Navigation

It is with profound sadness that we remember Harold P. Freeman, MD, the widely celebrated father of patient and nurse navigation, who passed away on August 11th, 2026.

In this installment of Navigation Refresh, we explore how patient navigation fits into comprehensive cancer control and how one state coalition is using training, peer learning, and local partnerships to strengthen access and support.

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is putting the One Team philosophy into practice, and the results are deeply human. This Q&A offers a closer look at the people and processes making it happen.

In this installment of Navigation Refresh, we break down the 2026 updates to CMS Principal Illness Navigation codes. Learn what’s new, what’s stayed the same, and how these changes impact your role.

How do we prepare the next generation of patient navigators? Discover how one institution developed a groundbreaking bachelor’s program to equip students with the skills and compassion necessary to meet the growing demand for this essential profession.

In this installment of Navigation Refresh, learn how navigation is improving colorectal cancer care through tailored screening strategies, emerging resources, and innovative solutions to enhance outcomes across diverse populations.

Resource management is at the heart of effective navigation. In this edition of Navigation Refresh, Mandi L. Pratt-Chapman, PhD, MA, HON-OPN-CG, breaks down how to assess barriers, identify realistic solutions, and support patients without burning out.

In this edition of Navigation Refresh, Mandi L. Pratt-Chapman, PhD, MA, HON-OPN-CG, reflects on how grounding yourself in your principles and prioritizing wellness can empower patient navigators to thrive in their roles and deliver compassionate care.

Explore actionable guidance for establishing and refining oncology navigation programs, from identifying patient needs to evaluating program success.

From its grassroots beginnings to its recognition as a national healthcare priority, explore how patient navigation in the Philippines has become a cornerstone of equitable cancer care.

For many communities, mistrust in the healthcare system runs deep. Discover how cultural humility empowers navigators to rebuild trust, reduce disparities, and advocate more effectively for patients.

What begins as one parent’s desperate search for answers evolves into a powerful advocacy movement. This article traces a journey from crisis to the creation of The Healthcare Navigation Project, showing how lived experience can drive systemic change.

Can AI reshape patient navigation? Learn how it’s improving efficiency, tackling disparities, and why human expertise remains essential in delivering equitable cancer care.

Welcome back to Navigation Refresh, a recurring, informative feature for novice and seasoned patient navigators alike. In this issue, we cover the role of patient navigators in advocacy.

This installment of Navigation Refresh highlights the vital role of oncology patient navigators in supporting patients receiving immuno-oncology therapies, including education, financial assistance, and coordination of care for managing complex side effects.

In this installment of Navigation Refresh, learn about the integral role of patient navigators in team-based cancer care.

In this installment of Navigation Refresh, learn how patient navigators can drive equitable access to, and informed participation by, diverse populations in oncology clinical trials.

Understanding the basics of what cancer care involves is foundational for oncology patient navigators. In the third installment of Navigation Refresh, we delve into basic medical terminology and the role of the navigator in supporting health literacy.

Understanding the basics of what cancer care involves is foundational for oncology patient navigators. In the second installment of Navigation Refresh, we dive into the continuum of cancer care, cancer risk factors, detection, diagnosis, and treatment.

In this debut of a JONS regular feature focused on keeping oncology navigators at the forefront of their field, Mandi L. Pratt-Chapman, PhD, MA, HON-OPN-CG, explores recent revisions to the George Washington Cancer Center’s Oncology Patient Navigator Training program.

Over the past few decades, many collaborative initiatives have been launched to ensure the professionalization of oncology navigation. With all these advances, the stability and sustainability of these programs are now the focal point and critical to move the field forward.

This accompaniment to the preceding article offers up best practice tips you can employ on your journey toward funding stability, a key element that contributes to positioning programs and practices for long-term success.

AONN+ and ACCCNN join forces to advance the role of the navigator across medical specialties beyond oncology.

A look at the challenges, core values, and innovations in the emerging field of oncology patient navigation.

Personalized “E-prescriptions” for education materials are an invaluable resource for newly diagnosed patients.

Not sure what metrics to apply to your navigation practice? AONN+ can help.

Oncology nurse educators and reimbursement field managers representing pharma are an invaluable resource for navigators.

Approximately 45% of all Americans suffer from 1 or more chronic diseases, which are among the most prevalent and costly health conditions in the United States.

Cancer, chronic conditions, and comorbidities often lead to polypharmacy. What is it, and what should oncology navigators know about helping their patients manage it?

What a year it has been since launching the “Oncology Navigation Standards of Professional Practice” published by the Professional Oncology Navigation Task Force (PONT) in March 2022. These standards were developed by PONT to provide clinical oncology nurse navigators, social work navigators, and patient navigators with clear information regarding best practices in professional care.