What is the purpose of care coordination?

The purpose of care coordination is fundamentally about ensuring that patient care is organized across various services. This involves collaborating and communicating among different healthcare providers to create a seamless experience for patients, particularly those with complex health needs who may be interacting with multiple healthcare professionals and services.

Effective care coordination helps to improve health outcomes by providing comprehensive management of patient care, which includes not only clinical treatment but also various support services that a patient may need. This means ensuring that all aspects of a patient's care—such as medical, behavioral, and social services—are aligned and that there’s a clear plan that all providers understand and follow. By focusing on the holistic approach to patient health, care coordination fosters better patient engagement, reduces the chance of duplicated services or fragmented care, and ultimately leads to improved health experiences and outcomes for patients.

In contrast, options focusing on minimizing communication, addressing only emergency cases, or prioritizing financial outcomes do not capture the essential goal of care coordination, which is to provide comprehensive, organized, and patient-centered care.