Shana Smith, MSN, RN, OCN
The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) is pleased to announce the AONN+ CATCH Initiative! Short for Catching & Addressing Threats to Care & Health, the AONN+ CATCH Initiative is a reporting system to track and acknowledge the positive outcomes of navigation interventions. Each month, AONN+ will recognize a navigator for making a “Catch.”
The CATCH for July 2022 is awarded to Shana Smith, MSN, RN, OCN. Ms Smith is the oncology nurse navigator for the malignant hematology patient population at Vidant Medical Center.
Background: Ms Smith’s patient was to receive radiation as the last step in the treatment plan. The patient is a Spanish-speaking, low-income, undocumented/uninsured/unemployed female. The patient has a significant transportation barrier to care, and minimal social support. She relies on a neighbor to provide transportation to appointments.
The Incident: In April of this year, the patient shared that she will not have anyone to bring her for daily radiation treatments.
The CATCH (Intervention): Ms Smith contacted the radiation/financial coordinator to discuss the patient’s case, including her transportation and social support barriers to care, to determine if the patient qualifies for the institution-sponsored van for transportation to and from radiation appointments.
Outcome: The patient’s case was approved for the transportation van, which assists her in completing the final step in her treatment plan.
This Catch aligns with several of the AONN+ Standardized Metrics and the Oncology Navigation Standards of Professional Practice outlined on the following page.
Each year, 3.6 million people in the United States do not obtain medical care due to transportation issues.1 Transportation is considered a significant social determinant of health,1,2 as lack of transportation can result in:
“Our first AONN+ CATCH demonstrates the value and importance of navigation. The navigator addressed a top barrier to care, the patient’s transportation. The patient would not have been able to receive her radiation treatment without the navigator’s assistance. Navigators work extremely hard to demonstrate their value. This navigator’s intervention aligns with 7 of the AONN+ metrics! The navigator facilitated treatment compliance by addressing the patient’s barrier to care. She facilitated multidisciplinary communication, and ultimately the patient was retained at the healthcare system, thus receiving optimal treatment and equitable care.” —Monica Dean, HON-OPN-CG; AONN+ Director of Patient Navigation
“This navigator’s intervention addressed the patient’s multiple socioeconomic barriers (uninsured, undocumented, unemployed, language, low-income, transportation access, minimal social support), potentially preventing disease progression, disease recurrence, and financial burden, while enhancing the patient’s access to care and quality of life.” —Jordan Henderson, BSN, RN, OCN, ONN-CG; AONN+ Director of Program Development
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