Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Perspectives on Neuroscience
Published on: July 31, 2007
A relational perspective on care coordination.
Affan Ghaffari1, Rebecca Wells, Liza Creel
1Affan Ghaffari, PhD, is Alumnus, Department of Health Policy and Management, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan. Rebecca Wells, PhD, is Professor, Department of Management, Policy, and Community Health, The University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston. E-mail: Rebecca.S.Wells@uth.tmc.edu. Liza Creel, PhD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Health Management and Systems Sciences, University of Louisville School of Public Health & Information Sciences, Kentucky. Mónica Siañez, DrPH, is Alumna, Department of Management, Policy, and Community Health, The University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston.
Effective care coordination requires strong communication. This study found that while interactions with patients and community partners are generally positive, they improve with program maturity and require support for optimal development.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Health Services Research
- Patient-Centered Care
Background:
- Care coordination relies on interactions between care coordinators, patients, and community partners.
- Enhancing communication frequency and quality can improve care coordination effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare care coordinator perceptions of interactions with patients and community partners.
- To assess how these dynamics evolve over time.
Main Methods:
- Comparative case study of care coordination projects.
- Relational Coordination instrument used in interviews and surveys with care coordinators, patients, and community partners across two waves.
Main Results:
- Care coordinators reported a higher need for both patients and community partners than reciprocated.
- Interaction frequency and mutual influence with community partners increased over the first two years.
- Perceived interaction quality was positive but indicated potential for improvement.
Conclusions:
- Initial care coordination may involve limited interactions.
- As programs mature, interactions become more frequent and influential.
- Developing relationships takes time and requires dedicated support.
Related Concept Videos
Coordination Number and Geometry
Coordination Compounds and Nomenclature
Lattice Centering and Coordination Number
Types of Unit Cells
Imagine taking a large number of identical...
Psychodynamic Perspectives on Personality
Psychodynamic theorists argue that unconscious...
Equations of Motion: Rectangular Coordinates and Cylindrical Coordinates
When a particle moves relative to an inertial frame, the equations of motion can be expressed using rectangular components. If the motion is confined to the x-y plane, the equations having the x and y coordinates only can be used to simplify the mathematical representation.
However, when particles...
Spherical Coordinates

