You could spend your life researching cancer and forget everything you learned in one minute … the minute your doctor says, “I am ordering a biopsy, just to be safe.”

Whenever cancer is a suspected diagnosis, fear and confusion are a normal response. To help get patients through the difficult days of uncertainty – from suspicion to diagnosis – Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center has established a cancer navigation program.

“We are here to take the chaos out of the process and replace it with compassionate, customized care,” explains Lori McMullen, RN, who was recently hired to coordinate care for patients with any suspicious diagnosis.

“We make sure patients arrive at their appropriate appointments and help them, too, with issues of stress and anxiety by suggesting support services and referrals,” says Ms. McMullen.

Ms. McMullen joins Pamela Vlahakis, RN, who helped establish the navigation role at Hunterdon Medical Center in the Breast Care Program. Ms. Vlahakis is a liaison between patients and physicians, and provides education on prevention and breast self-examination.

“Most of my patients have had a suspicious mammogram or have found a lump in their breast,” says Ms. Vlahakis. “I explain the next steps, which often includes an appointment with a breast surgeon. I stay with them through diagnosis.”

A Pathway to Care
The concept of patient navigation began in the late 1980s when Dr. Harold Freeman of Harlem Hospital concluded that the most underserved populations were not receiving timely cancer care due to socioeconomic barriers. He pioneered the role of cancer navigator to get people to diagnosis and treatment earlier – and save lives. It included community-based treatments and screenings.

“His model works well at a community healthcare system like ours,” explains Ms. Vlahakis. “Because we offer the full spectrum of cancer services right here, we can reduce the time from detection to diagnosis, which improves outcomes.”

Photo: (Top left) Pamela Vlahakis, RN, Hunterdon Regional Breast Care Program, and Lori McMullen, RN, Clinical Care Coordinator, Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center