| Sumario: | Background: Patient navigation (PN) improves cancer-related care, especially care among vulnerable populations who have limited access to medical and preventive care. The Cancer Navigation and Survivorship Network (CaNSuN), established in 2018, aims to connect, educate, and share evidence-based practices among navigators in Pennsylvania. Objectives: To conduct an environmental scan to increase understanding of navigation in Pennsylvania and identify strategies to better support and strengthen PN. The scan sought to describe characteristics of navigators, funding for and primary location of PN, measures of success, and important challenges. Methods: A 19-question survey was developed, piloted, and then administered in September 2021. The survey was initially distributed to the 169 CaNSuN newsletter subscribers and members of the Pennsylvania Cancer Coalition with a request to complete the survey and distribute the survey to colleagues. Additionally, requests were emailed to health system partners, state Department of Health, American Cancer Society, and community- based organizations. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were conducted. Results: Of the 82 complete responses, 77% were from nurse navigators and community health workers and were almost equally divided between working in community, clinical, and hospital settings. Navigators reported being in the field, on average, for 6 years. Challenges identified were lack of clarity on the role (32%), lack of guidelines for navigation (28%), measuring program success (28%), and funding (25%). About 40% reported their positions were funded by a hospital, and 20% by nonprofits. Patient satisfaction (50%) and time to treatment (24%) were the most common measures used to evaluate success. Significant relationships were observed between the navigator type and work setting, involvement at different stages of the cancer continuum, evaluation methods, and challenges. Conclusion: Results identified opportunities to strengthen support for both navigators and navigation systems in Pennsylvania. Navigation is a growing field with many navigators being new to the role. Groups like CaNSuN can provide professional development and facilitate a statewide learning community of navigators. CaNSuN can advocate for systems and policy change that will better support PN.
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