Breast Care Patient Navigators Pave the Way for Seamless Care. Anyone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer or informed of an abnormal mammogram can tell you those experiences are frightening and raise many questions.
Will I require surgery? Do I need radiation or chemotherapy? Who will care for my children? How will I get to appointments? Am I going to be OK? A team of Breast Care Navigators at Penn State Health St. Joseph is ready to assist patients with every step during diagnosis, treatment and recovery.
In English and Spanish, Navigators counsel patients regarding care they’ll receive and what to expect during treatment. They discuss treatment options, help women find insurance and coordinate medical appointments. They make referrals, help uninsured women get breast screenings and fit mastectomy patients with special clothing. Most importantly, Penn State Health St. Joseph Navigators provide emotional support and understanding that, in some cases, comes from first-hand experience.
“I tell women that I understand exactly what they’re going through, because I do,” said Patient Navigator Maria Jimenez, a breast cancer survivor. “I am with them every step of the way because I went through the same thing they are going through.” Other breast care Navigators are Lisa Spencer and Anne Welsh, who supervises mammography at the hospital.
Spencer, the original oncology Patient Navigator, recognized she needed help to effectively serve the hospital’s Hispanic patients. “I found I could not serve the Hispanic community well,” said Spencer, who speaks limited Spanish. “But, Maria, who is a survivor herself, can offer services in their own language, and that makes people very comfortable.”
Navigators work closely with Nancy Fonseca, Penn State Health St. Joseph’s oncology social worker and care manager, who also speaks fluent Spanish.
“As a team, we work to see how we can pool our resources to help patients,” said Fonseca, also a breast cancer survivor. “We feel proud of what we do because we are very personal with each patient. No patient goes home without the assistance that they need.”
Get in touch with Maria Jimenez
Patient Navigator, at 610-378-2305 or 610-334-2153, or by emailing mjimenez1@pennstatehealth.psu.edu .
