How to Be Clinical Liaison - Job Description, Skills, and Interview Questions

Increasing access to healthcare can have a significant impact on public health. Clinical liaisons can play a critical role in facilitating this access by connecting healthcare providers with their communities. By working with local businesses, schools, and other organizations, clinical liaisons can ensure that people in the community have access to the healthcare services they need. Furthermore, clinical liaisons can provide education and awareness about preventative health services, which can help to reduce the burden of chronic diseases and improve overall health outcomes.

Steps How to Become

1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree. To become a clinical liaison, you must have a bachelor’s degree in a field related to healthcare, such as nursing, physical therapy, or social work.
2. Obtain Certification. Clinical liaisons may choose to obtain certification in their specialty area. The American Board of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine offers a Certified Clinical Liaison (CCL) certification.
3. Gain Experience. Experience in the healthcare field can be beneficial when applying for a clinical liaison position. Working as a nurse, physical therapist, or other healthcare professional can give you the necessary experience and knowledge to be successful in this role.
4. Develop Effective Communication Skills. Clinical liaisons must be able to communicate effectively with hospital staff, patients, family members, and other healthcare professionals. Developing strong communication skills is essential for success in this role.
5. Network. Networking is an important part of finding a job as a clinical liaison. Attend conferences, join professional organizations, and connect with colleagues in your field to increase your chances of finding a job in this field.

The ability to stay ahead and be competent as a Clinical Liaison requires a commitment to learning and staying current with the latest developments in the field. To ensure success, it is important to stay abreast of new developments in the medical industry, attend conferences and seminars, read educational materials, and participate in continuing education courses. Additionally, it is essential to build and maintain relationships with medical professionals and organizations in order to stay informed about new treatments, technologies, and regulations. By taking these steps to stay informed, educated, and connected, Clinical Liaisons can remain competent and stay ahead of their competition in the industry.

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Job Description

1. Patient Care Coordinator: Responsible for coordinating care for patients, including scheduling appointments with specialists and other medical providers, coordinating medical tests and treatments, and ensuring that all necessary paperwork is completed.
2. Clinical Liaison: Acts as a liaison between clinical teams and other healthcare professionals, communicating important clinical information and providing support to ensure all patient care is coordinated and delivered efficiently.
3. Clinical Educator: Develops and implements educational programs for clinical staff and other healthcare professionals. Ensures clinical staff are trained on the most current clinical practices and procedures.
4. Clinical Outreach Specialist: Develops and maintains relationships with community partners, health care providers, and health systems to coordinate care for patients.
5. Clinical Research Coordinator: Manages research projects, including data collection, data analysis, and reporting results to relevant stakeholders.
6. Clinical Quality Assurance Specialist: Monitors clinical data to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and standards. Investigates and resolves any quality issues identified.

Skills and Competencies to Have

1. Knowledge of medical terminology, clinical processes and health care regulations.
2. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
3. Ability to build relationships with clinical staff and other healthcare professionals.
4. Ability to troubleshoot, problem solve and make sound decisions.
5. Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
6. Ability to use computer systems and software applications.
7. Excellent organizational and time management skills.
8. Knowledge of current trends in healthcare technology.
9. Demonstrated ability to develop and deliver presentations.
10. Ability to present complex information in an easy to understand manner.

The ability to listen, communicate and collaborate effectively is the most important skill to have as a Clinical Liaison. Listening carefully to patients and their families, understanding their needs, and being able to effectively communicate with healthcare providers, colleagues and other members of the healthcare team are essential for successful patient care. Collaboration with healthcare teams, including physicians and other healthcare professionals, is also essential for providing quality care and the best possible outcomes for patients.

Knowing how to effectively collaborate with others allows Clinical Liaisons to create solutions together, share information and resources, and work towards achieving common goals. This helps them maximize their effectiveness in providing quality patient care and improving patient outcomes.

