Implementing coordination of care--task performance and problems encountered

In recent years the effects of interventions in the field of coordination of care have been well reported. However, the implementation of coordination of care is hardly addressed. This article focuses on the implementation of coordination of care for the elderly in three community settings in The Netherlands. A group of 38 professional and non-professional care-givers functioned as coordinators during a period of one year. Open interviews with coordinators, minutes from group meetings and forms and logbooks were used as sources of data. Major problems during implementation involved conflicting roles, preserving the client's privacy, lack of recognition and the perception that coordination was not always necessary. Coordinators had no difficulty in making a care inventory and in organizing care. On the other hand, introducing oneself as a coordinator, and planning and evaluating are tasks that need more attention in future interventions.