Oncology team members' perceptions of a virtual navigation tool for cancer patients

The Internet has become an important source of health information for patients and health care providers (HCPs) alike. Whereas studies have begun to document the effects of the internet on health behaviors and outcomes, surprisingly few studies have explored HCPs' perceptions of the internet as a key resource accessed by patients. However, as HCPs are seen as pivotal in guiding patients toward these resources, it is timely to study their perceptions. Therefore, the present inquiry explores HCPs' views of a recently developed high quality virtual navigation tool called the Oncology Interactive Navigator™ (OIN).

Using a qualitative approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with 16 members of a multidisciplinary colorectal oncology team and volunteers at a large Cancer Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Content analysis revealed emerging themes centering on key benefits including: perceptions of a highly accessible, comprehensive high quality repository of cancer information; a means to further enhance HCP-patient communication and trust; and a significant catalyst to patient-family communication and support. Perceived drawbacks included patient (e.g., socio-demographic profile) and system's (e.g., professional roles and time constraints) characteristics that may limit OIN™ full implementation and uptake.

The findings underscore the relevance of virtual navigation tools to ensure optimal person-centred care in cancer. Findings also suggest how virtual tools such as the OIN™ can best be used in practice as well as they guide strategies to adopt to optimize implementation of similar innovations in health care.