Although patient navigation services are becoming more common at cancer programs nationwide, physicians and administrators still frequently ask, “What are the responsibilities of the navigator?” Navigators coordinate care and remove barriers across the care continuum, which can potentially include many responsibilities. It is very important for navigators to be able to articulate their role concisely so that there is no room for misinterpretation. It is also important to share the Commission on Cancer Standards, Chapter 3: Continuum of Care Services, and navigator competencies/position statements from national organizations such as the Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW), the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+), and the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), just to name a few.
