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A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming and cause anxiety, fear, and uncertainty in patients and families. As part of a complete care plan, many people seek complementary therapies and treatments for emotional and physical support. Many integrative oncology (IO) centers have been formed to provide patients with safe, evidence-based complementary therapies.
Below are some professionals that work in a cancer care center:
Patient Navigators
Patient navigators work with patients from diagnosis through treatment and recovery in a cancer care center. Their responsibilities include a variety of tasks, including obtaining a patient’s medical records, performing a thorough assessment, providing education about their disease process, and helping patients choose a location for treatment. They may also work with a patient’s insurance company to get them the appropriate financial assistance they need.
Oncology Social Workers
Their responsibilities include assessing a patient’s overall level of functioning, managing stressful life situations related to cancer, assisting with practical issues such as insurance, resolving problems that interfere with care, and providing education to help patients manage their disease at home. Oncology social workers also provide referrals for counseling and other mental health services if the patient’s needs are beyond what they can provide.
Psychiatric Nurses
These professionals help cancer patients manage the emotional and behavioral symptoms that can arise with a cancer diagnosis or during illness flare-up, treatment, recovery, or recurrence periods. Psychiatric nurses in any cancer center Orange County-based services are available to help individuals who have difficulty coping with problems associated with their disease or its treatment. Psychiatric nurses can also provide crisis intervention services for patients who are experiencing a psychiatric emergency related to the illness or treatment of the illness.
People diagnosed with cancer often seek care from a cancer care center. Cancer centers are built to treat patients, families, and friends going through treatment together. These centers must accommodate everyone’s needs, which is why many different professionals work in the same place.
