Measuring the impact and potential of patient navigation: Proposed common metrics and beyond

In March 2010, the American Cancer Society hosted the National Patient Navigation Leadership Summit. The Summit organizers invited cancer clinicians, researchers, practicing public health experts, funders, and patient navigators to develop a national consensus on common outcomes of patient navigation. The goal of the Summit was to develop and propose core metrics for navigation programs to measure the impact on individuals and populations across the disease continuum. This article describes the Summit and outlines the need for such an endeavor in the effort to support the growth and sustainability of patient navigation.