A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. Suddenly there are tests to undergo, doctors to see, treatments to receive and costs to navigate, not to mention work, family and emotional concerns.
There’s so much to manage, one might need a personal assistant to coordinate everything.
At UCLA Health, that person is called a patient navigator – and all new and existing oncology patients are connected with one.
“We’re basically that concierge and stick with them side-by-side throughout the experience,” said Julien Guiteau, a patient navigator at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center.
Guiteau and other patient navigators from oncology clinics throughout UCLA Health shared their experiences at a July webinar, "From First Contact to Ongoing Care: The Impact of Patient Navigation," presented by the Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology.
Patient navigators handle all kinds of administrative needs patients and providers might have, added Joana Rodriguez, who works with the UCLA Health Cancer Center in Santa Barbara. She connects patients with resources and education, coordinates communication between patients and members of the healthcare team to support timely access to care, answers non-clinical questions and assists with disability paperwork for employee leave-of-absence needs.
“Coordinating resources is a key part of my role, including connecting patients to community resources, assisting with financial support services when needed, identifying barriers to care and helping find solutions,” Rodriguez said. “By doing this, I help ensure patients have access to support systems that can make a meaningful difference during their treatment.”
Resources and support services patient navigators can facilitate include:
Coordinating hospital admissions: Patient navigators work with the hospital and a patient’s insurance company to streamline the admissions process, said Erica Moriera, who supports oncology patients in Torrance and Marina del Rey. Patient navigators also coordinate care across departments, Rodriguez added.
Connecting patients with transportation, meal services and lodging: Whether a patient from out of state needs lodging while being treated at UCLA Health, or a local patient needs support getting to appointments or with meal assistance, patient navigators can help, Guiteau said.
Wigs and cold caps: For many patients, chemotherapy-induced hair loss can seriously harm their confidence. Patient navigators can facilitate wig fittings and provide free hairpieces, Guiteau said: “Oftentimes, patients leave in tears of joy due to having their confidence come back.”
Cold caps are also available. This device, worn by people undergoing chemotherapy, constricts blood vessels in the scalp to protect hair follicles, helping to minimize or prevent hair loss, he said.
Psychosocial support: Patient navigators regularly refer patients to the Simms/Mann Center, which provides individual therapy, nutrition counseling, spiritual care services, support groups for patients and loved ones and educational workshops at no cost to people receiving cancer treatment at UCLA.
Assisting with documentation: Patient navigators can help with disability and Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) filings, as well as requesting accommodations through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
“We’ll always be there to assist them in any way,” Moriera said.
