1971 – Cancer Act Signed

Around this time, the second leading cause of death among Americans was cancer, which prompted President Richard Nixon’s “war on cancer” and resulted in legislation dedicating $1.6 billion of federal funds to help eradicate the disease. 

1989 – American Cancer Society Hearing

American Cancer Society held “National Hearings on Cancer in the Poor”

1989 – Report to the Nation on Cancer and Feedback

After a series of conversations and hearings with low-income cancer patients, the American Cancer Society released a report finding many additional challenges contributing to the disparity among cancer survival rates.

1990 – First Patient Navigation Program launched by Dr. Harold Freeman

As a result of the findings from these findings and after receiving support from the American Cancer Society, Harold P. Freeman started the first patient navigation program at the Harlem Hospital Center.

1994 – Native American Cancer Research Corp (NACR) Native Sisters Program and Training launched

NACR has been conducting community-based participatory research, cancer screening and early detection for nearly 30 years. In the early 90s, they expanded to support patients across the cancer continuum through their Native Sisters Program and Training.

2001 – Funding Recommendations to Support Community-Based Programs

The President’s Cancer Panel recommended that funding be provided to support community-based programs, such as patient navigator programs, to assist individuals in obtaining cancer information, screening, treatment, and supportive services. This led to an expansion in programs nationwide with funding from private foundations including the American Cancer Society (ACS), the Avon Foundation, and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation as well as local, state, and federal governments and community organizations.

2003 – National Cancer Institue findings

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) identifies over 200 cancer care programs providing patient navigation.

2005 – American Cancer Society Launches First Patient Navigator Program

The American Cancer Society launched their first Patient Navigator Program in 2005 to support cancer patients and their families through their diagnosis and treatment.  From 2005-2020, the program assisted over 700,000 patients.

2005 – Patient Navigator Chronic Disease Prevention Act and funded sites

The Patient Navigator and Chronic Disease Prevention Act signed into law by President George Bush (provided funding for HRSA for patient navigation demonstration research. The Patient Navigator Outreach and Chronic Disease Prevention Act authorized federal grants to hire and train patient navigators to assist patients with cancer and other serious chronic diseases to obtain access to timely diagnostic, treatment, and follow-up care.

The National Cancer Institute’s Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities funded 8 sites for the Patient Navigation Research Program (PNRP) (and in collaboration with the American Cancer Society a 9th site joined the PNRP).

2006 – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) funded 6 demonstration sites for pilot programs targeting minority Medicare beneficiaries with the objective of overcoming barriers in screening, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer.

2007 – Funding Appropriations

$2.9 million was appropriated for the Patient Navigator Outreach and Chronic Disease Prevention Act.

2007 – NCI Community Cancer Centers Program Established

What started off as a pilot program in 2007 serving minority populations with research, patient navigation and quality care has now grown to over 21 sites providing patient navigation across the country.

2007 – Harold P. Freeman Patient Navigation Institute launches

After pioneering the concept of patient navigation in the early 90s, Harold P. Freeman later went on to launch the Harold P. Freeman Patient Navigation Institute for the effective training of patient navigators.

2009 – Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN) formed

Fifteen years ago, professionals across the cancer continuum came together to establish what has now become the largest national organization outlining, promoting and improving the roles of oncology nurses and patient navigators.

2010 – The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), the Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW), and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Release a Joint Position

Setting up the foundation for a more collaborated effort in cancer care, the ONS, AOSW and NASW worked together to release a joint position statement on the role of oncology, nursing and oncology social work in patient navigation.

2010 – Reference from Affordable Care Act (ACA)

The Affordable Care Act references patient navigation and establishes a navigator program to help individuals make informed decisions about enrolling in health insurance through the exchange.
The ACA also extends to length of the Patient Navigator and Chronic Disease Prevention program to 2015.

2012 – Commission on Cancer releases Patient Navigation Process Accreditation Standard 3.1

The Patient Navigation Process Accreditation Standard served as an important first step in providing comprehensive cancer control professionals and cancer program administrators the right tools to close the health gap among cancer patients. Standard of care (Standard 3.1) to be met by cancer programs. This roadmap served as a guide to establish an effective patient navigation process.

