How to Use Interprofessional Language
Inclusive and Unbiased
CU CIPE supports intentional use of inclusive interprofessional language when addressing the roles, responsibilities, and efforts of different health professions. CU CIPE welcomes opportunities to have dialogue with partners about contemporary interprofessional nomenclature. The following preferences should be considered in order to avoid confusion or misunderstanding:
- The term health care is preferred over the term medical care
- The term Interprofessional denotes multiple professions (e.g. dentist and physical therapist)
- The term Interdisciplinary denotes multiple specialties within the same profession (e.g. Cardiologist and Nephrologist)
- The term Intraprofessional denotes multiple practitioners within the same profession (e.g. Pharmacist and Pharmacy Technician).
- Whenever possible, individual professions should be named or referenced directly, rather than implied by generalized terms such as allied health, non-clinicians, mid-levels, etc.
- The term Advanced Practice Provider (APP) is favored over the term Mid-Level Provider
- The terms Public Health and Population Health are not interchangeable and refer to different aspects of caring for a community of patients.
- In interprofessional settings, the terms Provider and Practitioner may be assumed to be inclusive of all health professions working in patient care settings. In other contexts, these terms may refer to only specific professions. The term Primary Care Provider or PCP may be preferred when discussing the roles associated with a medical home and may be inclusive various health professions.