Access to patient navigation for underserved women in suburban Chicago: An evidenced based project for breast and cervical cancer screening

Background: Access DuPage is continuously addressing community needs through an extensive network of medical providers. Since the inception of Access DuPage, the primary goal has been to establish a medical home for uninsured low-income residents of DuPage County. Access DuPage functions through three main strategies: medical home assignment, continuum of care, and emphasis of diverse community assets. Methods: Patient navigators primarily guide women with suspicious findings through breast and cervical cancer screenings to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment. In partnership with Access Dupage, the Patient Navigation Project will focus on 600 women that possibly encounter numerous barriers along the course of their treatment such as transportation, fear, communication, financial hardship, etc. Anticipated Results: Underrepresented women often lack a support system during their course of treatment, which further emphasizes the imperative presence of a patient navigator. The thoroughly trained team of patient navigators aids patients in overcoming barriers to the timely receipt of health care services. Patient navigators are charged with appropriately linking patients with the myriad of private public, and governmental services and resources available to them in DuPage County. Patient navigation is a promising strategy to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes.