Getting a cancer diagnosis can be one of the most terrifying moments in a person's life. Having to then
Supporting her own mother through a cancer diagnosis, Vanessa Johnson witnessed the gap in
"When my mom got diagnosed, I was in the biotech industry and my background was in oncology," says Johnson. "I had every advantage, and in spite of that, it became a full-time job to advocate and navigate my mom's care and treatment. I had a friend who was an oncology nurse and ended up being my touchstone and my guide. To have that kind of ready access to somebody who was very knowledgeable about my situation and about cancer was invaluable."
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There's a 40% chance someone will develop cancer during their lifetime, according to The American Cancer Society, and Business Group on Health named it the top driver in healthcare spend in 2023. A survey by The Mesothelioma Center found treatment costs an average of $150,000. Compounding this financial burden is fear, questions and the complicated process of navigating the healthcare system.
With Navvisa, employers can provide workers and their families with a resource to guide them through these complexities, avoiding unnecessary visits to the hospital while providing peace of mind for those struggling with this uncertain scenario.
"Traditional care is not structured in a way that allows oncologists and clinicians to address all of a person's needs," says Joan Forté, Navvisa's chief clinical officer. "Our care is relationship-based and very customized. We look at things like the location of employees as well as their age, language and culture, so I can hire nurses that match that profile."
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Because other
The nurses Navvisa works with have extensive experience supporting cancer patients, and their solutions range from medical interventions to more holistic care. For example, one nurse offered a patient suffering from severe nausea mindfulness tools that helped keep the patient out of the ER.
"One of our patient members was having such bad nausea that she couldn't eat, and her oncologist said she'd have to be hospitalized," says Johnson. "[Instead,] her Navvisa nurse said, 'Listen to your favorite music while you're eating as a distraction to get food down.' This worked, and this woman avoided a $27,000 hospitalization and ER visit."
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Navvisa keeps track of all of their nurse-patient interactions, and then sends monthly, anonymized reports to employers so they can see the benefits — and cost-savings — as well.
"About 70% of the time that a cancer patient goes to the emergency room, it's unnecessary, but they have no other choice." says Forté. "We can really help keep people out of the hospital, which is great for the person certainly, but also for the cost of care."
Navvisa also removes the emotional burden of researching treatments, allowing a cancer patient to maintain a sense of normalcy, at work and elsewhere.
"We keep people at work because instead of spending hours doing research about treatment, the nurses have that information," Forté says. "We do the research."
It's important to acknowledge that cancer does not end when treatment ends, says Forté.
Navvisa continues to support cancer survivors, as well as those who ultimately receive a terminal diagnosis and need end-of-life care.
"That's the beauty of an individualized relationship," Forté says. "We can really meet people where they are and bring the care to them."
