The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) have joined together to invest in CaRe-Align, an initiative to develop a new model of care that could better meet the complex needs of older patients with multiple chronic conditions. This new model seeks to realign care around older patients’ self-identified health goals and potentially lead to improved health outcomes and lower care costs for this population, which is a major user of health care services in the country. The new model will aim to incorporate the best available evidence for involving patients in their own care and facilitating communication and coordination between and among primary care and specialty care clinicians. Advancements in health information technology and new payment and delivery system reforms that encourage care coordination will provide a platform on which the model will be built.

Following the CaRe-Align model development phase, the Hartford Foundation initiated a large-scale demonstration project intended to support the implementation and evaluation of the model in practice. If it is shown to be successful in improving health outcomes and reducing costs, the model will be promoted for widespread adoption.