OT Clinical Liaison
Melissa Bergacs, MS, OTR/L, CGCP
One of the greatest aspects of being an occupational therapist is the ability to work in multiple settings which allows for seeing all aspects of patient care. While this role is not typically patient facing, you gain a unique perspective on the comprehensive care plan needs for the patient, facility protocols, industry regulations, and how to coordinate necessary resources for effective discharge planning. That is one of the appeals of being a Clinical Liaison.
Some of the key roles and responsibilities of a Clinical Liaison include: collaborating with all members of the interdisciplinary team such as program coordinators, nursing, pharmacy, doctors, case managers, and the rehab team on complex referrals to assist patients transition to the next level of appropriate care; interface with insurance companies to determine the eligibility requirements for the different levels/settings of care, provide justification of medical necessity based on medical complexity affecting ADL’s and transfers, check Medicare days available to support a rehab stay, once the obligatory approval is received, support transition of the patient to their next location in the medical continuum; and be adaptative and flexible to unanticipated situations such as changes in medical status affecting transfer.
As a clinical liaison, education is a large part of the role. It is challenging for medical professionals and families alike to understand all of the intricacies of how specified each hospital program is at every level of care such as medical stability required to tolerate the intensity level in acute rehabilitation. This is where our unique knowledge as OT’s come into play to support maximal independence towards achieving the rehab goals of the patients. To do this as effectively as possible, the clinical liaison’s role is to market the benefits each organizations unique rehab program roles, the effect of the interdisciplinary team within the hospital to maximize outcomes via coordinated care and discuss all options that foster informed decision making. At times, this looks like providing tours to families, developing and maintaining positive business relationships with key referrers in assigned hospitals, and working diligently with the Admissions Department to ensure a smooth pre-admission process including: providing timely and appropriate documentation of the pre-admission assessment, providing acute care hospital face sheets, and providing insurance information. Clinical liaisons also foster a key role in educating medical personnel and hospital systems about those truly unique niches that are quintessentially OT via marketing and coordinating health fairs and educational programs that highlight the impact OT’s make every day for patients.
Here are a few unique resources that can provide some insights into the specifics of the role of a Clinical Liaison from as well as a personal account of transitioning into a non-clinical role:
https://www.coremedicalgroup.com/blog/how-become-rehab-liaison
https://rehabrebels.org/from-cota-to-clinical-liaison-with-olivia-chenworth-pugh/
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