Coordinate Care

One of the four cornerstones of the Health Policy Center recommendations, coordinating care increases value through patient care services that are coordinated across people, functions, activities, locations and time. Patients must actively participate in this process along with providers and payers.

Specific recommendations

• Center care around the needs of patients and families.
• Form coordinated systems to deliver effective and appropriate care to patients.
• Provide complete and accurate information so patients can make informed decisions about their care.
• Leverage information technology (IT) to aid in care coordination. All team members, including patients, would have access.
• Develop and support care models that include defined care coordinators for patients who have chronic and acute conditions.

Advantages

Teamwork: Research from RAND Corporation shows that patients are better off when cared for by a team of people. In a more coordinated system, health care professionals would work interdependently, sharing information to work more efficiently. Patients — particularly those with chronic or complex illnesses — need and deserve coordinated care, where physicians are highly-engaged team members and work as partners with patients, families, nurses and other health care professionals.

Simplification: An arrangement that provides patients with a single point of coordination and interpretation would significantly reduce the frustration many people face while trying to navigate the complexities of health care.