Liaison Role in Care Coordination

Core Functions and Competencies

• The American College of Healthcare Executives emphasizes the importance of regular office rounds by liaisons to discuss cases, educate staff about patient risk factors, and strengthen collaborative relationships 1
• The American Thoracic Society highlights that successful liaison practice requires clinical expertise and community awareness, with knowledge of both healthcare systems and available community resources enabling effective linkage 2

Distinction from Comprehensive Case Management

• The National Association of Social Workers notes that liaisons specifically focus on connecting patients to community resources and facilitating transitions, whereas comprehensive case managers address all aspects of care coordination including medical case management, monitoring, and evaluation 2, 3

Liaison Role in Primary Care Case Management

Core Components of Liaison Services

• Care coordination requires explicit role definitions and clear identification of the locus of management, with liaisons serving as one component of this system, as recommended by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics 4, 5
• The coordination network may include public health agencies, payers, allied health providers, schools, early intervention programs, mental health agencies, and pharmacies—all of which liaisons help connect, according to the National Coordinating Center for Genetics 6

Operational Framework

• Effective care coordination requires communication links between all stakeholders, with liaisons facilitating these connections rather than managing the entire care process, as emphasized by the National Coordinating Center for Genetics 6