The CATCH: In Support of Ensuring Appropriate Imaging Before Treatment Planning

Elianna Tobin, RN, BSN, Gastrointestinal Oncology Nurse Navigator at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Elianna’s ability to take initiative is one of her most remarkable qualities. She proactively identifies the needs of new patients and ensures they receive the necessary support and guidance throughout their treatment journey.

—Elizabeth Wigozki, MSN, RN, OCN, CNL, Nurse Director, Oncology Nurse Navigators, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA

A CATCH is a navigation success story where a navigation tactic improved a patient’s situation. The CATCH Initiative, short for Catching & Addressing Threats to Care & Health, tracks and acknowledges positive outcomes of navigation tactics.

THE CATCH OF THE MONTH

Background: A patient with newly diagnosed colon cancer was traveling out of state for a scheduled consultation with one of our medical oncologists. However, the proper staging of her cancer was not known. Depending on the staging of her cancer, she may have needed to meet with additional disciplines to develop the most appropriate treatment plan.

The Incident: While reviewing a new patient’s electronic record a week before the scheduled consultation for newly diagnosed colon cancer, the navigator noticed that the patient had not yet undergone any staging scans. Without proper staging, the provider the patient was meeting with would not have been able to create an accurate treatment plan at the time of the patient’s visit.

The CATCH (Intervention): The navigator reached out to the medical oncologist that the patient was scheduled to meet with and explained the situation. The navigator then asked for the oncologist’s approval to reach out to the patient’s local primary care physician to see if they could coordinate staging scans conducted closer to the patient’s home. The patient’s medical oncologist was very supportive of this plan and requested CT scans of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis be coordinated for complete staging based on NCCN guidelines.

Outcome: With the help of the patient’s local primary care team, the navigator was able to coordinate CT scans of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis that were completed the day before the patient had her consultation with the medical oncologist. When the patient came in for her consultation, she was able to discuss an accurate treatment plan with her providers based on her staging scans.

The Importance of the CATCH

This CATCH case study highlights the many challenges and barriers patients and their families can face while going through a cancer journey. Many times, healthcare professionals focus on the clinical aspect of the cancer journey while limiting the holistic approach of treating the patient as an individual with unique needs. Navigation prioritizes the holistic approach to care to address clinical challenges that arise with cancer as well as psychosocial concerns that can exacerbate an already complex situation.

Source

• Bellomo C, Christensen D, Strusowski T. Seasoned navigator: a case study on patient advocacy/patient empowerment. Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship. 2016;7(8):31-32.

Read The CATCH: In Support of Overcoming Barriers to Care  »

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