PAT RIC K C AMPBE LL
, I N S U R A N C E , P S Y C H O S O C I A L , S U R G E R Y, C H E M O T H E R A P Y, R A D I A T I O N , PA T H O L O G Y, S O C I A L W O R K
“I want patients to feel that we know them. They’re not just a number in our clinic,” Frodella says. “We want them to feel comfortable, educated and supported—that’s my job.” It turns out nurse navigators not only ease patient frustration, they also improve care.
INCREASED PATIENT SATIS FA C T I O N
Medical Oncologist Christopher Lieu, MD and Nurse Navigator Julie Banahan, RN, BSN, OCN, work together to coordinate treatment plans for patients in the Gastrointestinal Oncology Clinic.
C A L M I N G F RUSTRATION S By the time Lindberg left Missouri for treatment in Colorado, she was frustrated with the medical system. Her health records were stuck at two different hospitals. Phone calls seemed to go nowhere. Without records, she’d potentially miss her first appointment. Banahan wasn’t going to let that happen. She picked up the phone and called both hospitals. The records were transferred. A daunting task was completed. Lindberg could relax. “When she said she’d do something, she did it,” Lindberg says. Banahan knows Lindberg’s frustrations and anxieties firsthand. She, too, is a cancer survivor. She’s been through the shock, worry and daunting task of making treatment decisions. “I’ve been in the same place as my patients,” Banahan says. “I know how scared they are and I know what it’s like to just want answers.” After all, it’s the reason she became a nurse navigator in the first place. “I wanted to help our patients transition into the Cancer Center,” she says. “They need a friendly face in an extremely difficult time, and I want to bring them comfort when they need it most.” No matter the caseload, each patient is treated individually. Banahan and Frodella take the time to figure out what each patient needs. Some have language barriers and need translation. Others aren’t sure what to eat and need a dietician. Each patient is different.
According to a 2013 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, patients who were supported by nurse navigators early in their diagnosis reported fewer problems with care, especially in the areas of health information, care coordination and psychosocial support. Nearly 90 percent of navigated patients in the study said a doctor, nurse or social worker went out of their way to make them feel better emotionally, while only half of those not navigated reported the same findings. Under a new requirement for accreditation by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, cancer centers must provide patient navigation services by 2015. University of Colorado Health hospitals have started the process by developing a navigator affinity group. The group, comprising nurses with varying navigation responsibilities, is working to define systemwide navigation standards so that all patients receive the same level of service regardless of which location they receive care. Additionally, they are working to fill the gaps in other cancer types without navigation services. “We’ve seen the importance of navigation in our center,” says Jamie Bachman, executive director of oncology services at the University of Colorado Hospital. “Patients and physicians benefit from coordinated multidisciplinary care, a consistent introduction to supportive services and guidance through a complex health system. It also adds a personal touch and response to each patient’s changing needs throughout his or her cancer journey.” Since arriving in February, Lindberg has started chemotherapy and enrolled in a clinical trial. While she is beyond her initial diagnosis and need for a first appointment, Banahan still visits her during all her appointments and is there to answer questions as needed. “She was so supportive of what I had been through prior to coming to the Cancer Center and really understood what I was going through,” Lindberg says. “She is still an advocate for me.” As for Banahan, she continues to be the “voice of reason” for UCH patients. “Every day I get to be a part of patients’ lives when they’re in a state of turmoil,” she says. “While I may not always have the answers, I know where to get them. It’s a privilege to help each one of my patients through this journey.”
17 C3: SPRING 2014