Patient navigators

Patient navigation is “the process of helping patients to effectively and efficiently use the health care system when faced with one or more of these challenges: (1) choosing, understanding, and using health coverage or applying for assistance when uninsured; (2) choosing, using, and understanding different types of health providers and services; (3) making treatment decisions; and (4) managing care received by multiple providers.”^[1]

Patient navigation may improve HbA1c control in patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. According to a retrospective cohort study with pre and post intervention periods, patient navigation through clinical and personal problems decreased HbA1c in patients with an A1c >8.5% by an average of 1.1% (p<0.001) and reduced no show rates by 9.8% (p<0.001) in the intervention group ^[2].