Evaluating patient experience with a surgical navigation program for under-resourced patients

Linda M Saikali; Christopher D Herrera; Angela T Chen; Gina Lepore; Omar I Ramadan; Doreen Lam; Aaron Anandarajah; Carrie Z Morales; Matthew Goldshore; Jon B Morris; Carmen E Guerra

doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2024.115955

Evaluating patient experience with a surgical navigation program for under-resourced patients

Am J Surg. 2024 Dec:238:115955. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2024.115955. Epub 2024 Sep 7.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Center for Surgical Health, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, 3641 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
² Center for Surgical Health, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, 3641 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
³ Center for Surgical Health, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
⁴ Center for Surgical Health, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, 3641 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
⁵ Center for Surgical Health, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
⁶ Center for Surgical Health, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
⁷ Center for Surgical Health, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
⁸ Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, 3641 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Electronic address: carmen.guerra@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.

PMID: 39276488
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2024.115955

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to characterize patient satisfaction with navigators and surgical care accessed through a novel navigation program for under-resourced communities.

Methods: PSN-I and PSQ-18 questionnaires assessed satisfaction with navigators and care, respectively. Primary outcomes were PSN-I and PSQ-18 scores. Secondary analyses tested associations between satisfaction and patient factors and between PSN-I and PSQ-18 scores.

Results: Of 294 patients contacted, 88 (29.9 %) responded. Most were Hispanic/Latinx (76.1 %), Spanish-speaking (71.5 %), and uninsured (85.2 %). Participants were highly satisfied with navigators (mean 38.5, SD 7.6; max. 45) and most care domains except Financial Aspects (mean 3.2, SD 1.0; max. 5) and Accessibility/Convenience (mean 3.5, SD 0.6; max. 5). Higher navigator satisfaction was associated with post-consultation need for surgery (coeff. 5.6, 95 % CI[0.9, 10.3]) and increased the odds of care satisfaction (OR 1.1, 95 % CI[1.0, 1.2]).

Conclusions: Patients are satisfied with navigation services-a previously unstudied aspect of this unique surgical equity program.

Keywords: Surgical disparities; Surgical navigation; Surgical patient satisfaction; Underserved populations.

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Female
Health Services Accessibility
Humans
Male
Medically Uninsured / statistics & numerical data
Middle Aged
Patient Navigation* / organization & administration
Patient Satisfaction*
Surgical Procedures, Operative
Surveys and Questionnaires