Leading to Excellence through healthy relational synergy: Discovering the Interprofessional Relational Model™ (IRM)
In today’s increasingly complex health care environment, excellence is no longer achieved through individual performance alone; it depends on how well professionals work together. The Interprofessional Relational Model™ (IRM) responds to this reality by placing relationships, not roles or tasks, at the center of care delivery and collaboration.
Building on decades of Relationship-Based Care®, the IRM expands the focus from individual clinician-patient interactions to the quality of relationships across disciplines, teams, and systems. At its core, the model recognizes that how professionals relate to one another directly shapes communication, decision-making, psychological safety, and ultimately outcomes for patients, families, and colleagues.
A Practical Framework for Interprofessional Collaboration
The Interprofessional Relational Model™ (IRM) offers a practical, evidence-informed framework that helps interprofessional teams cultivate trust, shared purpose, and mutual accountability while navigating high-pressure, rapidly changing conditions.
By strengthening relational capacity across roles and disciplines, IRM supports more effective teamwork, reduces fragmentation, and fosters a culture where care for self, colleagues, and patients is intentionally aligned. For health care leaders, this creates a sustainable approach to embedding collaboration, well-being, and compassion into everyday practice, while supporting professional practice models, workforce engagement, and organizational excellence.
Supporting Leaders and Teams on the Journey
At Creative Health Care Management (CHCM), we partner with organizations to bring the Interprofessional Relational Model™ (IRM) to life through consulting, education, and implementation support. Our work helps leaders build caring cultures, strengthen interprofessional relationships, and align teams around shared goals for quality, safety, and experience.
Visit our full Interprofessional Relational Model™ (IRM) page HERE for more information, or contact us today to get started on your journey into a healthier organization.
If you’re looking for other ways to deepen your understanding of IRM or introduce these principles to your organization, we also invite you to explore Essentials of a Caring Culture: The Interprofessional Relational Model™. This brand-new 2025 publication is a resource that offers practical insights and strategies for cultivating healthy relational synergy across your workforce.
Learn more about the book HERE!
Whether you’re beginning your journey or looking to strengthen existing practices, CHCM is here to support your team every step of the way, because sustainable excellence starts with meaningful relationships.
Kathleen Van Wagoner MSN, RN, MSA
Kathleen is an accomplished mentor and developer of people, programs, and culture. As a highly successful former nurse executive in clinical administration, program design, and project management, she is skilled in all aspects of care provision. She brings to her consulting work an in-depth knowledge of clinical operations, academics, research, and health care finance. She is dedicated to establishing high quality, caring relationships between health care providers and the patients and families in their care.