Kathryn M Garfield1, Elizabeth F Franklin2, Tracy A Battaglia3, Andrea J Dwyer4, Karen M Freund5, Patrick D Wightman6, Elizabeth A Rohan7. 1. Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts. 2. Cancer Support Community, Washington, District of Columbia. 3. Women's Health Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts. 4. Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Denver, Colorado. 5. Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts. 6. Center for Population Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. 7. Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: For this study, the authors examined whether specific programmatic factors were associated with the sustainability of patient navigation programs. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey explored navigation programmatic factors associated with 3 measures of sustainability: 1) length of program existence, 2) reliance on sustainable funding, and 3) participation in alternative payment models. In total, 750 patient navigators or program administrators affiliated with oncology navigation programs in clinical-based and community-based settings completed the survey between April and July 2019. RESULTS: Associations were observed between both accreditation and work setting and measures of program sustainability. Accredited programs and larger, more resourced clinical institutions were particularly likely to exhibit multiple measures of sustainability. The results also identified significant gaps at the programmatic level in data collection and reporting among navigation programs, but no association was observed between programmatic data collection/reporting and sustainability. CONCLUSIONS: Navigation is not currently a reimbursable service and has historically been viewed as value-added in oncology settings. Therefore, factors associated with sustainability are critical to understand how to build a framework for successful navigation programs within the current system and also to develop the case for potential reimbursement in the future.
BACKGROUND: For this study, the authors examined whether specific programmatic factors were associated with the sustainability of patient navigation programs. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey explored navigation programmatic factors associated with 3 measures of sustainability: 1) length of program existence, 2) reliance on sustainable funding, and 3) participation in alternative payment models. In total, 750 patient navigators or program administrators affiliated with oncology navigation programs in clinical-based and community-based settings completed the survey between April and July 2019. RESULTS: Associations were observed between both accreditation and work setting and measures of program sustainability. Accredited programs and larger, more resourced clinical institutions were particularly likely to exhibit multiple measures of sustainability. The results also identified significant gaps at the programmatic level in data collection and reporting among navigation programs, but no association was observed between programmatic data collection/reporting and sustainability. CONCLUSIONS: Navigation is not currently a reimbursable service and has historically been viewed as value-added in oncology settings. Therefore, factors associated with sustainability are critical to understand how to build a framework for successful navigation programs within the current system and also to develop the case for potential reimbursement in the future.
Authors: Kristen J Wells; Patrick Wightman; Rosa Cobian Aguilar; Andrea J Dwyer; Cristian Garcia-Alcaraz; Elba L Saavedra Ferrer; Prashanthinie Mohan; Linda Fleisher; Elizabeth F Franklin; Patricia A Valverde; Elizabeth Calhoun Journal: Cancer Date: 2022-07-01 Impact factor: 6.921