At St. Luke’s, our goal is to make your health care journey as easy and understandable as possible. Our specially trained oncology nurse navigators are available to help guide you with understanding your new diagnosis, potential treatment plans, side effects and ensure you are ready for your first oncology visit. Our oncology care coordinators work with our nurse navigators to provide assistance with barriers to care, connecting you with cancer support resources and ensuring you are able to connect to the services you are looking for by making one phone call. This team will work with you and your loved ones, as well as your doctors and care team, throughout the diagnosis and treatment process.
Oncology Nurse Navigators:
- Reinforce education on such topics as: diagnostic studies needed, reinforce treatment education, treatment plan, next steps in plan of care.
- Ensure necessary testing is done prior to your initial visit (biopsy, scans, blood work) as well as scheduling port placement.
- Help coordinate visits with multiple disciplines to help streamline your cancer care in a timely manner (medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology, appointments with other departments) as well as promoting communication between members of your healthcare team.
- Answer any questions you may have regarding your cancer care.
Oncology Care Coordinators:
- Will serve as patient’s primary point of contact throughout cancer journey.
- Linking patients and their families to resources available within St. Luke’s (physical/occupational therapy, dietitian, cancer counselors, financial counselors, palliative care, and transportation) as well as community-based resources.
- Assist patients with addressing non-clinical barriers to care.