Care Coordination: The Key To Advanced Primary Care

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), 33% of all healthcare spending is attributed to hospital visits while only 20% is attributed to clinical visits.

Too many patients are relying on emergency room visits to address problems that could have been mitigated in a primary care setting and by specialists. Poor access and high costs are keeping them out of their primary care clinic.

When patients are referred to specialists, poor communication and lack of follow-up treatment reduce the effectiveness of treatments. Care coordination solves these problems by breaking down barriers, improving communication, and anticipating patient needs.

It’s not just a more effective way to improve outcomes, it’s a critical component of advanced primary care.

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What is care coordination?

“The main goal of care coordination is to meet the patient’s needs and preferences in the delivery of high-quality, high-value health care.” — Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality - Care Coordination (AHRQ)

Care coordination is a team effort. It’s a way of working with all participants in a patient’s care, from nurses and providers to specialists, in an organized, cohesive manner.

Care coordination can take many forms. It happens when providers develop care plans in conjunction with health coaches. Or when primary care clinics seamlessly support follow-up care after a patient has seen a specialist.

Why is care coordination important to advanced primary care?

Care coordination is an integral part of Vera’s advanced primary care model. It helps prevent gaps in communication and treatment when specialty care is appropriate, including follow-up, and integration into the member’s care plan.

At a Vera care center, care coordination starts when members, providers, and health coaches work together to develop a personalized care plan focused on improving the member’s long-term health. When outside or specialty care is required, member care teams coordinate that care, including follow-up treatment, to ensure the best possible outcomes.

When a member’s care is the result of a highly collaborative and organized system, outcomes improve. For employers, care coordination drives down healthcare costs and increases productivity because employees become active participants in a system designed to make them healthier.

At Vera onsite care centers, advanced primary care relies on care coordination to ensure nothing stands between a member and their healthcare needs.

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