Navigation
The benefits of oncology navigation have been demonstrated in countless malignancies, and for many patients and providers it is now difficult to imagine a world without oncology navigators.
On a daily basis, navigators are asked to provide many varied, and sometimes very novel, services for their patients, according to Penny Daugherty, RN, MS, OCN, ONN-CG, an oncology nurse navigator at the Northside Hospital Cancer Institute in Atlanta.
At the recent AONN+ Annual Conference, experts in oncology navigation convened virtually with conference attendees to offer their insights in furthering the efficacy of navigation. This monograph will review the proceedings from 4 key sessions covering the timely topics of telehealth, mental health and the oncology patient, prehabilitation and rehabilitation, and value-based oncology care.
Oncology and patient navigators should be trained and skilled in data analytics to show the return on investment of the navigation role and improve patient care.
Sharon M. Bigelow, RN, MSN, ANP-BC, AOCNP, Ewan K. Cobran, PhD, Paul A. Godley, MD, PhD, Yesenia Merino, MPH, Beth Roach, MSA
The authors present findings from their study aiming to examine the associations between the Independent Specialty Medical Advocate model of patient navigation and intermediate patient health outcomes in newly diagnosed patients.
Community navigators help those with an unequal burden of cancer, which is often heaviest among racial/ethnic minorities, patients with lower socioeconomic status, and residents of rural areas who do not have equal access to healthcare systems and do not always receive timely, standard care when confronted with a cancer diagnosis.
The authors present the results of an analysis of the evidence for patient navigation effectiveness to improve cancer screening rates.
A beautiful case study exemplifying the power of navigation when executed in collaboration with the patient, caregivers, and care team.
Dr Burhansstipanov emphasized the importance of coordination between NPNs and nurse navigators. “Our navigators have worked beautifully with nurse navigators,” she said at the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators 7th Annual Navigation & Survivorship Conference.
The authors present their findings from a patient satisfaction study conducted 1 year after the establishment of an oncology nurse navigation program to collect patient feedback and discover opportunities for improvements.