Evidence Tools
MCHbest. Medical Home: Personal Doctor or Nurse.

Overview. Patient navigators, sometimes called systems navigators, provide assistance and care coordination, determining individual challenges and guiding patients through available medical, insurance, and social support systems. Patient navigators are usually employed by hospitals or clinics, and may be fully integrated into a primary care team. Hospitals and clinics generally try to hire patient navigators that come from the same communities as their patients. Patient navigators are most commonly employed in cancer care, often serving low income patients.[1] Most clinic-based patient navigators serve low income individuals in urban settings and work with pre-existing clients.[2] Patient navigators may increase access to care by improving scheduling and completion of appointments for children with autism spectrum disorder and increasing immunization and preventive care for urban adolescents.[3,4]

Evidence. Scientifically Rigorous Evidence. Strategies based on scientifically rigorous evidence are proven effective across multiple robust studies. While success is highly likely, local impact may vary. Monitor outcomes and use data to tailor these strategies to the community's unique needs.

Access the peer-reviewed evidence through the MCH Digital Library or related evidence source.

Potential Data Sources. Data to support this strategy can be accessed through:

• Patient navigator activity and workload logs
• Patient and family satisfaction surveys
• Patient-reported measures on perceived challenges

Outcome Components. This strategy has shown to have impact on the following outcomes (Read more about these categories):

• Access to/Receipt of Care. This strategy increases the ability for individuals to obtain healthcare services when needed, including preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services.
• Utilization. This strategy improves the extent to which individuals and communities use available healthcare services.
• Patient Experience of Care. This study improves individuals' perceptions, feelings, and satisfaction with the healthcare services they receive.

Detailed Outcomes. For specific outcomes related to each study supporting this strategy, access the peer-reviewed evidence and read the Intervention Results for each study.

Intervention Type. Case Management (Read more about intervention types and levels as defined by the Public Health Intervention Wheel).

Intervention Level. Individual/Family-Focused

Examples from the Field. There are currently no ESMs that use this strategy. Search similar intervention components in the ESM database.

Sample ESMs. Here are sample ESMs to use as models for your own measures using the RBA framework (see The Role of Title V in Adapting Strategies).