From training to impact: how patient's navigators are changing the quality of medical care in Romania

Patient navigators are an extremely important link in the healthcare system, providing personalized support and hel­ping patients overcome logistical, cultural, financial, and communication barriers. Thus, they contribute to re­du­cing delays in diagnosis and treatment initiation, im­pro­ving patients’ quality of life. Patient navigation pro­grams have demonstrated a positive impact on access to care and clinical outcomes, reducing health disparities and in­crea­sing the survival rates of cancer patients. It is ne­ces­sary to standardize the training and certification of pa­tient na­vi­ga­tors to ensure the quality of services provided and their ef­fec­tive integration into medical teams, also to im­ple­ment spe­ci­fic programs that should be a priority in public health po­li­cies, given their impact on patient’s sur­vi­val, costs, and equity in access to care.