Care coordination and paperwork
San Diego, CA

San Diego, CA Care Coordination Resources

Local starting points for coordinating care logistics in San Diego, California: major health systems, caregiver support groups, aging resources, meals, in-home help, home health, therapy, and hospice contacts.

Non-clinical administrative coordination. Not an emergency service.

Starting point: This page is a curated set of common resources—not a complete directory, ranking, or partner list. Please confirm details with each organization. Suggest an update.

Local snapshot

San Diego’s care landscape is spread across multiple major systems—UC San Diego Health, Sharp HealthCare, and Scripps Health—with key campuses split between Hillcrest, Kearny Mesa, and the La Jolla/UTC area. That geography matters: it’s common for a parent’s specialists, imaging, and follow‑ups to be on different campuses, and traffic/parking can turn a “quick appointment” into a half‑day logistics problem. For long‑distance family members, the practical friction is usually less about choosing a doctor and more about keeping paperwork, portals, and referrals aligned across systems. On the public side, San Diego County’s Aging & Independence Services is the starting point for many county programs, and local nonprofits like Alzheimer’s San Diego and caregiver coalitions can help families find support groups and classes. If you’re coordinating from out of state, plan early for transportation, release‑of‑information forms, and a shared “open items” list so everyone stays coordinated without duplicating calls.

Where to start (especially if you’re remote)

  • Get **proxy access** to the patient portal(s) (or obtain written permission for you to speak with staff). Keep a copy of the signed release-of-information form.
  • Build a one-page **care summary**: diagnoses list (plain language), current meds with doses, allergies, primary care + key specialists, and preferred pharmacy.
  • Create an “**open loops**” tracker (referrals pending, imaging to schedule, labs to obtain, prior auths, benefit forms, transportation needs). Update it after every call.
  • Ask for the **discharge summary**, medication reconciliation, and follow-up plan after any ED visit or hospitalization. Confirm which follow-ups must happen within 7–14 days.
  • For questions about where to call inside a hospital, start with the **main operator** and ask to be transferred—avoid relying on unit/nurse-station numbers unless the hospital publishes them.
  • Confirm how each system handles **medical records** requests (portal download vs. Health Information Management). Request records early if a new specialist needs them.
  • Before the first appointment, verify **transport + parking** options and arrival time expectations (check-in, labs, imaging). If a local family member is driving, share the map link and timing plan.
Averyn can help
with the follow-through

Let an Averyn Care Navigator take on the “stuck in the middle” tasks:

  • Scheduling and rescheduling across multiple providers
  • Referral follow-up, pre-auth paperwork, and portal threads
  • Clear written updates that keep family aligned

Non-clinical administrative coordination (not medical advice, triage, or emergency monitoring).

Major health systems near San Diego

Phone trees and campus details change—use the official directories linked below.

Hospital / health system
Hillcrest Medical Center at UC San Diego Health

Address: 200 West Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103

Main: 858-657-7000

Official info

Hospital / health system
Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla

Address: 9888 Genesee Ave, La Jolla, CA 92037

Main: 858-626-4123

Official info

Caregiver support groups (in and around San Diego)

Meeting times can change—confirm on the organization’s site before you go.

Caregiver support group
Alzheimer's San Diego — Encanto Caregivers Support Group

Schedule: 4th Thursday of the month, 4:00pm–5:30pm

Location: Skyline Hills Library, 7900 Paradise Valley Rd, San Diego, CA 92139

Schedule and location are listed publicly; check the page for current details and registration instructions.

Details

Caregiver support group
Caregiver Coalition of San Diego — Monthly Coalition Meeting

Schedule: Last Thursday of every month, 11:00am–12:30pm (in person)

Location: Mission Hills - Hillcrest/Knox Branch Library, 215 W Washington St, San Diego, CA 92103

Monthly educational meeting; check the website for topics and any schedule changes.

Details

Local aging supports & caregiver resources

County aging services / Area Agency on Aging
County of San Diego Aging & Independence Services (AIS) — Call Center

Phone: 800-339-4661

Starting point for many county aging programs and referrals (phone hours are listed on the county page).

Website

Resource navigation / community services
2-1-1 San Diego

Phone: 858-300-1200

You can dial 2-1-1 for local resource navigation; the contact page also lists an administrative phone.

Website

Caregiver education & dementia support
Alzheimer's San Diego

Local nonprofit providing support groups, education, and caregiver resources (see support groups page for local meetings).

Website

Caregiver coalition / education
Caregiver Coalition of San Diego

Coalition connecting caregivers to education and community resources; see the site for meeting topics and updates.

Website

Meals & nutrition support

We’ll add meal options here as we expand coverage.

In-home help (private pay)

Home health, therapy & human services

A few common starting points. Confirm service area and insurance details directly.

