It takes a team to defeat cancer!
That’s one of the reasons Methodist Medical Center offers patient navigation to those newly diagnosed with cancer. It provides patients with a dedicated team of specialists that offers state-of-the-art care, specifically tailored to each patient and their situation.
The role of the patient navigator is to help coordinate medical care after a patient is diagnosed with cancer and help the patient understand what to expect as they undergo tests and receive treatment. Patient navigators also assist with appointments, answer questions and connect patients with additional support from outside organizations.
The mission of the patient navigation program at Methodist is to reduce the time between finding what may be cancer and completing the patient’s evaluation and diagnosis. The idea is to start treatment as soon as possible.
Patient navigation is designed to streamline the process for cancer treatment, and to provide a comprehensive treatment plan for newly diagnosed patients. Methodist’s collaborative, multidisciplinary approach maximizes medical expertise and assures that patients’ needs are met through innovative, compassionate and personalized care.
Comprehensive Approach
Having a team approach is an essential part of the program. Comprehensive care is provided by a team of medical professionals from various specialty areas including pulmonologists, breast radiologists, surgeons, cardiothoracic surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, pathologists, radiologists and plastic surgeons.
Physicians work with clinical trial specialists, genetics counselors, dieticians, therapists specializing in the treatment of lymphedema, and other highly trained healthcare professionals that are devoted to providing a caring, cohesive process.
Ideally, within one week of diagnosis patients will meet all the doctors who will be providing their care.
Patients realize important benefits from this system, including:
•Easier referrals and access to treatment
•Better coordination of care
•The potential for improved outcomes
If you are newly diagnosed, please call (865) 835-5224 for an appointment with one of our navigators.