The Role of the Home Care Clinical Liaison in Supporting Safe Transitions of Care for Interventional Radiology Outpatients

Interventional radiology (IR) patients who historically convalesced in an inpatient acute care setting are now being discharged home directly after the procedure. The shift toward offering care on an outpatient basis entails that patients with acute and complex care needs are now being cared for in the community. This necessitates the safe transfer of patients to the appropriate postacute setting to facilitate a successful recovery. Clinical liaisons in conjunction with physicians, nursing, and other medical staff have a pivotal role in guiding this transition of care to enhance the recovery process and patient experience. The focus of this article will examine the clinical liaison in the postdischarge management of patients after IR procedures and the value that this role adds to patient safety and quality.