The power of the patient navigator

If you work in healthcare every day, the system will probably feel like second nature to you. You know the available resources and where to get answers. You know what forms are needed for procedure A and what info goes into the electronic medical record for procedure B. And you know the fastest way from your department to the parking lot.

But it’s different for patients, who don’t have your familiarity with the system. They don’t know what health questions to ask or when to ask them. They don’t know what is or isn’t going to be covered by insurance. If they don’t have a car, they don’t know how they’ll get from building to building. This can create a disorienting and off-putting experience that can foster mistrust or alienate patients so much they avoid care altogether.

Patient navigators (PN) are professionals who can fill that gap, working with patients, families, and caregivers to overcome healthcare barriers. 

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