The ENCOMPASS Study
The Community Health Navigator (CHN) program was created as part of ENhancing COMmunity health through Patient navigation, Advocacy, and Social Support (ENCOMPASS), a research collaboration between the University of Calgary, University of Alberta and several Alberta Primary Care Networks (PCNs). This study assessed the impact of patient navigation by CHNs for people with chronic health conditions. Follow our blog found below for updates and publications.
The ENCOMPASS Study
Initial findings from the feasibility study and the development of a program theory informed a large cluster-randomized trial at Mosaic PCN. PCN leadership met with the research team during co-design sessions to establish recruitment, training, sustaining, and evaluation procedures for the program. CHNs were hired and worked with individual patients for an average six months, delivering supports tailored to patients’ needs and health priorities.
In 2019, the ENCOMPASS trial expanded to Calgary West Central, Edmonton O-day’min, and West View PCNs in order to understand if the program could be feasibly scaled and spread to PCNs across Alberta. The program was designed to adapt to individual PCNs’ needs, integrating CHNs into either co-located medical home teams or centralized interdisciplinary care teams. The study employed the RE-AIM framework (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance) to examine the scalability of the Community Health Navigation program. The trials at Mosaic PCN and the expansion PCNs have concluded, and data analysis is currently underway.
What’s happening now?
Three ENCOMPASS partner PCNs (Mosaic, Edmonton O-day’min, and West View PCN) have carried on delivering the program post-study and an additional PCN (Edmonton West) has successfully implemented the program.
University of Calgary researchers have carried on evaluating the spread and scale of the CHN program as part of a new research opportunity under the Primary Care Innovation Fund. They have partners with an additional four PCNs (Kalyna, Rocky Mountain House PCN, Mcleod River and Chinook PCNs) to study the spread and scale of the CHN program.
There are currently 23 CHNs supporting patients across Alberta.
The CHN Community of Practice was formed as part of the ENCOMPASS study and CHNs continue to meet bi-monthly to learn, collaborate, and share experiences.
“Even though we are spread throughout Alberta, we are connected by a shared purpose and a commitment to supporting one another. Knowing that we can rely on each other's experience and encouragement reinforces that we are never working alone, and together we have the opportunity to make a lasting, positive impact on the lives of the people we serve.”
-CHN
