A patient-centered evaluation of a novel medical student-based patient navigation program

Abstract

Objectives: Understand the patient experience of a pilot medical student-based patient navigator (PN) program. (2) Assess areas of improvement for further development as a model for expansion.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study assessing patients' subjective experience of medical student navigators for rheumatological conditions. Current student navigators contacted enrolled patients by phone with both structured and free-response questions.

Results: 44 of 71 patients completed the questionnaire. 84% reported a satisfaction of ≥ 4 on a 5 point Likert scale. > 80% of patients felt that the program helped them better care for their health, feel more understood by their medical team, and feel cared for by their healthcare team. Medical student navigators were able to assist with most patient requests.

Conclusions: Patients enrolled in our medical student PN program expressed high levels of satisfaction and felt better able to access health resources with the help of a navigator.

Practice implications: Employing medical students as PNs may serve as a mutually beneficial intervention providing early clinical exposure to students while furthering patient access to care. Other institutions may benefit from similarly structured interventions.

Keywords: Care coordination; Health Disparities; Health equity; Lupus; Medical Student; Patient navigation; Patient-centered research; Rheumatology.