Sustainable Navigation & SDOH in Cancer Care
Okay, here’s a breakdown of the key takeaways from the provided text, focusing on patient navigation, SDOH, and best practices:
Key Themes & Insights:
* Dual Navigation is Effective: Hospitals are finding success with both patient navigation (helping patients through the medical system) and financial navigation (addressing costs and access too assistance programs). Financial navigation can even reveal areas where the hospital is losing money due to lack of patient support.
* Patient-specific Support is Crucial: Breast navigators,in particular,are finding that focused support for patients with specific needs is highly impactful.
* Innovative Models Exist: The survivorship clinic model partnering with a Children’s Hospital to transition adolescent patients to adult care is a unique and effective approach. This involves navigating patients 2+ years post-treatment and 5+ years post-diagnosis into primary care and survivorship services.
* Customization is Key: There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Hospitals need to assess their own patient journeys,identify pain points,and build navigation programs tailored to those specific issues. Regular reassessment is also crucial.
* SDOH Screening Needs to be Actionable: The text highlights a question about how to move beyond simply checking off boxes for Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) screening.The implication is that screening must lead to actual patient support.
* Widespread SDOH Screening: Manny cancer centers are currently screening for SDOH.
In essence, the text emphasizes a shift towards more holistic, individualized, and proactive patient support, going beyond just medical treatment to address financial burdens, social needs, and the transition to long-term care.