Care Coordination

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

The deliberate organisation of patient care activities and information-sharing among all participants involved in a patient's care to achieve safer and more effective care

History and origin

Highlighted as a critical gap in the 2001 IOM report 'Crossing the Quality Chasm'; now central to primary care reform

Examples

• Poor care coordination leads to duplicate tests, medication errors, and fragmented treatment.
• Effective care coordination requires electronic health records that all providers can access.

Synonyms: care integration, coordinated care, care management