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Provider perceptions’ of a patient navigator for adolescents and young adults with cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

Healthcare providers (HCPs) and other staff at a comprehensive Cancer Center were interviewed on how to best implement a patient navigator position when working with adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer. Research objectives included assessing staff perceptions of (a) barriers to optimal care for AYA, (b) roles and responsibilities for a patient navigator, and (c) training needed for future patient navigators.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 staff members providing care to AYA. Verbatim transcripts were hand-coded using inductive content analysis.

Results

Roles and responsibilities of a patient navigator were described as needing to coordinate services, be knowledgeable of resources inside and outside the Cancer Center, provide emotional support, advocate for AYA, assist with financial and insurance issues, and serving as the first point of contact.

Conclusions

Staff serving AYA reported the desired roles and training they wished a patient navigator to possess. This study contributes to the literature by conducting stakeholder assessment of the goals and roles of an AYA patient navigator (PN). PN positions should be adapted to the workflow and ethos of the institution.

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Funding

This work was supported, in part, by the University of South Florida College of Behavioral & Community Sciences Internal Grant Program under Grant No. 0101265 and a Chotiner Pediatric Cancer Research Award, Moffitt Cancer Center. Dr. Hudson was supported by a National Institute of Health R25T training grant (R25CA090314).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational and Psychology Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    Kayla N. LaRosa & Courtney Lynn

  2. University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    Kayla N. LaRosa, Marilyn Stern & Courtney Lynn

  3. Department of Child and Family Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    Marilyn Stern

  4. Health Outcomes and Behavior Program, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA

    Marilyn Stern, Janella Hudson & Kristine A. Donovan

  5. Adolescent and Young Adult Program, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA

    Marilyn Stern, Damon R. Reed & Kristine A. Donovan

  6. Tampa, FL, USA

    Marilyn Stern

  7. Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA

    Janella Hudson, Damon R. Reed & Kristine A. Donovan

  8. Sarcoma Program, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA

    Damon R. Reed

  9. Department of OB-GYN, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, 10016, USA

    Gwendolyn P. Quinn

  10. Department of Population Health, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, 10016, USA

    Gwendolyn P. Quinn

  11. Center for Medical Ethics, New York University, New York, NY, 10016, USA

    Gwendolyn P. Quinn

Authors
  1. Kayla N. LaRosa
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  2. Marilyn Stern
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  3. Courtney Lynn
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  4. Janella Hudson
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Correspondence to Marilyn Stern.

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LaRosa, K.N., Stern, M., Lynn, C. et al. Provider perceptions’ of a patient navigator for adolescents and young adults with cancer. Support Care Cancer 27, 4091–4098 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-019-04687-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-019-04687-3

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