Patient Navigation and Tailored Treatment Planning in Latina Patients With Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Patient Navigation and Tailored Treatment Planning: A Process Evaluation Study for LAC+USC Patient Navigation, Treatment Planning, and Ongoing Support for Latina Women

This research trial studies how well patient navigation and tailored treatment planning work in Latina patients with breast cancer. Patient navigation and tailored treatment planning may provide extra support by guiding patients through the healthcare system, remove barriers to care and provide ease of access to essential resources, encourage patient participation in their care, provide in-language summaries and plans for follow-up care, improve patient access to needed supportive care services and may improve general healthcare experience in Latina patients with breast cancer.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Successful navigation of patients being screened or treated for breast cancer through the continuum of their care (from visit to visit; from surgical care to radiologic care to oncologic care; from oncologic care to supportive care; etc).

II. Supply individualized in-language treatment summaries and follow-up care plans to enrolled patients.

III. Supply tailored in-language survivorship plan summaries to enrolled patients.

OUTLINE:

Patients receive treatment summaries and plan report that captures patient data through the use of an "intake checklist" completed during the initial consultation with the breast oncology team and used to guide referrals to existing services and programmed with generic information related to disease and treatment management plan. Additional elements, such as psycho-social services, exercise, and/or nutrition, identified by the patient self-report, will be incorporated. Patients also complete 3 questionnaires at each clinic visit.

After completion of study, patients are followed up at 6 months or 12 months.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients receiving ongoing care at LAC+USC
• Self-identified as Latina (or Hispanic)
• Known or suspected breast cancer
• Being seen in a breast cancer high risk, screening or prevention program or clinic or in one of the breast cancer clinics (surgical or medical oncology)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Inability to sign informed consent or complete questionnaires and forms
• Self-identified as non-Latina (or non-Hispanic)