Oncology Nurse Navigation: Development and Implementation of a Program at a Comprehensive Cancer Center


Area of Science:

• Oncology Nursing
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Oncology nurse navigation programs are known to improve care coordination and patient satisfaction.
• These programs aim to streamline the patient journey through complex cancer care systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of oncology nurse navigation on healthcare access.
• To evaluate patient and provider satisfaction with navigation services.
• To determine the effect on clinical trial enrollment in hematologic and gynecologic malignancies.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive cohort study utilizing historical controls was conducted.
• Data were gathered from electronic health records and patient/provider surveys.
• The study focused on two specific cancer patient groups.

Main Results:

• A notable reduction in the time from initial visit to first therapy was observed in the hematology cohort.
• Both patient groups experienced decreased times from contact to first visit and from visit to treatment initiation.
• High satisfaction scores were reported by patients regarding navigator interactions and care quality.
• Providers expressed high satisfaction with the navigation program.
• Clinical trial enrollment rates were not significantly increased by the navigation program.

Conclusions:

• Oncology nurse navigation effectively reduces treatment delays for patients with hematologic malignancies.
• The program enhances patient and provider satisfaction within cancer care.
• While improving timely access to care, oncology nurse navigation did not boost clinical trial participation.