The Effect of a Virtual Navigator on Colorectal Cancer Patient Empowerment

For individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer, exposure to up-to-date cancer information and support as well as guidance to access the most appropriate health care services is crucial for cancer self-management and support. Timely access to high quality cancer information is suggested to contribute to patient empowerment - defined as the perception of being better able to manage illness demands. With the advent of the information age, individuals are increasingly turning to online health information resources. The use of rigorous web-based tools is found to be an engaging and convenient way to access health information, while being tailored to people's needs and preferences. The present study seeks to examine the effects of a recently developed high quality and person-centred web-based tool, the Oncology Interactive Navigator (OIN) on patients' empowerment as well as document its cost-effectiveness. Participants newly diagnosed with colorectal cancer will be randomly assigned to experimental or control groups with the former having unrestricted access to the OIN for 8 months. Participants in the control group will receive care as usual. Information on background, medical characteristics, and empowerment will be collected as well as cost-effectiveness indicators. If producing the desired effects, the OIN could be proposed for national implementation across Canadian cancer centers. Work is currently underway to add over 23 types of cancer diagnosis to the OIN.