Sarasota, FL (December 12, 2018) – Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation received a grant of $680,540 to help establish an oncology patient navigation program at the Sarasota Memorial Cancer Institute. Patient navigation is a major component of the Cancer Institute’s vision of providing comprehensive cancer care to patients in the Sarasota region.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant to support patient-centered cancer care at SMH,” said Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation President Mason Ayres. “This support from the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation provides the hospital with the opportunity to build a leading patient navigation program for our community.”

There are over 5,500 newly diagnosed cancer cases in our area annually and that number is expected to grow with the population. Awarding this grant to the Healthcare Foundation now can positively impact the lives of area residents fighting cancer by providing individualized and specialized assistance for patients, families and caregivers.

“Our vision is to bring world-class cancer care here to Sarasota, and the patient navigation program is the cornerstone of providing that community-based support,” said Sarasota Memorial Health Care System CEO David Verinder. “With this grant, we can start building our patient navigation program now and offer this next level of care to patients and families the moment the Cancer Institute’s doors open.”

The funds will be used to build a team of dedicated patient navigators specializing in specific cancer types, with advanced certifications through the Association for Oncology Nurses and Patient Navigators (AONN).

Patient navigation is considered best practice at leading cancer centers around the country. Patient navigators coordinate patient care and serve as liaisons between patients and physicians, guiding patients along the complex path to recovery. Patients will no longer have to manage the burden of communicating with multiple healthcare providers in multiple locations, or cope with the anxiety of traveling far from home and loved ones.