Patient Navigation
Patient Navigation is one evidenced-based intervention intended to eliminate patient barriers to cancer screening and treatment. Patient Navigators work with patients, their families, and caregivers to overcome screening barriers such as lack of transportation, limited English proficiency, lack of childcare, low health literacy, or a general mistrust of the health care system. Patient navigation services may be provided by Community Health Workers (CHWs), nurses, social workers, or patient navigators. Patient navigation services do any of the following:
- Provide patient reminders
- Reduce out-of-pocket costs
- Reduce structural barriers such as transportation assistance, using interpretation services (see section on EBIs: Reducing Structural barriers)
- Provide group or one-on-one education to patients on cancer and cancer screening
Turning Strategies into Action
Peninsula Community Health Services (PCHA) offers a wide range of health care services including primary and specialty care, preventive health screenings, immunizations, mental health counseling, pharmacy services and more to patients in Kitsap, mason, and rural Pierce County.
“A PCHA patient with a positive FIT Kit test needed transportation to and from for their colonoscopy procedure. PCH’a CHW not only provided this patient a ride but also stayed throughout their colonoscopy procedure.” (Health System Annual Reporting 2023)
Takeaway: Through providing patient navigation services such as transportation assistance, PCHS’ CHW was able to increase access to CRC screening for its patient and increase access to colorectal cancer screening services.
Resources to Support Clinics in Delivering Patient Navigator Services
Provided below are resources health systems can use to support them in effectively implementing Patient Navigation:
Patient Navigation Toolkit and Interactive Website
Source: American Cancer Society
Description: This toolkit is formatted as an interactive website that offers practical advice on paying for and sustaining CRC cancer screening patient navigation to help health care professionals sustain navigation programs. The toolkit also provides resources, case studies and an assessment curriculum to guide health systems in developing their own sustainability plans.
How to Use: The toolkit could be read from beginning to end or select the chapter’s most relevant for the clinics’ needs and audience.
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