Implementing patient navigator programmes within a hospital setting in Toronto, Canada: A qualitative interview...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Implementation Science
• Patient Navigation

Background:

• Patient navigator programs aim to improve patient care coordination and outcomes.
• Understanding implementation barriers and facilitators is key to successful program integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify organizational and system-level barriers and facilitators impacting patient navigator program implementation.
• To explore factors influencing the successful integration of patient navigators in an acute care hospital system.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive study utilizing the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).
• Data collected through in-depth interviews with frontline clinicians, program directors, leaders, and managers.
• Thematic analysis employed to identify key implementation themes.

Main Results:

• Successful implementation depended on clear consensus on need, presence of champions, program ownership, organizational landscape, and implementation climate.
• Communication mechanisms significantly influenced both barriers and facilitators.
• Key stakeholders included 38 participants from community and acute care settings.

Conclusions:

• Strategies for implementing patient navigator programs should focus on evidence integration and collaborative communication.
• Frameworks facilitating program integration into existing organizational practices are essential.
• Addressing identified barriers and leveraging facilitators can enhance patient navigator program effectiveness.