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Patient Navigation

The role of the patient navigator continues to evolve in tandem with the healthcare landscape’s emphasis on patient-centered, efficient, coordinated care.

In May 2018, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) published proceedings from a workshop held November 13-14, 2017, focused on improving the effectiveness of patient navigation in cancer care. Establishing Effective Patient Navigation Programs in Oncology addressed where patient navigation programs should be deployed in cancer care and which patients should be prioritized to receive navigation services when resources are limited. The workshop also discussed who should serve as navigators, the benefits of navigation, and current gaps in the evidence base. Access the proceedings.

Below are ACCC member-driven resources to help implement, assess, and expand patient navigation services.

Improving Care Delivery for Stages III and IV NSCLC

The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) is partnering with the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), and the LUNGevity Foundation on a national initiative to identify and provide guidance on key issues related to delivering optimal care for patients diagnosed with stages III or IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) across different practice settings. 

As a first step in the Fostering Excellence in Care and Outcomes for Patients with Stage III and IV NSCLC initiative, ACCC conducted a survey to better understand the barriers and operational challenges in providing care for this patient population. Survey questions addressed diagnosis, treatment, care coordination, and communication within the interdisciplinary team caring for patients with locally advanced and late-stage NSCLC.

Informed by the survey results, the project’s Steering Committee will guide the selection of six cancer programs to serve as process improvement sites. Facilitated by ACCC, the six selected sites will create and execute process improvement models aimed at overcoming identified barriers to excellence in care for patients with these NSCLC stages. The models tested will be applicable across care settings. Results will be shared with the wider oncology community.

Learn More

From Oncology Issues

  • Utilizing Scribes to Improve Patient-Centered Care and Efficiency and Reduce Burnout
    By Amy Hindman
    More oncology programs across the country are hiring scribes in their practices to improve patient-centered care, reduce physician burnout, and create administrative efficiencies.
  • The Oncology Pharmacy Navigator
    Rice K, et al.
    Patients with cancer experience a variety of difficulties in accessing and managing their medications. The Legacy Health Cancer Institute established an oncology pharmacy navigator to decrease barriers to patient access, reconcile medication lists, and alleviate the financial burden of cancer care.
  • Elevating Survivorship: Results from Two National Surveys
    In order to explore experiences and needs concerning cancer survivorship from both the provider and the patient perspectives, ACCC and NCCS partnered to field two online surveys to oncology providers and cancer survivors, respectively.
  • Supportive Care Just When Patients Need It
    By Tina Curtis, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, and Elizabeth Malosh, MSN, RN, NE-BC
    For patients with cancer experiencing symptoms outside of business hours or when same-day appointments are unavailable, the usual options are to wait until the next day or visit the emergency department (ED). However, ED visits come with clinical and financial risks for oncology patients. Read how The Clinical Cancer Center at Froedtert Hospital developed a 24-hour urgent care oncology clinic to reduce ED use, eliminate redundant services, and alleviate financial burden.
  • A Physician Champion Takes a Practice-Based Immunotherapy Program to the Next Level
    Tracy Virgilio, RN, MSN, OCN
    Early symptom management is key to improving quality of life for patients with cancer, and proactive monitoring delivers unparalleled survival advantage while decreasing emergency visits and admissions. However, immunotherapies require special attention and procedures. Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center earned a 2018 ACCC Innovator Award for their immunotherapy triage algorithms, which provide non-oncology physicians and nurses with the tools to manage IO patients and prevent unnecessary admissions.