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Medical Champions: Key to Medical-Legal Partnerships Success

Publication Title: The Role of the Medical Champion in the Medical-Legal Partnership: A Delphi Study.

Summary

Question
This study aimed to define the role of the 'medical champion' within medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) by identifying and prioritizing responsibilities and actionable steps that these individuals can undertake to support MLPs effectively. MLPs integrate legal professionals into clinical settings to address patients' health-harming legal needs (HHLN), such as housing instability or utility assistance. The researchers used the Delphi method, a structured process to gather and refine expert opinions, to develop a consensus on the mechanisms by which medical champions can contribute to the success of MLPs.
Why it Matters
Addressing social determinants of health, such as economic stability and safe housing, can significantly improve health outcomes. However, healthcare professionals often lack the tools or confidence to address these issues effectively. MLPs bridge this gap by embedding legal expertise into healthcare settings, but their success depends on collaboration between medical and legal professionals. Medical champions—clinicians who lead and advocate for MLPs—play a pivotal role in integrating these partnerships into clinical workflows. Understanding their responsibilities can strengthen MLPs, improve patient care, and promote health equity.
Methods
The researchers conducted a three-round Delphi study involving medical and legal experts from a 2023 MLP conference. In the first round, 25 participants generated 107 concepts about the role of medical champions through structured group discussions. These ideas were synthesized into 40 actionable mechanisms. In the subsequent rounds, experts ranked these mechanisms by priority using surveys and discussions, achieving consensus on their importance.
Key Findings
The study identified 40 mechanisms for medical champions to support MLPs, with 14 ranked as high priority and 15 as medium priority. High-priority responsibilities included building strong relationships with legal teams, ensuring MLP processes align with clinical workflows, and directly supporting patients by bridging gaps between healthcare and legal systems. Lower-priority mechanisms focused on broader advocacy and policy-level changes. The findings emphasized the importance of medical champions in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and addressing patients’ HHLN.
Implications
Medical champions are essential for the success and sustainability of MLPs. Their ability to integrate legal services into clinical care can help healthcare teams address complex social and legal barriers affecting patients’ health. By clearly defining their roles, this study provides a roadmap for training and supporting medical champions, ultimately enhancing the impact of MLPs on patient outcomes and health equity.
Next Steps
The researchers recommend further studies to evaluate the impact of medical champions on the implementation and sustainability of MLPs. They also suggest developing best practices for training and supporting medical champions to optimize their contributions to healthcare and legal collaborations.
Funding Information

Yale University provided funding and support for this research. One author's effort was supported by funding through the Macy Faculty Scholarship.

Full Citation

Aloe C, Puglisi L, Marottoli R, Silber A, Vanjani R, Fenick A. The Role of the Medical Champion in the Medical-Legal Partnership: A Delphi Study. The Journal Of Law, Medicine & Ethics 2026, 1-9. PMID: 41807131, DOI: 10.1017/jme.2026.10245.
This AI-assisted summary has been reviewed and approved by at least one of the study's authors to ensure it accurately reflects the research.

Authors

  • Carlin Aloe, MPH

    First Author
    Yale School of Medicine

    Research Associate 2 HSS

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  • Ada Fenick, MD

    Last Author
    Yale School of Medicine

    Professor of Pediatrics (General Pediatrics)

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Additional Yale School of Medicine Authors

Other Authors

  • Lisa Puglisi;
  • Richard Marottoli;
  • Andrea Silber;
  • Rahul Vanjani

Research Themes

Concepts