Native-language patient navigation services drove an increase of cancer screenings among at-risk patients whose primary language is not English, a study appearing in the June 2016 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association found.
According to the study’s lead author, Sanja Percac-Lima, MD, PhD, physician leader for cancer outreach at the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Community Health Improvement, Boston:
[P]atient navigators can be [effective] for patients who, for a variety of reasons, encounter obstacles to receiving cancer screening. Health disparities pose a major challenge to low-income and ethnic minority patients, and our study suggests a proactive approach may help increase their chances of receiving the care they need.
Patient navigators provide a critical bridge between patients and caregivers that enhances and improves care. By employing these types of tactics, we can address critical health disparities for at-risk communities.