The Role of Care Coordination: A Qualitative Study of Care Coordinator Perceptions

Background: Care coordination is important for patients with complex needs; yet, little is known about the factors impacting implementation from the care coordinator perspective.

Purpose: To understand how care coordination implementation differs across clinics and what care coordinators perceive as barriers and facilitators of effective coordination.

Methods: Nineteen care coordinators from primary care clinics in Minnesota participated in interviews about their perceptions of care coordination. A team of analysts coded interviews using inductive thematic analysis.

Results: Four major themes emerged: variety in care coordination implementation; importance of social needs; necessity for leader buy-in; and importance of communication skills.

Conclusions: Described differences in care coordination implementation were often logistical, but the implications of these differences were foundational to care coordinator perceived effectiveness.