C-Change champions the Cancer Patient Navigation Act on Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON, April 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Cancer sets into motion a world of confusion and questions for the patient, their families and caregivers. Cancer patient navigation services brings the patient-focus back to cancer care by affording the patient the opportunity to have a skilled navigator guide him or her thought the cancer diagnosis, treatment and follow up care.
"Cancer patient navigation programs are designed to help patients receive the best care possible," said Tom Kean, MPH, executive director of C-Change. "They also help the team that serves patients provide better and coordinated care. Cancer patient navigation helps people get the services they need, when they need them, and in a way appropriate to their circumstances."
C-Change, a national cancer coalition comprised of key national leaders from the government, business and nonprofit sectors, is hosting an educational briefing for members of Congress, at the U.S. Capitol. Cancer Patient Navigation: Care for your Community Hill Briefing will take place at 2 p.m. on April 24, 2008 in 385 Russell Senate Office Building. Please join the leaders in cancer patient navigation as they discuss the importance of community based navigation services and the importance of fully funding the Patient Navigator Outreach and Chronic Disease Prevention Act of 2005.
Among the distinguished invited speakers to this event are, Senator Robert Menendez, sponsor of the Patient Navigator Act, Dr. Harold Freeman, Medical Director of the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention, and Fran Feltner, Director of Kentucky Homeplace.
Patient navigation in cancer care refers to the individualized assistance offered to patients, families and caregivers to help overcome health care system barriers and to facilitate timely access to quality medical and psychosocial care from pre-diagnosis through all the phases of the cancer experience. Cancer patient navigators guide a patient through the physical, emotional and financial challenges than come with a cancer diagnosis.
The Patient Navigator Act was signed into law in June 2005 proposing $25 million over 5 years for demonstration programs to provide navigator services to improve health outcomes. C-Change and other cancer leaders are asking for the full $25 million in funding of the Act in FY09.
For more information about C-Change and cancer patient navigation, please visit the C-Change website at www.c-changetogether.org.
About C-Change
C-Change is a national cancer collaborative comprised of leaders from the public, private and not for profit sectors. The vision and mission of C-Change is to eliminate cancer as a public health problem at the earliest possible time, by leveraging the expertise and resources of its members. C-Change's strategic priorities consist of member-driven collaborative initiatives that strive to accelerate cancer research, improve the timely access to the full continuum of quality cancer care services and support State, Tribe and Territory Comprehensive Cancer Control efforts.
SOURCE C-Change
