This month marks the 10-year anniversary of the Hispanic Patient Navigator program at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI). Patient navigators serve as a bridge between patients and their care teams. Navigators make sure patients, caregivers, and doctors understand each other and get needed services. Patient navigators help in many different ways. They provide information about what to expect, coordinate appointments, establish and help maintain communication between the patient and health care team, arrange interpreters for appointments, refer to community support services, locate financial support and help complete forms, and more.
In the 10 years the program has been up and running, the navigators have been busy. Here are just a few stats about what they have accomplished:
- 1,050+ unique patients helped
- 7,250+ total patient encounters
- 26,000+ calls made on behalf of patients
- 19,800+ emails and faxes sent
- 6,200+ patient appointments attended
- 1,300+ general public calls
HCI currently has three Hispanic patient navigators: Anna Martinez, Liliana Mulato, and Guadalupe Tovar.
Anna Martinez has a master鈥檚 of education from the University of Utah. Anna has worked as a Hispanic/Latino patient navigator for HCI for since 2015.
"Me encanta venir a trabajar y sentir que he hecho la diferencia en la vida de una persona. El Programa de Navegaci贸n para pacientes Hispanos/Latinos es importante porque atiende a pacientes en Ingl茅s y Espa帽ol. Este programa demuestra a nuestro pacientes hispanos que valoramos su cultura y su idioma."
Anna Martinez recibi贸 su Maestr铆a en Educaci贸n de la Universidad de Utah. Anna ha trabajado como Navegadora de Pacientes Hispanos/Latinos en el Instituto de Cancer Huntsman por m谩s de 4 a帽os.
"What I love about my job is its diversity; we learn something new every day. The Hispanic/Latino Patient Navigator program is unique because our services are tailored to serve a specific community with unique disparities. This program also shows the commitment Huntsman Cancer Institute has to create an environment of inclusion and health equity for all of our patients."
Liliana Mulato graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in health promotion and education. Liliana has been a Hispanic/Latino patient navigator at HCI since 2011.
"Lo que me gusta de mi trabajo es su diversidad, aprendo algo nuevo todos los d铆as. El programa de Navegaci贸n para pacientes Hispanos/Latinos es 煤nico porque est谩 dedicado a una comunidad que tiene dificultades muy particulares. Tambi茅n demuestra la dedicaci贸n de Huntsman Cancer Institute a crear un ambiente de inclusi贸n y equidad en salud para todos sus pacientes."
Liliana Mulato se gradu贸 de la Universidad de Utah con una licenciatura en Educaci贸n de Salud P煤blica. Ha trabajado en Huntsman Cancer Institute por m谩s de 8 a帽os como Navegadora de Paciente Hispanos/Latinos.
"What I love about my job is supporting patients and families guiding them through the process of learning and understanding the complexities and challenges of the health system. The patient navigator serves as an intermediary and liaison, providing culturally competent and bilingual communication between patients, health care providers, and other community resources. The Hispanic/Latino population is the fastest growing group in the state of Utah and HCI has committed to providing services to a vulnerable population which encounters obstacles accessing adequate cancer care."
Guadalupe Tovar graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in international studies. Guadalupe has worked at HCI since 2010 as a patient navigator for the Hispanic/Latino patients and the Hispanic/Latino Community Outreach program. She is a certified patient navigator and certified medical interpreter.
"Lo que me gusta de mi trabajo es apoyar a los pacientes y sus familias y guiarlos en el proceso de aprendizaje de las complejidades y los desaf铆os del sistema de salud. La Navegadora de Pacientes sirve de intermediaria y de enlace, proporcionando comunicaci贸n culturalmente apropiada y bilingue entre pacientes, el equipo m茅dico y otros recursos comunitarios. La poblaci贸n hispana/latina es el grupo de m谩s r谩pido crecimiento en el estado de Utah y HCI se ha comprometido a proporcionar servicios a una poblaci贸n vulnerable que encuentra obst谩culos para accesar una atenci贸n adecuada contra el c谩ncer."
Guadalupe Tovar se gradu贸 de la Universidad de Utah con una licenciatura en Estudios Internacionales. Guadalupe ha trabajado en HCI por m谩s de 9 a帽os como Navegadora de Pacientes Hispanos/Latinos. Ella est谩 certificada como Navegadora de Pacientes y como Interprete M茅dica.