SALT LAKE CITY — Underserved cancer patients and their families in the United States will soon have better access to life-saving care.
The Biden Administration recently announced that seven, private health insurance companies agreed to cover the cost of patient navigators.
Additionally, more than 40 cancer and oncology practices nationwide made commitments to reimburse patients for this type of care including Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City.
Huntsman invited FOX 13 News to learn more about the role that patient navigators have served since the program began 15 years ago.
“One of our roles that is key is welcoming the patient,” explained Lili Mulato, who has been a patient navigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute for the last 12 years.
Mulato is one of five at the hospital, and together, they serve American Indians, Hispanics, adolescents and those living in rural areas.
Mulato said they meet one-on-one with each patient, sometimes for hours at a time. Occasionally, they’ll accompany patients to doctor’s appointments too.
“This is something that we do, understanding the burden of being lonely in these circumstances,” she said.
Supporting patients can continue for years, like in the case of Laura Guzman. Mulato became her patient navigator two years ago when she was diagnosed with stage three cervical and uterine cancers.
FOX 13 News translated Guzman’s responses from Spanish to English.
“I went into my appointment with the doctor, with the surgeon specifically, and he talked to me about the surgery process. They were going to do a radical hysterectomy, so all of my uterus and ovaries were going to be removed,” Guzman explained.
She added, “When you're delivered this type of news, it's incredibly difficult to process.”
That’s where Mulato’s expertise became invaluable to Guzman. She not only helped Guzman understand the surgery process but what would happen next.
“She wasn’t aware that she was going to need radiation after surgery, and that is something that she found out through me that there was a possibility for that,” Mulato reflected.
While Guzman was assigned a patient navigator, Mulato said they don’t have enough resources to help everyone. Huntsman Cancer Institute must prioritize who receives a patient navigator based on financial and insurance needs.
However, for those who aren’t afforded a patient navigator, the cancer hospital has social workers and financial counselors that offer support.
