When a patient is first diagnosed with cancer, decisions often need to be made quickly because the best way to fight cancer is when it’s in the early stages. Our cancer navigator and registered nurse, Fran Robinson, helps patients understand and sort through the choices that have been recommended by a doctor or other healthcare provider. The program, which is free to patients, is the first program of its kind in the area.

Our cancer navigator guides each cancer patient through the journey from early detection to rehabilitation and after-treatment support. After a doctor consultation, the cancer navigator meets with patients and provides them with educational information about different types of cancer, their treatments, and possible side effects. She also works closely with doctors and other care providers to assess a patient’s needs to develop a comprehensive care plan—as well as providing emotional support to patients and their families.

“This is a program that patients appreciate and need,” says Robinson. “Surveys have shown that patients say they need contact and support through the process because they often don’t know where to turn. I will be able to work to help guide them to appropriate support services—even those that aren’t available at San Juan Regional Medical Center. Early detection and appropriate treatment is the key to the best possible outcome for most cancer patients. The navigator program will help answer questions and offer support to help patients and families as they navigate through a complex system.”