Medical Liaison Officer

About the Organization

• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an International Humanitarian Organization providing medical aid to populations in distress, victims of natural and man-made disasters, and victims of armed conflict, regardless of race, religion and political beliefs.
• For more information, visit our Arabic website, www.msf-me.org
• Médecins Sans Frontières France is looking for Yemeni nationals to recruit for the position of Medical Liaison Officer/South of Yemen.

About the Role

• Location: Aden
• Contract type: Six months with the possibility of renewal
• Reports to (Hierarchical): Network and Planning Coordinator
• Reports to (Functional): Network and Planning Coordinator/ Aden Medical Director
• Working hours: Office hours
• Main Purpose: Provide outpatient and/or inpatient medical care to patients/beneficiaries according to adapted and updated medical knowledge, MSF protocols, values and universal hygiene standards to improve the patients/beneficiaries’ health conditions. Refer candidate patients who can be admitted to Amman surgical program and ensure their medical follow-up after discharge.

Dimension of the Post

• Reconstructive Surgery Hospital within average 570 admissions per year.
• Over 900 surgeries annually.
• 50 surgical beds and 126 rehabilitation beds.
• 2 OTs for Orthopedic, maxillo-facial and plastic surgeries.
• OPD with in average 550 consultations/month.
• Physiotherapy and psychosocial department, and a micro laboratory within the hospital.

Key Responsibilities

Patients’ Identification, Referral and Follow-up

• Identify and screen patients who can be admitted to the MSF Amman surgical program, mainly in South Yemen.
• Be the focal point for referrals and consultations for patients in the assessment process at OPD and other hospitals OPD.
• Follow up with the patients after discharge according to the surgical plan and the Deputy network coordinator's instructions.
• Prepare and submit patients’ medical files to the Deputy Network and planning Coordinator for the Validation Committee presentation.
• Ensure the list of cases to be admitted after monthly request numbers from the Deputy Network and planning Coordinator.
• Organize Patient + family caretaker referral processes after scheduling.
• Brief the patients (main rules of the hospital, code of conduct etc…).
• Carry Medical fitness screening for the family caretakers.
• Follow up on patients' condition in their home country and ensure the continuity of care regarding any complications, pain, physiotherapy needs, and mental health issues.
• Recruiting 20-30 patients on a monthly basis, medical FUP and updates of 30-50 cases/month.
• Generally speaking and until further health context assessments, all the patients should be victims of violence and war.
• All the patients should be within the medical criteria.
• The validation of the cases will be done by the validation committee in Amman only.
• All the referred cases should be medically stable and able to handle the process of referral to AL MOWASAH Hospital.
• All the patients should be identified through NGOs, OPD, field organizations, health partners…
• On a monthly basis, ensure the medical follow-up of the patient according to the surgeons’ request, organize the schedule of appointments, perform the assessment and manage any requested process for follow-up’s feedback, including continuity of care to manage complication, pain, mental health disorder and referral for physiotherapy.
• Ensure to have an updated number of patients under follow-up and use proper protocols to maintain a real and documented list (regular phone calls to patients, record of lost contacts, defaulters, refusal etc…).

Medical Files and Preparation

• Prepare medical files according to MSF standards.
• Each file should have filled referral and medical forms, clinical pictures.
• Tools are recommended according to each specific case (x-ray, EMG, Video, photos, etc…).
• Any available medical investigation should be added to the medical files.
• Complete any medical information and investigation requested by the medical committee on a weekly basis.
• Brief the patients about the code of conduct, treatment plan in MSF Amman surgical program, living conditions, and MSF activity in Jordan.
• Share patients’ availability with the deputy network and Planning Coordinator for monthly scheduling and forecast the list of patients to be admitted.
• Contact patients to transmit scheduling information and assess specific social assessments that can impact their stay in the hospital.
• Ensure all patient files are completed and available to be shared with the Deputy network and planning coordinator.
• Follow patients with medical problems until they are fit for general anaesthesia and surgery, and follow family caretaker’s fitness.

Networking and Program Representation

• Extension of the network (NGOs, hospitals, care delivers, field workers) in order to assess South of Yemen's needs in the field of reconstructive surgery and ensure better access to patients.
• Regular field visits to hospitals, INGOs, IDP camps, MSF projects and any other provinces upon request.
• Support network and planning coordinator in any visit for networking and mapping.
• Updates Network and planning Coordinator about any changes in the medical situation in Yemen.
• Ensure to have all updated documents about the Program.
• Initiate and perform presentation of MSF activity (PowerPoint, etc.) for Medical and non-medical partners in the country.
• Maintain good awareness and understanding of RSP criteria.
• Keep a constant network with partners of camps, hospitals and INGOs; integrate MSF referrals in implemented systems and feedback partners with difficulties and constraints.
• Track health concerns of targeted population, understand main referral processes and constraints, keep contact with communities and assess specific needs in reconstructive surgery related to lack of access to care.

General Accountabilities

• Keep the patient and/or his/her family informed about the illness and provide appropriate explanations about the treatment to follow, checking they have understood.
• Know and ensure all MSF medical protocols are followed and implemented, checking universal precautions are followed at all times, reducing bio-hazard risks, and improving infection control.
• Ensure professional Confidentiality is respected.

Reporting and Additional Activities

• Monthly activity report to be sent to the Network and planning coordinator and Medical Director in Yemen.
• Any kind of report related to specific medical cases or related to the South of Yemen network in general (feedback from meetings, presentation to partners, etc.).
• Work in harmony with the MSF Yemen team; respect protocols and hospital procedures.
• Respect and follow the security guidelines of the Yemen mission.
• Perform additional activities upon request.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Medical Doctor diploma.
• Experience:
• Minimum 2 years experience as a Medical Doctor or in clinical work (can be within medical training).
• Emergency experience.
• Experience working with medical structure and/or NGO.
• Desirable Experience: Residency in surgical or orthopedic department.
• Languages:
• English: Fluent (F)
• French: Basic (B)
• National language: Required (R)
• Other dialects: An asset (A)
• Knowledge: Essential computer literacy (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Internet).

Competencies

• People Management and Development L2
• Communication skills, negotiation skills
• Multi-cultural flexibility or experience
• Diplomacy, good communication and interpersonal skills
• Confidentiality, strong sense of integrity
• Commitment to MSF principles L2
• Autonomous, independent, rigorous, organized
• Initiative
• Results and Quality Orientation L3
• Analytical, Synthetic, Planning capabilities, organizational skills, problem solving, multi-tasks management
• Teamwork and Cooperation L3
• Reporting and Writing capabilities