A cancer diagnosis can be life-altering, and the Meyer Cancer Center is here to support you as you go through your cancer journey. That's why our patients can have support from an oncology patient navigator, a healthcare worker who helps patients through their cancer treatment by offering help with everyday challenges such as financial coverage, transportation, food security, and appointment scheduling.
How Can an Oncology Navigator Help You?
- Guide you and your family through your cancer and the treatment plan your physician prescribed
- Communicate with your doctor and health care team on your behalf
- Suggest questions to ask your healthcare professional
- Identify and eliminate the barriers to medical care access
- Connect you to Weill Cornell Medicine NewYork-Presbyterian healthcare providers and coordinate medical appointments
- Link you to cancer resources and services at the hospital and in the community
- Provide emotional support and appropriate mental health service
Oncology navigators are at the interface between the clinical providers and patients and their families. In this role, they also:
- Raise awareness, educate community members, and can assist with gaining access to essential screening tests that detect cancers early
- Help community members and patients learn about all their treatment options
If you'd benefit from any of this support, ask your clinical team to connect you with an oncology patient navigator.
Text adapted from the National Cancer Institute; images provided by Genentech. Reviewed on November 15, 2023.