Engaging student volunteers in non-clinical navigation: ACS community access to resources, education, and support (ACS CARES).

Abstract

e13577 Background: Despite known benefits of oncology patient navigation in improving patient outcomes, implementation is variable and many programs are understaffed. The American Cancer Society (ACS) developed the ACS CARES (Community Access to Resources, Education, and Support) program to expand navigation capacity through the standardized training of students from local universities as volunteers providing non-clinical navigation support. Methods: This pragmatic, real-world hybrid type 2 study utilizes the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to evaluate the implementation of student volunteer navigation for patients receiving cancer care at 3 pilot sites. Volunteers meet with patients in clinic, administer a modified NCCN distress thermometer health-related social needs (HRSNs) screen, and administer non-clinical navigation support. Initial process measures from the first 3 months of the pilot data include number and demographics of patients served, distress scores and HRSNs, and time spent by volunteers. Results: Pilot sites spanned diverse geographic regions (rural mid-West, rural-suburban Southeast, urban West) and included clinics with multiple cancer types. From 10/23/23-12/23/23, 22 volunteers navigated 73 patients who were 53% female, 22% Black, and an average age of 57. Of all patients, 46% had a moderate (score 3-6) and 37% had a severe (score 7-10) distress score. ACS CARES volunteers identified 116 HRSNs (56% practical, 18% physical, 17% emotional, 7% social, 2% spiritual). The most common practical HRSNs were finances and transportation. Volunteers spent an average of 78.6 min per patient per in-person meeting, 14 min per patient per follow-up call, 25 min per patient coordinating care and sending encrypted messages, and 90 min per patient identifying and providing resources to address barriers to care. Total time providing non-clinical navigation was over 250 hours. Conclusions: Student volunteers embedded in oncology clinics provided non-clinical navigation support to 73 patients in the first 3 months of the ACS CARES program, further extending the reach and depth of support provided by pilot site care teams. Future analyses will include survey and EMR data to examine program impact on clinical and patient reported outcomes and healthcare utilization. Clinical trial information: 2013209-1.