Patient Navigation
A lung cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming and challenging for both patients
and their loved ones. There is so much new and unfamiliar information
to process, decisions to be made concerning treatment and care, and uncertainty
about which steps to take or where to go for assistance. This often leads
to enormous stress for patients and their families.
Jupiter Medical Center offers patient navigation that helps individuals
and their families navigate through the complex, often complicated health
care process. As a member of the Thoracic Surgery and Lung Center of Excellence
multidisciplinary team, the patient navigator provides information, knowledge,
support and guidance, and collaborates with every specialist the patient
will encounter along their journey--from diagnosis to treatment and survivorship.
Patient navigators are increasingly recognized as an essential component
of comprehensive cancer care, serving as the lynchpin for facilitating
a coordinated and seamless experience for cancer patients and their families.
At Jupiter Medical Center, there is a team of navigators dedicated to supporting
patients with specific types of cancer. They help thoracic patients find
doctors, make appointments, and resolve insurance problems. They also
explain treatment and care options, accompany patients to visits, communicate
with the patient’s health care team, assists caregivers, and even
help manage medical paperwork. Navigators have knowledge of both standard
and emerging treatment options as well as available community and supportive
resources so they can appropriately guide and offer interventions based
on patient-specific needs. Furthermore, navigators are well-versed and
skilled in side effect management as they are often the first to be contacted
when a patient experiences treatment toxicities.
Then, once treatment is completed, there are survivorship issues navigators
can assist in clarifying, such as surveillance schedules and appropriate
follow-up care. Receiving support from a patient navigator can make a
difference in the way newly diagnosed cancer patients feel about their
care. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology,
patients with a nurse navigator rated their care higher and reported fewer
problems than patients without one. “Significant contributions are
documented throughout the oncology literature to demonstrate the impact
navigation programs are making to improve not only the overall patient
experience but even clinical outcomes,” says K. Adam Lee, MD, medical
director of the Thoracic Surgery and Lung Center of Excellence. “We
value what our patient navigators bring to the table in accomplishing
a successful plan of care.”
Contact us at your earliest convenience by calling (561) 263-4400 to schedule
an initial consultation.