Care Coordination: A Concept Analysis.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Practice
• Interprofessional Collaboration

Background:

• Care coordination is widely recognized but lacks a clear, consistent definition across healthcare disciplines.
• Role ambiguity in care coordination hinders the implementation of evidence-based practices and policies.
• Nursing plays a familiar role in care coordination within clinical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To clarify the concept and practice role of care coordination.
• To examine the specific value that nursing contributes to care coordination implementation.
• To address the limitations imposed by role ambiguity in care coordination.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Walker and Avant's eight-step concept analysis method.
• Analyzed multidisciplinary healthcare literature on care coordination.
• Examined the nursing profession's role in care coordination.

Main Results:

• Identified defining factors of care coordination practice despite definitional variations.
• Highlighted significant role ambiguity in care coordination across and within disciplines.
• Underscored the essential contributions of nursing to effective care coordination.

Conclusions:

• Clarifying the concept of care coordination is crucial for effective implementation.
• Nursing's role is vital for bridging gaps and enhancing care coordination.
• Addressing role ambiguity can improve evidence-based care coordination in practice and policy.