Box 3.

Tasks of Cancer Patient Navigators over the Cancer Care Continuum^a

TASKS	PHASES
	1	2	3	4	5	6
A-1 Understandable
1. Offer education.	√	√	√	√	√	√
2. Help clients and families find additional information from websites & agencies.	√	√	√	√	√	√
3. Maintain library of appropriate materials.	√	√	√	√	√	√
4. Work w/ providers to increase their understanding of community’s history, culture, and needs, as well as the cultural appropriateness of their approaches and materials	√	√	√	√	√	√
A-2 Available
1. Maintain directory of services and service logistics, procedures, & amenities.	√	√	√	√	√	√
2. Maintain a bank of application & eligibility forms for programs.		√	√	√	√	√
3. Encourage providers to expand programs and ability to serve community of interest.	√	√	√	√	√	√
4. Develop relationships with providers, eligibility workers, & programs offering free & low-cost services.	√	√	√	√	√	√
	√	√	√	√	√	√
5. Develop new services to meet needs, e.g., ethnic-specific support groups.			√	√	√	√
6. Advocate for additional services & reimbursement for services.	√	√	√	√	√	√
A-3 Accessible
1. Offer education through cultural gathering sites and events.	√	√	√	√	√	√
2. Utilize ethnic minority media & ethnic venues to promote messages & PN services.	√	√	√	√	√	√
3. Build bridges to diverse service organizations.	√	√	√	√	√	√
4. Help clients make appointments, & remind them of appointments.		√	√	√	√	√
5. Assist clients with intake & other forms.		√	√	√	√	√
6. Arrange transportation & accompany client if appropriate		√	√	√	√	√
7. Assist families in renegotiating roles so that client can get screening & treatment.		√	√	√	√	√
8. Address other structural, cultural, & emotional barriers to care.		√	√	√	√	√
A-4 Affordable
1. Offer free or low-cost education & PN services	√	√	√	√	√	√
2. Identify free or low-cost resources.	√	√	√	√	√	√
3. Help client w/ paperwork for insurers & free & low-cost programs.		√	√	√	√	√
4. Work with others to secure grants to support PN & cancer care services.		√	√	√	√	√
5. Coordinate w/ other agencies & providers to co-sponsor events.	√	√			√
6. Collaborate w/ local and national companies for appropriate incentives & services.	√	√	√	√	√	√
A-5 Appropriate
1. Explain things in client language.	√	√	√	√	√	√
2. Provide or link to medical interpretation.		√	√	√	√	√
3. Help clients maintain modesty & respect during screening, tests, & care.		√	√	√	√	√
4. Consider clients’ strengths in delivering services & helping them marshal support.		√	√	√	√	√
5. Encourage providers to hirer diverse staff.		√	√	√	√	√
6. Clarify preferences for cultural practices; if appropriate, contact cultural or spiritual leaders to support client and family with traditional practices.			√	√	√	√
A-6 Accountable
1. Understand the available culture of care	√	√	√	√	√	√
2. Help clients secure & maintain records.		√	√	√	√	√
3. Help client document treatment choices & care preferences.				√	√	√
4. Document PN services provided, as well as barriers & successes.	√	√	√	√	√	√
5. Participate in quality assurance & evaluation of PN services.	√	√	√	√	√	√
6. Establish agency and self as trustworthy, credible resource.	√	√	√	√	√	√
7. Provide reports to community on PN & other cancer care services.	√	√	√	√	√	√

^a1=education/outreach, 2=screening; 3=diagnosis/staging; 4=treatment; 5=survivorship; 6=end-of-life.