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Cited by 42Adolescent and Pediatric HealthcareChild and Adolescent HealthInterprofessional Education and Collaboration

The role of care coordinator for children with complex care needs: a systematic review

Open access
Michael Connolly·2016·International Journal of Integrated Care
DOI 10.5334/ijic.2250PMC PMC5015533
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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: This systematic review seeks to identify the intended components of the role of care coordinator for children with complex care needs and the factors that determine its composition in practice. THEORY AND METHODS: The initial search identified 1,157 articles, of which 37 met the inclusion criteria. They were quality assessed using the SIGN hierarchy of evidence structure. RESULTS: Core components of the role include: coordination of care needs, planning and assessment, specialist support, emotional support, administration and logistics and continuing professional development. Influencing factors on the role include the external environment (political and socio-economic), the internal environment (organisational structure and funding protocols), the skills, qualifications and experience of the coordinator, the family circumstances and the nature of the interaction between the care coordinator and the family. DISCUSSION: The lack of consistent terminology creates challenges and there is a need for greater consensus on this issue. Organisations and healthcare professionals need to recognise the extent to which contextual factors influence the role of a care coordinator in practice and plan accordingly. Despite evidence that suggests that the role is pivotal in ensuring that care needs are sustained, there remains great variability in the understanding of the role of a care coordinator for this population. CONCLUSIONS: As the provision of care increasingly moves closer to home there is a need for greater understanding of the nature and composition of the interaction between care coordinators and families to determine the extent to which appropriate services are being provided. Further work in this area should take into consideration any potential variance in service provision, for example any potential inequity arising due to geographic location. It is also imperative, where appropriate, to seek the views of children with complex care needs and their siblings about their experiences.

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  • A systematic review exploring evidence exclusively on the role of a care coordinator for CSHCN highlighted the need for further evidence evaluating the role of care coordinators.

    “This is also echoed through the findings of a systematic review35 exploring evidence exclusively on the role of a care coordinator for CSHCN which highlighted the need for further evidence evaluating the role of care coordinators.”

    From Integrated care for children and young people with special health and care needs: a systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as [35]

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Authors
Connolly, M.
Affiliations
University College Dublin (IE)
Corresponding author
Michael Connolly
ORCID
Michael Connolly
Venue
International Journal of Integrated Care
Publisher
Ubiquity Press, Ltd.
Published
2016-05-31
Volume
16
Issue
2
Pages
12-12
ISSN
1568-4156 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.5334/ijic.2250
PMC
PMC5015533
OpenAlex
W2416892073
Cited by
42
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2016: 1
FWCI
0.53
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • International Journal of Integrated Care (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • International Journal of Integrated Care (IJIC) (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Research@THEA (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › Adolescent and Pediatric Healthcare
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Child and Adolescent Health
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Interprofessional Education and Collaboration
Keywords
care coordinators, care coordination, family-centered care, expert support, emotional support, organizational structure, home care, siblings' experiences

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