2012- Patient Navigation Assistance Act to Congress

The Patient Navigation Assistance Act is introduced in Congress (to provide Medicaid coverage for patient navigator services).

2013 – ONS releases Oncology Nurse Navigator Core Competencies

After observing that oncology nurses also served as navigators working with other healthcare staff, the ONS released the Oncology Nurse Navigator Core Competencies to better define their roles and skills.

2013 – Standard with national Accreditation Program for Breast Centers

The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) includes patient navigation as a standard.

2015 – George Washington Cancer Institute Publishes Core Competencies for Oncology Patient Navigators

Featuring interactive web-based presentations and discussions, the George Washington Cancer Institute created the first consensus-based competencies for Oncology Patient Navigators.This training was supplemented by their Guide for Patient Navigators.

2016 – Oncology Care Model

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) released the Oncology Care Model which included patient navigation as a required component.

2016 – AONN launches Oncology Nurse Navigator and Oncology Patient Navigator Certification Exams

To ensure a standard of practice and care, the AONN established certification that created a baseline of knowledge, best practices and expertise for oncology nurse and patient navigators.

2016- Moonshot Launched

President Obama launched the Cancer Moonshot in the White House under the leadership of Vice-President Biden.

2017 – Launch of the National Navigation Roundtable (NNRT)

National Navigation Roundtable (NNRT), a national coalition of over 50-member organizations and invited individuals, launched in 2017 with the goal of achieving health equity and improving access to quality care across the cancer continuum through effective patient navigation.

2017 – Cancer Initiative

The Biden Cancer Initiative (BCI) is launched and includes a patient navigation working group.

2019 – The Patient Navigation Assistance Act

The Patient Navigation Assistance Act is re-introduced in Congress. 

2022 – The Professional Oncology Navigation Task Force (PONT)

The Professional Oncology Navigation Task Force (PONT) composed of representatives from professional organizations (Academy of Oncology Nurse and Patient Navigators (AONN+), Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW), Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON), and Oncology Nursing Society (ONS)) along with patient advocacy organizations (Cancer Support Community and the Smith Center for Performing and the Arts) developed and released the Oncology Navigation Standards of Professional Practice to:

• Enhance the quality of professional navigation services provided to people impacted by cancer
• Advocate with and on behalf of people at risk for cancer, cancer patients, survivors, families, and caregivers to protect and promote the needs and interests of people impacted by cancer
• Encourage navigator participation in the creation, implementation, and evaluation of best practices and quality improvement in oncology care
• Promote navigator participation in the development, analysis, and refinement of public policy at all levels to best support the interests of people impacted by cancer and to protect and promote the profession of navigation
• Educate all stakeholders about the essential role of navigators in oncology systems

President Biden relaunched the Cancer Moonshot in the White House.

Cancer publishes the supplement “A Decade Later: The State of Patient Navigation in Cancer.”

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) released the Enhancing Oncology Model which includes patient navigation as a required component.

The American Cancer Society announced Navigation Capacity-Building Initiative Grant Program. 

2022 – Congress reacquainted with Patient Navigation Assistance Act

The Patient Navigation Assistance Act is re-introduced in Congress.

2022 – American Cancer Society Patient Initiative Grants

The American Cancer Society announced Navigation Capacity-Building Initiative Grant Program.

2022 – “A Decade Later: The State of Patient Navigation in Cancer” Published

Cancer publishes the supplement “A Decade Later: The State of Patient Navigation in Cancer.”

2022 – Enhancing Oncology Model Released

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) released the Enhancing Oncology Model which includes patient navigation as a required component.

2023 – Physician Fee Schedule Language

CMS releases 2024 physician fee schedule language inclusive of reimbursement codes that reflect health related social needs, social determinants of health risk assessment, community health integration services, and principle illness navigation.  

2024 – CMS New Codes

CMS new codes created to be implemented in 2024