The Care Navigator Role in Rural Primary Care Memory Clinics
Author Information
Author(s): Morgan Debra, Bayly Melanie, Kosteniuk Julie
Primary Institution: University of Saskatchewan
Hypothesis
The inclusion of a navigator role in rural primary care memory clinics improves outcomes for patients and families.
Conclusion
The study found that the Care Navigator role significantly improves the timeliness and quality of care for patients with dementia in rural memory clinics.
Supporting Evidence
- Clients contacted sooner after referral compared to other referrals.
- Longer duration of first contact was observed.
- More completed contacts were made with the Care Navigator.
- More topics were discussed during contacts.
Takeaway
Having a Care Navigator helps families get support faster and makes it easier for doctors to do their jobs.
Methodology
The study used semi-structured interviews and analyzed routinely collected client data from the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan.
Limitations
The study is limited to rural settings in Saskatchewan and may not be generalizable to other areas.
Participant Demographics
Predominantly spouses and children of clients living with dementia.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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