Matt Sherer, Director of Oncology Service Line at UMC Health System, shared on LinkedIn:
”Patient navigation should not be treated as a nice-to-have. It is oncology infrastructure.
Too often, navigation is viewed as a support service rather than a core operational capability. The highest-performing oncology programs understand something different: navigation directly impacts access, treatment adherence, patient experience, financial toxicity, referral retention, multidisciplinary coordination, and health equity.
But navigation only creates value when it is designed as a system. A navigator cannot be expected to overcome fragmented workflows, unclear accountability, inconsistent referrals, and inadequate resources through individual effort alone.
Effective navigation programs are built on:
- Clear role definition
- Measurable outcomes
- Standard referral triggers
- Escalation pathways
- Documentation standards
- Leadership support and sustainability planning
Without those elements, navigation becomes heroic work performed by dedicated people. With them, navigation becomes a strategic asset that improves patient outcomes while supporting physician alignment, program growth, and operational performance.
As oncology care becomes increasingly complex, organizations that invest in navigation as infrastructure, not just staffing, will be better positioned to deliver coordinated, patient-centered care at scale.
Bottom line: Navigation is not a position. It is a care-delivery capability.
How is your organization measuring the impact of patient navigation today?”
Title: Patient Navigation in Cancer Treatment: A Systematic Review
Authors: Matthew Chen, Victoria S. Wu, Derek Falk, Chesley Cheatham, Jennifer Cullen and Richard Hoehn
You can also read ‘Empowering Oncologists: Why is Patient Navigation Critically Important in Cancer Care‘
