Radiotherapy (RT) or the use of radiation to treat cancer is one of the three pillars of cancer treatment along with surgery and chemotherapy. So, the connection of oncology navigators to radiation therapy is straightforward as navigators continuously seek and demonstrate knowledge that reflects current oncology care. A basic understanding of radiation treatment is an expectation for all navigators, but the role of a radiation oncology navigator is becoming a specialized type of navigation.1,2
For RT-related support in oncology, navigators are key to accessing care. Veira and colleagues published on patient navigation as a financially viable and efficient tool to optimize access to timely RT.3 For patients who are unable to return home every day due to the distance or treatment schedule, the navigator is critical for finding resources for lodging, transportation, or financial assistance.4
Navigators proactively educate patients and caregivers on the different forms of radiation—brachytherapy, proton beam, stereotactic, and intensity-modulated RT. Navigators can explain what to expect using the simulation process and prepare the patient for side effects, such as skin changes and fatigue. They help patients manage these side effects via reinforcing the skin care protocol the RT team plans and encourage patients to do power walking for 30 minutes 5 times a week, which has proved to diminish chronic fatigue by 71%.5
To illustrate return on investment, when at-risk radiation patients were contacted as often as 3 times a week, within 3 months the reduction in no-shows among those receiving radiation therapy equaled a navigator’s annual salary. The overall return on investment was $5 for every $1 spent.6 A national quality improvement project, Breaking Barriers, sponsored by the American College of Surgeons, sought to understand how reducing missed radiation therapy appointment rates can support access to high-quality oncology care for all patients in diverse communities and care settings, and oncology navigation was a means for this metric.7
And as a professional advocacy group, navigators signed a letter in support with other advocacy organizations urging congressional leaders to pass legislation to prevent massive Medicare payment cuts to radiation oncology.8
The crucial role navigators play in supporting radiation therapy by guiding patients through the complex healthcare system, ensuring they understand their treatment plan, and connecting them with resources, is documented throughout the literature. As a professional group, they ultimately make the radiation therapy journey smoother and more manageable.
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