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“Patients come first” is the mission of the navigation program set forth by Tricia Strusowski, MS, RN, director of cancer care management at Helen F. Graham Cancer Center, Christiana Care Health System in Newark, Delaware.

Each year, we take time to acknowledge the things for which we are most grateful. Of course, family and health immediately come to mind, but there are also several things in my professional life for which I am grateful.

When facing one of the most difficult challenges of their lives, many cancer patients and their families also have to deal with overwhelming barriers to care. Having a navigator to identify and remove those barriers can provide patients with the care they need and help to eliminate some of their burden.

A collaborative approach to patient navigation that involves both clinical and community navigators can ensure that the final navigation program reflects the needs of your particular institution, according to Linda Fleisher, PhD, MPH, assistant vice president of Health Communications and Health Disparities at Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia.

The number of US cancer survivors hovers around 12 million today and is projected to grow to 20-million-plus by 2020, creating a critical need for focused patient navigation–oriented strategies for said survivors.

A pilot study conducted at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, demonstrated that psychosocial distress screening can be made patient friendly while measuring levels of distress that warrant follow-up.

As a result of early detection and advances in treatment, there are more than 12 million cancer survivors in the United States today, and that number will continue to grow. While this is a cause for celebration, it also highlights the increasing need for programs to address the challenges survivors face and provide them with the best quality of life.

At the second annual AONN Navigation and Survivorship Conference, Karyl Blaseg, RN, MSN, OCN, of the Billings Clinic Cancer Center; Tricia Strusowski, MS, RN, of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center; and Jay R. Swanson, RN, BSN, OCN, of the Saint Elizabeth Cancer Institute presented The Navigator Matrix.

Significantly high levels of physicians and other medical professionals believe that compassion in healthcare makes a significant difference on whether the patient lives or dies.

Andy Miller, MHSE, CHES, Vice President of Mission for LIVESTRONG, delivered the advocacy keynote address at our second annual AONN Navigation and Survivorship Con ference in September.