Impact of Nurse Navigation in Transitions of Lung Cancer Care-Impact of Nurse Navigation in Transitions of Lung Cancer Care

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The webinar, hosted by ACCC and sponsored by Merck, focused on the impact of nurse navigation in lung cancer care transitions. Speaker Angie Swaim, a thoracic oncology nurse navigator, explained how poor transitions of care lead to medication errors, missed follow-up, preventable readmissions, and fragmented treatment, especially for rural and high-risk populations. She contrasted academic cancer centers, which offer more specialties and cutting-edge treatments, with rural settings, where access, transportation, insurance, and health literacy are major barriers.<br /><br />Swaim emphasized that nurse navigators are essential to care coordination, patient education, shared decision-making, and linking patients and PCPs to appropriate resources. She described how navigators help manage incidental imaging findings, arrange workups, coordinate referrals, and support patients from diagnosis through treatment, survivorship, or end-of-life care.<br /><br />Real-life case examples illustrated both successful and failed transitions: one patient received smooth coordination across facilities and support services, while another experienced delayed follow-up and ultimately chose hospice after a poor handoff from the ER. Swaim also highlighted outreach, smoking cessation, low-dose CT screening education, and the need to reduce stigma around lung cancer. The session ended with discussion of formal tumor boards, rural PCP support, and future tools such as AI, home monitoring, mobile units, and better EHR interoperability.

Keywords

nurse navigation

lung cancer care

care transitions

patient coordination

thoracic oncology

rural healthcare barriers

medication errors

lung cancer screening

EHR interoperability