What does the Care Coordination measure assess?

The Care Coordination measure specifically evaluates how effectively patient care is managed across multiple settings. This is crucial in a healthcare environment where patients often receive treatment from various providers and institutions. Effective care coordination involves ensuring that information about a patient's health is shared seamlessly among different healthcare professionals, which can include primary care doctors, specialists, hospitals, and other care facilities.

When care coordination is optimized, it leads to improved patient outcomes, reduced redundancy in tests or procedures, and a more holistic approach to patient care. This measure is particularly important in chronic disease management, where multiple services are required over time, and effective coordination can significantly enhance patient experiences and health results.

In contrast, other options do not align with the fundamental goal of care coordination. For example, independent work of healthcare providers does not necessarily reflect the collaboration necessary for effective care coordination. Similarly, while cost-effectiveness and staff satisfaction are important aspects of healthcare, they do not measure the integration and management of care across different healthcare settings, which is the primary focus of the Care Coordination measure.