The Role of a Care Coordinator: Duties, Skills, and Impact

If you’ve ever juggled appointments, test results, and specialist referrals, you know how confusing care can feel. A care coordinator is the person who connects the dots. They organize services across providers, keep communication flowing, help patients understand options, and make sure the right care happens at the right time. You’ll find care coordinators in hospitals, clinics, insurance plans, and specialty practices such as podiatry—especially helpful when conditions are complex or ongoing.

In this article, you’ll learn what a care coordinator does, why their work improves outcomes and experience, and the day-to-day responsibilities behind the title. We’ll outline the key skills and training, where they work and who they support, and walk through a typical coordination process. You’ll also see how this role differs from case managers and patient navigators, which tools and insurance tasks are involved, when you might need one, and how coordinated care supports foot and ankle health.

Why care coordination matters

Care coordination turns a fragmented healthcare experience into a connected plan. When one person owns the thread—assessing needs, aligning care plans, communicating across providers, and following up—patients avoid duplicated tests, missed referrals, and conflicting instructions. National leaders such as AHRQ and the ANA recognize coordination as essential for safe transitions and patient-centered care. The role of a care coordinator also helps patients understand next steps, manage medications, and access community resources while clinicians receive timely updates. The result: clearer decisions, fewer gaps, and a smoother path from diagnosis to recovery.

Core duties and responsibilities

At its core, the role of a care coordinator is to turn a patient’s needs into an actionable, shared plan—and then keep that plan on track. They serve as the point person who aligns providers, educates patients and families, and closes gaps that lead to delays or confusion. Day to day, their responsibilities center on assessment, planning, communication, follow-through, and advocacy.

• Assess patient needs: Gather history, risks, goals, and barriers to care.
• Build a shared care plan: Collaborate with clinicians to align treatments and timelines.
• Educate and counsel: Explain conditions, medications, and options in plain language.
• Coordinate services and referrals: Schedule visits, arrange diagnostics, and connect to specialists.
• Clarify roles and accountability: Define who does what and when across the team.
• Monitor and evaluate progress: Track outcomes, adjust plans, and document updates.
• Support care transitions: Smooth handoffs between settings (e.g., hospital to home).
• Advocate for the patient: Escalate concerns and remove access barriers (transport, cost).
• Manage documentation and privacy: Maintain accurate records and protect confidentiality.
• Close or step down coordination: Conclude services when goals are met or needs change.

Skills and competencies for effective coordination

Effective coordination blends people, process, and technology. The role of a care coordinator requires clear communication, translating medical terms into plain language, and trust built on empathy and cultural awareness. Coordinators think critically, stay organized across multiple cases, work confidently in EHRs and spreadsheets, protect confidentiality, and align patients, families, and clinicians around a shared plan.

• Communication and active listening: Collaborate and clarify roles.
• Patient education/health literacy: Turn complex orders into next steps.
• Empathy and service mindset: Build rapport and advocate.
• Organization/time management: Prioritize and track details.
• Critical thinking/problem‑solving: Analyze and remove barriers.
• Tech proficiency/privacy: Microsoft Office, EHR/EMR, databases; protect confidentiality.

Education, licensure, and certifications

Most employers seek a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field—healthcare administration, social work, nursing, public health, communications, or business—plus hands-on experience through internships or entry roles. Licensure is generally not required for the role of a care coordinator, though exceptions exist (e.g., licensed administrators in nursing homes or state social-work licensure). Many professionals strengthen their credentials with targeted certifications and graduate study.

• Optional certifications: PAHCOM (medical management), AHIMA (health information management), CCCTM (ANA).
• Advanced degrees: MPH, MHA, or related master’s to advance.
• Continuing education: Ongoing training to maintain skills and quality.

Where care coordinators work and who they support

The role of a care coordinator spans the full care continuum—in primary and specialty clinics, hospitals, nursing and rehab facilities, insurer care‑management teams, and community nonprofits. They support diverse populations: children and families, adults with chronic conditions, older adults, people with disabilities, and patients transitioning after surgery or illness. In specialties like podiatry, coordinators assist athletes with injuries, individuals with diabetic foot risks, and people needing advanced wound care or limb‑salvage follow‑up.

The care coordination process, step by step

Behind every smooth experience is a clear, repeatable workflow. The role of a care coordinator follows a cycle that AHRQ and other leaders emphasize: assess needs, assign responsibility, share information, manage transitions, and verify results. Here’s how that plays out from first contact to a successful handoff.

