Use of health information technology among patient navigators in community health interventions

Overview As chronic disease and comorbidities increase, so does the complexity of patient care. This complexity requires interdisciplinary care teams and multifactor interventions to ensure that patients get the most efficient care. Patient navigators—defined as individuals who help patients move through the complex care continuum—can improve access to care and patient engagement, which can translate into better outcomes. Health information technology (health IT) can support timely communication and information sharing for patient navigators and the providers with whom they interact to better coordinate care. We explored the health IT that patient navigators used, how they used it, and their health IT needs in community-based interventions.