Coordinating Cancer Care

"My mother is being treated for breast cancer as well as diabetes. Everything is so specialized and there seems to be very little communication between doctors. How do I know they won’t miss stuff?"

We understand it can be frustrating and worrisome to navigate the treatment of complex health conditions. With so many people involved, it can be difficult to feel like your loved one is getting the complete care they need. At Sarah Cannon HCA Midwest Health each breast cancer patient has the option to have a Nurse Navigator, who can help with communication between physicians and with the patient. That includes making sure any physicians the patient may see are kept up to date.

If you like, your navigator can go with you to your doctor’s appointments and chemo sessions. They are there to listen, help you ask the right questions and sort through the information so you can make the best decisions for you. That means explaining procedures and the roles of the different medical specialists involved in your care.

Your Nurse Navigator is a nurse with cancer-specific training. Navigators can also help coordinate appointments among different specialists or locations. If someone is moving or just having a procedure at a different hospital, the Nurse Navigator can connect them with the right people to help them along the way.

Through it all, the Nurse Navigator is there for you. They are there to translate the medical terms and explain the processes that have entered your everyday life—whatever they can do to make patients feel safe and comfortable.

You can find out more about Nurse Navigators Sarah Cannon HCA Midwest Health, call AskSARAH (816) 448-7737, or you can contact our breast cancer Nurse Navigators at the following HCA Midwest Health locations:

• Sarah Cannon at Belton Regional Medical Center: (816) 276-9735
• Sarah Cannon at Research Medical Center: (816) 276-9735
• Sarah Cannon at Centerpoint Medical Center: (816) 698-8883
• Sarah Cannon at Lee’s Summit Medical Center: (816) 698-8883
• Sarah Cannon at Menorah Medical Center: (913) 498-6420
• Sarah Cannon at Overland Park Regional Medical Center: (913) 541-5611