Cancer Program Evaluation Planned
Cancer Care Nova Scotia (CCNS) and a team of experts has finalized an evaluation process that will help assess the effectiveness of a new patient navigation program for cancer patients.
"We know that patient navigation is making a difference," said Sandra Cook, patient navigation project manager of Cancer Care Nova Scotia. "Since its launch in the three early adopter sites one year ago, navigators have helped over 600 patients. Now it's time for us to objectively evaluate its impact. This information is critical in making allocation decisions about how we spend our health dollars."
Launched in South West Nova, Pictou and Guysborough Antigonish Strait health authorities one year ago, the patient navigation program was established to enhance cancer care for Nova Scotians. The program allows a "navigator" to work closely with family doctors, cancer specialists, cancer patients and their families to improve access to and co-ordination of treatment, follow-up and support services.
"Cancer Care Nova Scotia is a leader, not only in patient navigation, but also in its transparent approach to program evaluation," said Roy Cameron, director of the Centre for Behavioural Research and Program Evaluation at the University of Waterloo.
"Too often, organizations introduce programs, with little thought to the importance of evaluation. By inviting a panel of experts to review its evaluation tool, Cancer Care Nova Scotia is ensuring a rigourous evaluation of Patient Navigation -- one that will be considered the gold standard of evaluation process," said Mr. Cameron, a member of the expert panel.
Through evaluation, Cancer Care Nova Scotia will measure the impact that the navigation program has had on the development, organization and use of cancer services in the three early adopter districts. It will identify areas that should be considered before navigation is phased into the remaining health districts.
The evaluation will clarify the role of the patient navigator and best approaches for improving co-ordination and continuity of care. It will determine the effectiveness of the processes used to date and measure the impact of navigation on patients, families, and health professionals.
Its value to family physicians and medical oncologists is of particular interest, said Theresa Marie Underhill, chief operating officer of Cancer Care Nova Scotia.
Program evaluation will begin later this month. It will be complete in November 2003.
Panel members invited to help establish the evaluation system were research, evaluation design and policy experts from Nova Scotia and across the country. They included Mr. Cameron; Lorna Butler, associate professor, Dalhousie University and cross- appointed to the faculty of medicine; Margaret Fitch, co- ordinator of supportive care, Cancer Care Ontario; Sharon Campbell, associate director, Centre for Behavioural Research and Program Evaluation at the University of Waterloo; and Susan Logue, chief policy, planning and legislation officer for the Nova Scotia Department of Health.
"We were pleasantly surprised and somewhat overwhelmed by the degree of interest from those we invited to participate in the process," said Ms. Underhill. "The calibre of individuals who agreed to review and provide feedback on our evaluation speaks volumes about the value of patient navigation."
Patient navigation is the result of extensive consultation with cancer patients, family members, health professionals, community organizations and volunteers in Nova Scotia.
Cancer Care Nova Scotia is a program of the Department of Health, created to reduce the burden of cancer on individuals, families, and the health-care system through prevention, screening, education and research.