Proceedings of the inaugural Canadian Healthcare Navigation Conference: a forum for sharing innovations and best practices in navigation services

Abstract

Background Individuals experiencing chronic illnesses face many physical, emotional, and social strains as a result of their illnesses, all the while trying to navigate unfamiliar territory in the healthcare system. Navigation is a strategy that can help people facing complex care needs and barriers to care in finding and accessing needed supports in the health care system. Navigators provide a patient-centred service, guiding individuals through their care plans and overcoming barriers to care. Navigation supports for individuals experiencing complex care needs have shown significant promise and have been gaining traction across Canada. Methods The Canadian Healthcare Navigation Conference was the first event of its kind in Canada to bring together navigation researchers, service providers, students, decision makers, and individuals with lived experience to share lessons learned, promising practices, and research findings. This event was co-hosted by the Family Navigation Project at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and NaviCare/SoinsNavi at the University of New Brunswick, and took place virtually on April 15–16, 2021. Results This event spanned two days, which both began with a keynote address, one from a researcher and medical professional in navigation, and another from an individual with lived experience involved in advocacy in Canadian healthcare. Concurrent oral presentations by a variety of presenters were held following each keynote presentation. A poster session was held at the end of the first day, and a panel presentation rounded out the second day. Concurrent and poster presentations covered a range of topics pertaining to approaches to navigation, navigator roles, evaluation and quality improvement, lived experience in navigation, and navigation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The panel presentation focused on identifying how the navigation field has progressed in Canada and identifying crucial next steps in navigation. These next steps were determined to be: 1) agreement on navigation-related definitions, 2) regulation and training, 3) equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, 4) integrating lived experience, and 5) regional coordination. Conclusion This conference was an important first step to creating a shared national conversation about navigation services so that we can continue to develop, implement, and share best evidence and practices in the field.

Proceedings of the BC Summit on Navigation for Children and Youth with Neurodevelopmental Differences, Disabilities, and Special Needs

“…The application of PN programs within Canada is relatively new, as applied both broadly [ 16 ] and specifically to childhood ND [ 15 ]. For example, in Luke et al’s [ 17 ] environmental scan of pediatric PN programs across Canada, none specifically served children with ND, though six of the 23 identified programs had target populations that would encompass this group, indicating they served “all conditions”.…”

Navigation for youth mental health and addictions: protocol for a realist review and synthesis of approaches and practices (The NavMAP standards project)

“… 3 9 20 Thus, navigation services may be a mechanism to enhance service access and continuity. The recent growth in these types of MHA services 21 necessitates that existing evidence regarding navigation approaches and practices be synthesised to inform navigation supports that improve service integration and continuity of care for these youth and their families.…”

Considering a Need for Dementia-Specific, Family-Centered Patient Navigation in Canada

“…Research on PN for patients with dementia in Canada is emerging (Banerjee & Argáez, 2021; Bernstein et al, 2020; Markoulakis et al, 2021). To date, however, the programs have primarily emphasized the needs of individuals with dementia in the acute care context and the provision of information to families to assist with treatment decision making in the community-care context (Banerjee & Argáez, 2021); not specifically on the hospital to home discharge needs.…”