NURSE NAVIGATORS
Hoag provides a helping hand for patients dealing with serious conditions , from scheduling appointments to connecting them with resources , answering questions and weighing treatment options .
BY JULIA CLERK
Wellness & Beauty SPECIAL SECTION
Left : Nurse Navigator Sandy Southerland sits with patient Yvonne Cole as she receives post-surgery infusions to keep her cancer free . Above : Southerland and Tina Corriere ( right ) help to schedule appointments , offer treatment advice and more for patients as part of the Nurse Navigators program at Hoag .
To discover that you ’ ve been stricken with a potentially life-threatening illness is no doubt the scariest diagnosis imaginable , with so many questions flooding your mind .
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian works with clients — through its various institutes focused on cancer , neurosciences , digestive issues , women ’ s health and heart conditions — to provide them and their families a means of navigating their health care journey .
Part of this process is assistance provided by clinical nurse navigators who become a patient ’ s go-to resource for answering questions about the disease / condition and treatment options . They help in selecting specialty physicians and surgeons as well as scheduling any necessary diagnostic testing , surgeries and appointments before or following an operation .
In addition , Hoag nurse navigators specialize in certain diseases or conditions so that patients can benefit from their expertise , contacts and assessments .
Complex psychosocial needs are also assessed . Nurse navigators can connect patients and loved ones with support groups , educational programs and more . They ’ re always available to answer questions and often stay in touch with patients for years after recovery .
“ Hoag has had a navigator program for over 15 years ,” says Dori Holnagel , vice president of the Hoag Family Cancer Institute . “ Over this 15-year period , the breadth and depth of services has expanded significantly based on our patients ’ needs .”
Holnagel points to the cancer support aspect . “ We evolved from a navigation platform supporting specific cancer types to a navigation program that supports all cancer types . We transitioned from general navigation to sitespecific navigation ; just as our cancer program has specialty-trained physicians .”
54 NEWPORTBEACHMAGAZINE . COM