a single patient” (Menken, 2011 ). Clearly, the notion of teamwork between health professionals is becoming increasingly important for the development of the health system. Collaboration is not simply two professionals using their own skills to treat a patient, it involves two professionals using each other's knowledge to build on their own and, therefore, reach a level of knowledge not yet achieved. Before teams of healthcare professionals are effectively established, interprofessional education must take place. According to the World Health Organization's 2010 Framework for Action on Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice, “Interprofessional education is a necessary step in preparing for a 'collaborative practice-ready' healthcare world. ..... middle of paper .. ...education: promoting teamwork in primary health care education and practice. The Australian Journal of Rural Health, 9, pp.19--26. Menken, M. (2011). Interprofessional healthcare education means better patient care | explorehealthcareers.org. [online] Explorehealthcareers.org. Available at: http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/issues/news/Article/252/Interprofessional_Healthcare_Education_Means_Better_Patient_Care [Accessed April 23, 2014]. Oandasan, D. (2005). Interprofessionality as a field of interp... [J Interprof Care. 2005] - PubMed - NCBI. [online] Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16096142 [Accessed April 19, 2014].Zwarenstein, M., Reeves, S., Barr, H., Hammick, M., Koppel, I. and Atkins, J. (2002). Interprofessional education: effects on professional practice and health care outcomes (Cochrane review). The Cochrane Library, 4.