Patient Navigation

Navigators are a key part of any clinical team. They are trained professionals who are educated in helping patients overcome healthcare barriers through their cancer care journey. 

Navigators act as connectors to social resources. Navigators work with patients to address many barriers, such as: 

• Transportation services
• Providing appointment reminders
• Referrals to community resources for food and financial support
• Helping patients understand complex treatment schedules
• Insurance questions
   

Navigators can start helping patients at any point throughout their cancer care journey, resources can be provided as soon as the time of diagnosis up to survivorship. 

Navigators can be found across many departments helping both patients and healthcare staff in many ways. While there are dedicated professionals that assist patients at BMC, the process of navigation may occur at any time with healthcare staff when a patient has identified a barrier to their care. 

Navigation have been shown to:

• Improve quality of care
• Decrease missed appointments
• Improve communication with the healthcare team
• Increase patient participation in treatment decision-making

The earlier a navigator is involved in a patient's care the sooner they show benefits within their cancer care journey. If you are interested in meeting with a patient navigator, please ask your doctor or nurse about this service.