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Effects of Patient Navigation on Patient Satisfaction Outcomes

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Abstract

Patient navigation (PN) may reduce cancer health disparities. Few studies have investigated the effects of PN on patient-reported satisfaction with care or assessed patients’ satisfaction with navigators. The objectives of this study are to test the effects of PN on patient satisfaction with cancer care, assess patients’ satisfaction with navigators, and examine the impact of barriers to care on satisfaction for persons with abnormal cancer-related screening tests or symptoms. Study participants included women and men with abnormal breast, cervical, or colorectal cancer screening tests and/or symptoms receiving care at 18 clinics. Navigated (n = 416) and non-navigated (n = 292) patients completed baseline and end-of-study measures. There was no significant difference between navigated and non-navigated patients in change in patient satisfaction with cancer care from baseline to exit. African-American (p < 0.001), single (p = 0.03), low income (p < 0.01), and uninsured patients (p < 0.001) were significantly less likely to report high patient satisfaction at baseline. A significant effect was found for change in satisfaction over time by employment status (p = 0.04), with full-time employment showing the most improvement. The interaction between satisfaction with navigators and satisfaction with care over time was marginally significant (p = 0.08). Baseline satisfaction was lower for patients who reported a barrier to care (p = 0.02). Patients reporting other-focused barriers (p = 0.03), including transportation (p = 0.02), had significantly lower increases in satisfaction over time. Overall, results suggested that assessing barriers to cancer care and tailoring navigation to barrier type could enhance patients’ experiences with health care. PN may have positive effects for healthcare organizations struggling to enhance quality of care.

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Contributors

Ohio Patient Navigation Program: Tanios Bekaii-Saab, MD, Mike Burgin, MD, Kelly Fleming, MD, Lisa Keder, MD, Steve Koesters, MD, Mike Langan, MD, John McConaghy, MD, Fred Miser, MD, David O’Malley, MD, Rupal Oza, MD, Hosi Padamadan, MD, Benita Petri-Pickstone, MD, Charles L. Shapiro, MD, Bushra Siddiqi, MD, Neeraj Tayal, MD, and Mary Jo Welker, MD.

Funders

This study was supported by the Special Initiative Research Scholar Grant from the American Cancer Society (112190-SIRSG-05-253-01) and a supplement from the National Cancer Institute Center to Reduce Health Disparities (P30CA016058). Dr. Krok is funded by the National Cancer Institute (Grant P50 CA105632).

Prior Presentations

The preliminary results of this project were presented as a poster presentation at the 2011 NCI Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities Program Meeting, “The Ohio patient navigation program: Does the ACS-patient navigation model improve patients’ satisfaction with cancer-related care?” and as a poster presentation at the 2013 University Trainee Day, “Effects of patient navigation on patient satisfaction”

Conflict of Interest

No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 2231 N. High St., Columbus, OH, 43201, USA

    Douglas M. Post & Ann Scheck McAlearney

  2. Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, 1590 N. High St., Suite 525, Columbus, OH, 43201, USA

    Douglas M. Post, Ann Scheck McAlearney, Jessica L. Krok-Schoen & Electra D. Paskett

  3. Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, 2012 Kenny Rd., Columbus, OH, 43221, USA

    Gregory S. Young

  4. Biobehavioral Cancer Prevention and Control Training Program, University of Washington, PO Box 359455, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Jesse J. Plascak

  5. Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, 395 W. 12th Ave., Columbus, OH, 43210, USA

    Electra D. Paskett

  6. Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, 1841 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH, 43210, USA

    Electra D. Paskett

Authors
  1. Douglas M. Post
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  2. Ann Scheck McAlearney
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  3. Gregory S. Young
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  4. Jessica L. Krok-Schoen
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  5. Jesse J. Plascak
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  6. Electra D. Paskett
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Electra D. Paskett.

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Post, D.M., McAlearney, A.S., Young, G.S. et al. Effects of Patient Navigation on Patient Satisfaction Outcomes. J Canc Educ 30, 728–735 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-014-0772-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-014-0772-1

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