Let’s face it—most of what makes health care so challenging these days is trying to get a straight answer to all the questions that come up—whether it’s a billing matter, for example, a treatment issue or a clarification on follow-up care after a hospitalization. Now there’s help available! Primarily thanks to financial incentives built into the Affordable Care Act, insurers, hospitals and doctors are being rewarded for keeping you healthier, preventing unnecessary hospitalizations and making sure that your care is coordinated between the various professionals you may be seeing. If that sounds like a tall order, you’re right. That’s why many health-care providers, wanting to be sure that they reap those financial rewards, have created new positions called “care coordinators,” who serve as your direct contact—at no charge to you­—for any questions or concerns you may have about your health care.

Care coordinators (sometimes called “care navigators”) are catching on fast. Most private insurers provide care-coordination services to their policyholders, and just about all Medicare Advantage Plans have care coordinators. Most large health-care systems, such as Banner Health, UCLA Health, Bon Secours and Kaiser, now employ coordinators, and so do many large hospitals and group medical practices, including the Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic and local practices such as oncology and cardiac groups. What you need to know about care coordinators…

  • Training is emphasized. Most care coordinators are either nurses or social workers. Because of the growing demand for care coordinators, other personnel, such as patients’ advocates with knowledge of health-care issues, are now being recruited. No matter what their background, care coordinators are specially trained to understand the full scope of their organization’s services and how to cut through the red tape to get answers. Once trained, care coordinators can take charge of all aspects of your care and make sure your needs are being met and questions are being answered.
  • Services are wide-ranging. Care coordinators provide a wealth of services for patients and their families. For example, a care coordinator can set up rides for medical appointments or arrange for medication delivery. Most hospitals provide very little follow-up after a patient is discharged. Care coordinators not only follow up on your status but can also directly arrange for services, such as home-care nursing or Meals on Wheels services, that might prevent you from being rehospitalized. Care coordinators also communicate with all your health-care providers to truly “coordinate” your care.
  • It’s easy to get started. To find a care coordinator, start with your insurance provider (including your Medicare Advantage Plan sponsor if you have one). Ask if care coordinators are available. If so, check out their range of services and how you can use them. If you are going to be hospitalized, call the hospital in advance and ask about care-coordination services. Because of federal incentives, your doctors are likely to be members of what are called Accountable Care Organizations (ACO), which are specifically designed to coordinate care. Ask your doctor if he/she belongs to one and how you can use these services.