Quality indicators of IPE resources: Creation of a checklist for design and evaluation using a modified Delphi process

Background: Interprofessional education (IPE) is a required component of training for all major health professions. A variety of instructional methods and activities have been adopted, however there is no widely-accepted review checklist to guide the creation and utilization of high quality and relevant IPE materials. Method: A modified Delphi method was used to generate consensus around specific elements synonymous with high quality and relevant interprofessional education resources and instructional materials. The process included one pre-voting round with a convenience sample of 15 IPE professionals, and 3 subsequent rounds with an 8 member IPE expert panel from 6 institutions. Results: The resulting IPE checklist includes 33 items grouped into categories of Content, Logistics and Assessment considerations. The checklist supports the development of new resources and evaluation of existing activities. Conclusions: The modified Delphi process was a successful means to solicit expert feedback during the construction and iterative refinement of the IPE Checklist. The checklist will be useful in the design of new interprofessional education activities, and also in evaluating the quality of existing activities.