Skilled home health
Home health agencies
Rehab & therapy
PT / OT options
  • Luna Physical Therapy (In-home PT)866-525-3175website
    Service area: San Diego area (confirm service availability)
  • Seaport Scripps Home Health (PT/OT through home health)619-452-7000website
    Service area: San Diego area (home health service area varies)
Human services
Community support
  • County of San Diego In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)800-339-4661website
    Use this county page for IHSS information and the AIS call center number (phone hours are listed on the page).
  • 2-1-1 San Diego858-300-1200website
    Dial 2-1-1 for local resource navigation; the contact page lists an administrative phone as well.

Hospice & palliative support

Hospice & palliative support
The Elizabeth Hospice

Phone: 800-797-2050

Hospice and grief support services; contact the organization to confirm eligibility and service area.

Website

California statewide programs & hotlines

Looking for more? Visit the full state resource page: California.

Help numbers

  • California Adult Protective Services (APS) Hotline: (Adult safety / reporting & help) 1-833-401-0832website
    Use this hotline to be routed to the correct county APS office (the CDSS page provides instructions, including using a ZIP code). If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

See the full state page: California

National programs & directories

Helpful starting points for benefits and caregiver support that apply nationwide.

National resource
Medicare (official program)

Use 1-800-MEDICARE for coverage questions, plan finder, claims, and appeals.

Phone: 800-633-4227

Official info

National resource
Eldercare Locator (ACL)

Find local Area Agencies on Aging, caregiver resources, and services by ZIP code.

Phone: 800-677-1116

Official info

National resource
211 (United Way / local social services)

Local referrals for food, housing, transportation, caregiving help, and more.

Phone: 211

Official info

National resource
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

24/7 crisis support. Dial 988.

Phone: 988

Official info

National resource
Social Security Administration

Benefits, replacement cards, and general SSA services.

Phone: 800-772-1213

Official info

National resource
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Main VA information line.

Phone: 800-698-2411

Official info

National resource
Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline

Support and information for dementia caregivers.

Phone: 800-272-3900

Official info

National resource
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) — State directory

SNAP is administered by states. Use the directory to find your state agency contact info.

Official info

National resource
Medicaid & CHIP — Contact your state agency

Official directory for state Medicaid agencies.

Official info

National resource
CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)

Federal agency overseeing Medicare, Medicaid, and related programs.

Official info

National resource
USDA National Hunger Hotline

Help finding food resources; also offers Spanish line 877-842-6273.

Phone: 866-348-6479

Official info

See the full national page: National resources

Medicare Advantage plan contacts (benefits & claims)

For plan-specific questions, the number on the member ID card is usually best. These are general member-services lines and contact pages.

Official tool
Compare plans by ZIP code

If you’re not sure which Medicare Advantage or Part D plans are available locally, Medicare’s official Plan Finder is the most reliable starting point: Medicare Plan Finder.

California plans

  • Medicare Plan Finder (Official comparison tool)contact
    Use this tool to compare Medicare Advantage and Part D options by ZIP code. When contacting a plan, use the number on the member ID card when possible.
  • Humana — Member support (including Medicare)800-457-4708contact
    Use the number on the member ID card when possible (member service lines can vary by plan).
  • Aetna (Medicare) — Member services866-409-1221contact
    Use the number on the member ID card when possible (member service lines can vary by plan).

National starting points

  • Medicare (official program)800-633-4227contact
    Use the Plan Finder and your Medicare account for plan-level details.
  • UnitedHealthcare Medicare plans877-596-3258contact
    General Medicare member line; members can also use the number on the ID card.
  • Humana Medicare Advantage800-457-4708contact
    Customer Care; hours vary.
  • Aetna Medicare844-979-3435contact
    Member Services number published by Aetna; use the ID card number when possible.
  • Cigna Medicare800-997-1654contact
    Coverage/claims/Medicare information line; members can also use the number on their ID card.
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield (state-specific plans)contact
    BCBS customer service is state-based. For benefits/claims, call the number on the back of the member ID card or use the directory to find your local BCBS website.
  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield (select states)contact
    Anthem contact info is state-specific. Members should use the number on the member ID card whenever possible.
  • SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program)contact
    Free, unbiased Medicare counseling. Use the directory to find your state’s SHIP phone number.

How Averyn fits in

What we do

  • Scheduling, rescheduling, and logistics confirmation
  • Referral follow-up and “what’s the status?” persistence
  • Portal monitoring for administrative threads and document retrieval
  • Benefits questions support (where to look, what to ask, what to document)
  • Written updates that keep siblings aligned

What we don’t do

  • Medical advice, diagnosis, or triage
  • Emergency response or 24/7 monitoring
  • Clinical interpretation of labs or symptoms

This page is a non-exhaustive starting point for families coordinating care. Listings are informational and not endorsements. Contact details and availability can change—verify directly with each organization. Averyn Care provides non-clinical administrative coordination and is not an emergency service.

Last reviewed: 2026-01-11

Talk to an Averyn Care Navigator

If you’re coordinating care from across town or across the country, we can help you move the admin work forward—scheduling, referrals, portal threads, paperwork, and family updates.