Prince Albert to offer new cancer support services

“Cancer patient navigation is a system intended to expedite patients accessing services and resources, and to improve continuity and co-ordination of care,” said Bulych. “Navigators try to address patients and families’ information and educational needs, their emotional needs and their practical needs.”

Bulych said Prince Albert was selected to be the pilot city in Saskatchewan for this new program because of its already strong volunteer base.

“One of the hugest strengths I see in Prince Albert and area is the volunteer base that (it) already has,” said Bulych. “There is such a strength of volunteers in the Prince Albert area, that we really saw this not only as a strength but as a fabulous opportunity for people.”

Because this is still relatively new to Canada she has had to rely on other provinces to get an idea of how to run the program.

“We’re building our model on some of their findings and some of their learning’s,” said Bulych “There are professional navigation roles in all provinces and we have them in Saskatchewan as well. But utilizing the volunteers who are familiar with the community and have a real dedication to cancer patients, it was just a great opportunity for us.”

Volunteers for this program were selected through advertisements designed by volunteer coordinator Sonya Jahn of Prince Albert Parkland Health Region (PAPHR) and the Cancer Society.

“The Cancer Society has a wealth of volunteers who are interested in this as well, so the three of us as groups just got together and said how can we make this happen?” said Bulych. “Between Sonya and the local office of the Canadian Cancer Society, it’s using local volunteers to solve these problems in a very local way.”

Bulych said there is a very specific protocol followed when pairing up patients with volunteers.

“When we have a patient that we know is going to be receiving their chemotherapy in the Community Oncology Program of Saskatchewan (COPS) center, the referral will go to Sonya and the referral also goes to that COPS center saying the new patient is coming,” said Bulych. “They would book that patient in and send a referral to the volunteer navigator program through Sonya. The volunteer would then contact the patient by phone and introduce themselves and indicate what their role is, and also offer to meet them on the day of their first appointment.”

Bulych said the hope is to ease the transition into these treatments for patients, especially those coming from the North who may be confused or unfamiliar with the process.

Training will begin this summer for those willing to give up their summer period; however the bulk of training for these volunteers will begin in September.

“We’re building local capacity here and we don’t want to impose anything on anyone,” said Bulych. “It needs to work for the community and they told us very clearly don’t do it until fall. Don’t try to train us over the summer because we all have lives and we’re listening to that, of course.”

Bulych said that after a year, if this program is successful in Prince Albert, the Cancer Society and Saskatchewan Cancer Agency will look to expand it into other cities.

jbowler@panow.com

On Twitter: @journalistjim

by James Bowler

Prince Albert to offer new cancer support services

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