Abstract
According to AHRQ, care coordination is a central component of chronic disease management for older adults, particularly those with complex healthcare needs. However, gaps remain in the implementation of care coordination on a national scale. This study examines perceptions of care coordination among older US adults, particularly those with complex medical needs, using the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Data come from 1,168 adults aged >50 who received healthcare during the past two years and who completed an experimental module as part of the 2016 HRS. Participants were asked about the involvement of informal (e.g., family/friends) and formal (e.g., care managers, community health workers) support in their care management, and their perceptions of communication among members of their healthcare team. Descriptive statistics were used to examine how these perceptions varied as a function of health status. The use of both informal and formal care coordination support increased as the number of medical comorbidities increased. Approximately 57% of older adults had involved family/friends in coordinating their healthcare, but only 35% had ever talked with a formal healthcare coordinator. Even among older adults with 3+ medical conditions, 42% reported that their healthcare providers rarely or never asked about the medications they were prescribed by other doctors, and approximately half said their physicians never asked about how their visits with other healthcare providers were going. Despite the acknowledged importance of care coordination for patient satisfaction and healthcare quality, major gaps remain in its implementation for older adults, including those with complex medical needs.