title: Metrics for evaluating patient navigation during cancer diagnosis and treatment: crafting a policy-relevant research agenda for patient navigation in cancer care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Racial and ethnic minorities as well as other vulnerable populations experience disparate cancer-related health outcomes. Patient navigation is an emerging health care delivery innovation that offers promise in improving quality of cancer care delivery to these patients who experience unique health-access barriers. Metrics are needed to evaluate whether patient navigation can improve quality of care delivery, health outcomes, and overall value in health care during diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information regarding the current state of the science examining patient navigation interventions was gathered via search of the published scientific literature. A focus group of providers, patient navigators, and health-policy experts was convened as part of the Patient Navigation Leadership Summit sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Key metrics were identified for assessing the efficacy of patient navigation in cancer diagnosis and treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patient navigation data exist for all stages of cancer care; however, the literature is more robust for its implementation during prevention, screening, and early diagnostic workup of cancer. Relatively fewer data are reported for outcomes and efficacy of patient navigation during cancer treatment. Metrics are proposed for a policy-relevant research agenda to evaluate the efficacy of patient navigation in cancer diagnosis and treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient navigation is understudied with respect to its use in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Core metrics are defined to evaluate its efficacy in improving outcomes and mitigating health-access barriers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. Aguadagn@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: B Ashleigh
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Guadagnolo
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dohan
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Raich
mesh_terms: D016208:Databases, Factual; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D011050:Policy Making; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States