AONN+ Standardized Metrics

Patient navigation emerged 2 decades ago, with numerous articles reporting cancer care outcomes from the patient perspective, but its effect on improving organizational outcomes requires further research.

The role of the nurse navigator in helping patients through the trajectory of their journey from diagnosis to treatment to survivorship has evolved, and in many settings, the nurse navigator has become a key component of a multidisciplinary approach to cancer care.

Metrics are the key to demonstrating the value of navigation along the cancer care continuum. Navigation metrics can demonstrate the benefit of the program to the institution and demonstrate the value of the navigator.

There is a gap in the literature regarding the key areas that measure the success of navigation programs: patient experience (PE), clinical outcomes (CO), and business performance or return on investment (ROI) metrics that will demonstrate the sustainability of navigation programs.

A set of standardized, evidence-based navigation metrics, developed by the Standardized Metrics Task Force of the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+), aims to demonstrate the sustainability and validity of navigation programs.

The AONN+ Metrics Task Force is proud to announce the premier national navigation metrics for oncology nurse navigators focusing on return on investment, patient experience, and clinical outcomes.

At the 2017 Association of Community Cancer Centers Annual Meeting, Tricia Strusowski, RN, MS, Manager, Oncology Solutions, LLC, and project lead of the AONN+ Standardized Metrics Task Force, discussed how the newly released AONN+ Navigation Metrics can be incorporated into partnerships between oncology patient navigators and physician practices.

On behalf of all of us at AONN+, I am extremely proud to present the set of universal, research-supported metrics established by our expert team of seasoned navigators on the AONN+ Standardized Metrics Task Force!

The AONN+ Standardized Metrics Task Force created the domains and related metrics to effectively measure the value and impact of navigation programs.

The authors present the standard metrics in the areas of Patient Experience, Clinical Outcome, and Return on Investment using the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) domains for certification.

Tricia Strusowski recently gave a presentation on the AONN+ Standardized Metrics to a captivated audience at the Association of Community Cancer Centers.

JONS speaks with Ms. Strusowski about the need for national metrics, the process of metric creation, and their intended use.

At the AONN+ West Coast Regional Meeting, Standardized Navigation Task Force members Tricia Strusowski and Cheryl Bellomo discuss the metrics and provide tools to employ in their implementation.

On behalf of all of us at the Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship (JONS) and the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+), I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year.

AONN+ leaders Cheryl Bellomo and Danelle Johnston discuss the importance of collecting data from the newly-established 35 AONN+ metrics then analyzing and reporting the findings to create best practices.

Although there historically has been a gap in the literature regarding the key areas that measure the success of navigation programs, the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) evidence-based oncology navigation metrics are making strides in closing that gap.

In today’s healthcare environment, organizations are focusing on quality, outcomes, and evidence-based practice. In this installment of Evidence into Practice, the authors discuss these important qualities in an effective navigation program.

The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators and Sarah Cannon, the Cancer Institute of HCA Healthcare, have announced their partnership in a pilot validation study of the 35 AONN+ standardized metrics for navigation programs.

To advance quality patient care and ensure all parties are working toward a common goal, navigators must integrate with oncology/hematology physician practices. At the AONN+ 8th Annual Navigation & Survivorship Conference, Tricia Strusowski, RN, MS discussed approaches to integration.

The authors present findings from a focus group assessing the current state of administrative engagement in individual navigation programs.

AONN+ is excited to announce a partnership with Oncology Solutions, LLC, and the American Cancer Society to execute a national navigation metrics quality study.

A thoughtful discussion on the development of the AONN+ metrics and the need to identify how these measures align with the national standards and indicators.

National standards in support of AONN+ Metrics

The next phase of the AONN+ Metrics study is designed to evaluate common barriers and challenges navigation programs encounter during the implementation of the metrics.

The authors report on the use of technology to reduce the administrative burden of tumor boards while improving the quality of care delivered.

Ensure the success and sustainability of your navigation program with metrics.

Danelle Johnston, MSN, RN, HON-ONN-CG, OCN, and Tricia Strusowski, RN, MS, recapped their recent presentation from the ACCC 46th Annual Meeting & Cancer Center Business Summit, in which they discussed the National Evidence-Based Oncology Navigation Metrics: Multisite Exploratory Study to Demonstrate Value and Sustainability of Navigation Programs. The study was launched in June 2018 as a collaborative effort between the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+), Chartis Oncology Solutions, and the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Several years ago, the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) unveiled 35 evidence-based oncology navigation metrics developed in response to a void in the literature measuring the programmatic success of navigation programs.