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

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

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

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.

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

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