Navigating the Health Care System

This post is written by Carlee Snider.

Carlee serves as a Patient Liasion at American Cancer Society.

"I have absolutely nothing," a patient confesses to me as he asks for bus passes and a place to stay. As I give him enough passes to make it through the week and explain to him that finding housing is a long and involved process, I can't help but notice the desperation in his eyes for someone to merely listen to what he's going through. This man has two completely unrelated types of cancer, no way of transporting himself to treatments, and the'buddy" he's staying with is threatening to throw him out.

Many of the patients that are seen at John H. Stroger Cook County Hospital are at or below the poverty line and have never been educated as to what the protocol is for receiving care. Some patients have insurance and simply are unaware of how to use the resources they are allotted through their insurance. Others are undocumented or for some reason are ineligible to receive Medicaid. Sometimes if our patients have insurance or if they do not is not the issue. Sometimes, whether or not they have a primary care physician or if they can even find transportation to be seen by a healthcare provider are the main factors in what is limiting access to care. 

Along with the other American Cancer Society patient navigators, I have been working towards helping patients find their way through the labyrinth that the healthcare system has become. Like our patients, we as providers are working to understand the way the healthcare system has changed based on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. When it comes to accessing care for our patients, it has been a challenging journey to figure out how to provide them with the most effective route. This process is complicated immensely by the numerous Medicaid'Managed Care Plans" and when attempting to seek care and resources for patients who do not have any type of insurance. It is a constant process of trial and error, and with the help of numerous people and resources we are seeking to find the most efficient and comprehensive care for our patients.

"Thanks for hearing me out and doing what you could for me, every little bit matters," he said. We may only reach a few patients each day, but the quality, not the quantity of patients we see, is where true progress is made.