Salt Lake City-based Huntsman Cancer Institute received $300,000 from the American Cancer Society to expand its patient navigation program to rural cancer patients.
Patient navigators are part of the healthcare team provided to patients for free. They coordinate appointments, internal and community resources, and communication between patients and healthcare teams. Currently, patient navigators at Huntsman focus on adolescents and young adults, American Indians, and Spanish speakers.
The grant will expand the program to rural residents of Utah, Montana and Wyoming. New patient navigators will be trained to meet rural patients' needs and address barriers to individualized care.
Huntsman Cancer Institute is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Mountain West.
Patient navigators will collaborate closely with affiliate hospital members: St. Peter's Health in Helena, Mont.; St. John's Health in Jackson, Wyo.; and Memorial Hospital Sweetwater Regional Cancer Center in Rock Springs, Wyo.