Research Highlights

HSR&D Investigator Receives NCI Grant to Develop Program for Minority and Underserved Cancer Patients

November 2, 2005

The National Cancer Institute announced a total of $25 million in grants to be distributed to eight research institutions for the development of an innovative Patient Navigator Research Program (PNRP) for minority and underserved cancer patients. Among the recipients is Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill, who will develop the Chicago Cancer Navigation Project. Led by HSR&D investigator Charles L. Bennett, MD, this project will develop and conduct a patient navigation intervention to provide follow-up care to low-income patients with positive screening tests for prostate, colorectal, breast or cervical cancer, in collaboration with VA and other federally qualified health center clinics.

Patient navigators help coordinate services among medical personnel, schedule appointments with caregivers, arrange translation or interpretation services and various forms of financial support, facilitate transportation to and from medical visits, and arrange childcare services during diagnosis and treatment appointments. The PNRP will test and evaluate interventions designed to improve access to timely and appropriate cancer care and treatment following a cancer diagnosis.

*Dr. Charles Bennett is a core investigator for the Midwest Center for Health Services and Policy Research, an HSR&D Center of Excellence, at the Lakeside CBOC. Visit http://crchd.nci.nih.gov for additional information about this project.