Patient Navigation Research Program

The most important role of patient navigators is to ensure that individuals with suspicious cancer findings receive timely diagnosis and treatment. Patient navigators work with cancer patients to "navigate" the health care system and access appropriate social and financial services. A primary function of the navigator is to establish and help maintain communication between patients, their families, physicians, and the health care system and to decrease the time between a cancer-related abnormal finding, definitive diagnosis, and delivery of quality cancer care.

The Patient Navigation Research Program Resource Manual clusters patient education materials (treatment-specific and general cancer support materials) across the cancer continuum to facilitate ease of use by navigators when working with patients facing breast, cervical, prostate or colorectal cancer diagnosis. The material is used as part of NCI's Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities Patient Navigation Research Program, and is also available to clinicians and health educators for use beyond the scope of this research program.

The Patient Navigation Research Program Resource Manual can be downloaded in its entirety or by section.

• Patient Navigation Research Program Resource Manual (PDF, 972K)
• Section 1: National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service (PDF, 332K)
• Section 2: Breast Cancer (PDF, 853K)
• Section 3: Cervical Cancer (PDF, 782K)
• Section 4: Prostate Cancer (PDF, 764K)
• Section 5: Colorectal Cancer (PDF, 608K)
• Section 6: Coping With Cancer-General Resources (PDF, 397K)
• Section 7: National Organizations (PDF, 363K)
• Section 8: Resources In My Community (PDF, 304K)
• Section 9: Role of the Health Care Team (PDF, 529K)
• Section 10: For More Information (PDF, 229K)

Partnering Opportunities:
OESI currently has a need for organizations to use the Patient Navigation Resource Manual and evaluate its effectiveness.