1. Intake and consent: Confirm demographics, privacy preferences, and best ways to communicate.
2. Comprehensive assessment: Gather history, medications, risks, goals, and barriers (transport, cost, language).
3. Shared goals and care plan: Create a plain‑language plan with timelines and teach‑back to confirm understanding.
4. Team alignment and accountability: Clarify who does what and document it where all team members can see it.
5. Coverage and barriers check: Verify benefits and authorizations; arrange solutions for access hurdles.
6. Referrals and scheduling: Book diagnostics and specialists; send complete, timely information to prevent delays.
7. Transitions and education: Provide warm handoffs, reconcile medications, and coach on red‑flag symptoms and self‑care.
8. Monitor, adjust, and close: Track progress, update the plan, escalate concerns, then step down or close when goals are met.

Care coordinator vs. case manager vs. patient navigator

Organizations sometimes use these titles interchangeably, but there are practical differences in emphasis. Knowing who does what clarifies expectations and speeds results—especially when multiple providers and an insurer are involved.

• Care coordinator: The point person who aligns a shared care plan across providers, educates patients, monitors progress, advocates, and ensures smooth transitions. The role of a care coordinator centers on communication, planning, and closing gaps.
• Case manager: Often oversees services and resources for a defined episode or population, with a stronger focus on benefits, authorizations, utilization, and risk mitigation. Frequently employed by hospitals or insurers; licensure may apply in some settings.
• Patient navigator: Primarily removes access barriers—scheduling, paperwork, referrals, transportation—and supports understanding of next steps. Many settings use “navigator” as a synonym for coordinator, especially in specialty care.

Clear role definitions help patients get timely care, avoid duplicate work, and understand who to contact for what.

Tools and technology that enable coordination

Technology makes the role of a care coordinator scalable. Coordinators use interoperable systems to keep care plans visible, messages timely, and test results in one place. In podiatry, integrations for imaging and referrals reduce delays, while patient‑facing tools simplify education and follow‑up.

• EHR/EMR platforms: Shared care plans, tasks, and alerts.
• Secure messaging/telehealth: HIPAA‑compliant touchpoints between visits.
• E‑referrals and scheduling: Digital orders with status tracking.
• Patient portals (e.g., Healow): Results, forms, reminders, and education.

Insurance, authorizations, and referrals

Insurance details can stall good care. Coordinators verify coverage, translate benefits into out‑of‑pocket costs, and secure prior authorizations so tests, procedures, and supplies aren’t delayed. They keep referrals in‑network, align documentation to ICD‑10/CPT, and track approvals so what clinicians order is what payers approve.

• Verify eligibility and benefits: Estimate copays and deductibles.
• Prepare clean documentation: Medical necessity with ICD‑10/CPT; submit complete requests.
• Obtain and track prior auths: For imaging, procedures, and DME (e.g., braces, diabetic shoes).
• Coordinate referrals: Keep in‑network, send clinical summaries, and close the loop with results.

When you might need a care coordinator

When your care involves multiple providers, complicated instructions, or frequent transitions between settings, you may benefit from a care coordinator. The role of a care coordinator is especially helpful if barriers—cost, coverage, transportation, language, or health literacy—make it hard to follow through with a plan.

• Multi-specialist new diagnosis
• Post-surgery or hospital discharge
• Complex meds or overlapping care
• Repeated ER/urgent visits
• Prior authorizations, imaging, or medical equipment

How care coordination supports foot and ankle care

Foot and ankle conditions often involve multiple steps—imaging, conservative therapies, possible surgery, and careful follow-up. That’s where the role of a care coordinator becomes a force multiplier. At a specialty practice like Achilles Foot and Ankle Center, coordinators connect providers, technology, and timelines so patients move smoothly from diagnosis to recovery. They align advanced tools (digital imaging, ultrasound/fluoroscopy‑guided injections) with practical supports (orthotics, bracing, diabetic shoes), verify insurance requirements, and keep post‑visit instructions clear through the patient portal. For urgent issues, they triage needs across multiple locations and arrange same‑day access. For high‑risk patients, they orchestrate wound care and limb‑salvage visits to prevent complications.

• Streamlined diagnostics: Schedule imaging and share results promptly.
• Conservative care first: Coordinate physical therapy, custom orthotics, and bracing.
• Surgical pathway: Handle pre‑op clearances, authorizations, and post‑op follow‑ups at the Surgery Center.
• Diabetic foot and wounds: Align visits, supplies, and referrals to reduce infection and amputation risk.
• Always-on communication: Use the Healow portal for reminders, education, and secure messages.

Key takeaways

Care coordination turns scattered tasks into a single, accountable plan. The role of a care coordinator is to align providers, educate patients, navigate insurance, and keep progress moving so nothing falls through the cracks. Knowing their duties, skills, process, and partners helps you ask for—and receive—more connected, safer care.

• One point person: Central contact who owns the plan and timeline.
• Clear communication & education: Translates orders into next steps patients can follow.
• Insurance, authorizations, referrals: Prevents delays by submitting clean, complete requests.
• Safe transitions & follow‑through: Smooth handoffs, monitoring, and timely adjustments.

For coordinated foot and ankle care close to home, connect with Achilles Foot and Ankle Center.