Papel de la persona navegadora del paciente en el cáncer de pulmón / The Role of the Navigator Person for a Patient with Lung Cancer

Introducción: la medicina basada en el valor ha logrado mejorar la calidad de atención del paciente y/o la satisfacción de las personas, reduciendo costos y obteniendo mejores resultados. Se apoya sobre tres pilares básicos: la medicina basada en la evidencia, la atención centralizada en el paciente, y la sustentabilidad. Sin embargo, existen pocas publicaciones sobre la estrategia de personas navegadoras para pacientes con cáncer de pulmón, que podrían ser una herramienta clave para brindar apoyo, asegurando que tengan acceso al conocimiento y los recursos necesarios a fin de completar la vía de atención clínica recomendada. Estado del arte: se trata de una intervención en salud cuyo objetivo principal es lograr vencer las barreras relacionadas con la atención (p. ej., logísticas, burocrático-administrativas, de comunicación y financieras) para poder mejorar la calidad y el acceso a la salud en el marco de la atención del cáncer. Estas personas cumplen un papel de guía para pacientes durante el proceso de diagnóstico y tratamiento activo. Su labor consiste en vincular al paciente con los proveedores clínicos, brindar un sistema de apoyo, asegurar un acompañamiento individualizado, garantizar que tengan acceso al conocimiento y a los recursos necesarios para completar el seguimiento y/o tratamiento adecuado. Discusión/Conclusión: indudablemente, es un elemento cada vez más reconocido en los programas de cáncer, centrado en el paciente y de alta calidad. Su implementación será de especial interés en la Unidad de Práctica Integrada para personas con cáncer de pulmón. (AU)

Introduction: Value-based medicine has succeeded in improving the quality of patient care and or patient satisfaction, reducing costs, and obtaining better outcomes. It rests on three fundamental pillars: evidence-based medicine, patient-centered care, and sustainability. However, there are few publications on the people navigator strategy for lung cancer patients, which could be a crucial tool for providing support, ensuring that they have access to the knowledge and resources needed to complete the recommended clinical care pathway. State of the art: It is a health intervention whose main objective is to overcome care-related barriers (e.g., logistical, bureaucratic-administrative, communication, and financial) to improve quality and access to health in the context of cancer care. These individuals play a guiding role for patients during the diagnostic and active treatment process. Their job is to link the patient with clinical providers, provide a support system, ensure individualized accompaniment, and guarantee that they get access to the knowledge and resources necessary to complete the appropriate follow-up and, or treatment. Discussion/Conclusion: Undoubtedly, patient navigators represent an increasingly recognized element of high-quality, patient-centered cancer programs. Its implementation will be of specific interest in the Integrated Practice Unit for people with lung cancer. (AU)

The evolution of breast cancer navigation and survivorship care.

Over the last several decades, breast screening, diagnosis, and treatment have evolved. With that evolutionary process, so have the complexities of oncology care, especially from the perspective of more fragmented care occurring. The majority of breast care is outpatient based. The need for patient navigation has heightened as this fragmentation and financial issues set before the oncologist and the patient continue to occur and in many situations increase. Without effective navigation, breast patients can fall through the cracks and not get diagnosed as early as possible, or not receive all appropriate treatment they need. We are also seeing a steady increase in the actual number of breast cancer patients being diagnosed and surviving long term. Unfortunately simultaneous to this happen there is also a growing shortage of oncology specialists in the USA. This results in a need to transition survivors back to their community physicians after the completion of their acute treatment, and to do so in an organized, anticipated manner that prepares the survivor and her PCP and gynecologist, the tools they all need for effective cancer survivorship management.