How good is your care coordination?

Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) need to take a lead role in implementing diligent care coordination processes for their residents and clear communication pathways with families, because there’s a chance no one else is.

In a survey of more than 1,000 Medicare-eligible seniors:

• 63% said no one coordinated their care in the first few months after a hospital discharge
• More than half said they wanted their doctors to provide resources and case managers to answer questions and explain follow-up procedures
• 64% reported seeing three or more healthcare providers in the past year
• 66% said a family member was their sole care coordinator—the other 34% said they had no one in that role
• 32% said it’s important for healthcare providers to offer transportation to medical apppointments.

The survey, gathered by Medicare Advantage Plan CareMore, highlights the importance of regular and detailed communication between caregivers and families at intake and beyond, as a family member has most likely been the only one serving in the care coordination role.

Pamela Tabar

Pamela Tabar was editor-in-chief of I Advance Senior Care from 2013-2018. She has worked as a writer and editor for healthcare business media since 1998, including as News Editor of Healthcare Informatics. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Kent State University and a master’s degree in English from the University of York, England.