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Frequent Interview Questions

• What experience do you have in clinical liaison work?
• What strategies have you used to develop relationships with healthcare providers and other healthcare professionals?
• How would you handle a situation when a hospital has refused to accept a patient referral?
• What processes do you use to ensure that referrals are managed in a timely manner?
• How do you determine which services the patient should receive?
• Describe your experience with developing clinical protocols and procedures.
• What type of data do you use to inform your decisions on how to best serve patients?
• How do you stay abreast of changes in the healthcare industry and new technologies?
• What challenges have you faced as a clinical liaison and how did you respond to them?
• How do you ensure that patient confidentiality is maintained at all times?

Common Tools in Industry

1. Electronic Medical Record System (EMR). A computerized system for storing and managing patient health information and records. (Eg: EPIC, Cerner, Allscripts)
2. Patient Relationship Management System (PRMS). A system used to track and manage patient interactions and relationships. (Eg: Aprima, ChartLogic)
3. Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS). A computer-based system that helps clinicians in making decisions regarding diagnoses and treatment plans. (Eg: UpToDate, ePocrates)
4. Clinical Communication Platforms. A platform used for secure communication between clinicians and other healthcare professionals. (Eg: TigerConnect, CareMessage)
5. Telemedicine Software. A software used to facilitate remote consultations between clinicians and patients. (Eg: doxy. me, Teladoc)
6. Practice Management Software. A software used to manage tasks such as scheduling, billing, appointment reminders, and other administrative tasks. (Eg: Athenahealth, Kareo)

Professional Organizations to Know

1. American Nurses Association (ANA)
2. American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE)
3. American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN)
4. National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS)
5. National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
6. American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN)
7. Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA)
8. Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN)
9. American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
10. Oncology Nursing Society (ONS)

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Common Important Terms

1. Patient Education. The process of providing information and instruction to patients and their families to help them understand and manage their health care and make informed decisions.
2. Disease Management. A system of coordinated health care interventions and communications for populations with conditions in which patient self-care efforts are significant.
3. Case Management. The coordination of health care services for a patient, including assessment, planning, coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of the options and services required to meet a patient's individual health care needs.
4. Referral Management. The process of managing referrals between health care providers to ensure timely and appropriate care.
5. Care Coordination. The process of linking multiple services and providers together to ensure a patient receives all of the necessary care in a timely manner.
6. Quality Improvement. The practice of improving or increasing the quality of health care services.
7. Discharge Planning. The process of planning for a patient's transition from one health care setting to another or from a hospital stay to home.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the role of a Clinical Liaison?

A Clinical Liaison is a healthcare professional who serves as a bridge between healthcare facilities, providers, and referral sources to facilitate patient care and education.

What qualifications are necessary to become a Clinical Liaison?

Generally, Clinical Liaisons need to have a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a healthcare-related field, such as nursing, social work, or public health. In addition, they should have clinical experience and knowledge of the healthcare system.

What are the primary responsibilities of a Clinical Liaison?

The primary responsibilities of a Clinical Liaison include developing relationships with referral sources, collecting and analyzing data, providing education to referral sources and internal staff, and facilitating the timely transfer of patients.

What type of setting do Clinical Liaisons typically work in?

Clinical Liaisons often work in settings such as hospitals, healthcare systems, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, hospice organizations, and other healthcare organizations.

How many Clinical Liaisons are employed in the US?

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were approximately 64,000 Clinical Liaisons employed in the US in 2019.

What are jobs related with Clinical Liaison?

• Clinical Data Manager
• Clinical Trial Assistant
• Clinical Trial Project Manager
• Clinical Safety Officer
• Clinical Operations Analyst
• Clinical Quality Auditor
• Clinical Research Scientist
• Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
• Clinical Lab Technician
• Clinical Supervisor

Web Resources

• Clinical Outreach Liaison - jobs.utsouthwestern.edu jobs.utsouthwestern.edu
• Sr. Clinical Nurse Liaison - jobs.jhu.edu jobs.jhu.edu
• Social Worker Clinical Liaison - Morningside, New York, United … opportunities.columbia.edu