Understanding Clinical Care: What Every MHA Student Should Know

Understanding Clinical Care: What Every MHA Student Should Know
By: Monica Wickham



When given this assignment, I immediately thought of a particular incident during my employment at Options for Southern Oregon, a mental health provider in Grants Pass, Oregon. I was asked to sit on a hiring committee to help interview a candidate for a Mental Health Therapist I postion. During the interview, one of the members of the interview team posed the question, “What can you tell us about your clinical experience?” I had no idea what would come out of our candidate’s mouth other than what he might know about direct service.

The gentleman we interviewed talked about implementing treatment modalities, patient relationships, and how he implemented best practices into his work. I don’t recall the specifics of what the man said but I do remember becoming acutely aware of the fact that I knew very little about what the term “clinical care” really meant.

I set about asking some of my colleagues what they thought the term meant. I got as many answers to my question as the number of people I asked. After interviewing my coworkers, I came to believe the term to encompass a variety of meanings, all within the realm of direct patient services. What I don’t know is whether or not “clinical care” includes services rendered by anyone other than the clinical provider. Does it include lab services? Does it include the receptionist who takes the clients’ insurance information? Or, is the term strictly used to define the relationship between the client and the direct service provider?

The term “clinical care” remains unclear to me. However, I am certain that every MHA student should have the ability to discern the meaning of the term regardless of context. I am further convinced that an MHA student should have the ability to consider the impact of organizational decisions on deliverables (clinical services). Therefore, I will spend the next quarter in David Masuda’s class defining and clarifying the term “clinical care” so that I might gain the ability to fully participate in discussions where the term is used and make decisions based on what I learn.

I will reach my goals by listening to speakers, asking mentors, research, and surrounding myself with others who have similar interests. I will know that I have reached my goals by answering the question, “what is clinical care?” with confidence. I will also know that I have reached my goal by discernment. If, when I hear the term, I know what people are talking about and I can make a meaningful contribution to the discussion or conversation, I have reached my goal!