Radiology nurse navigator helps streamline imaging for breast cancer patients
A new role at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center is improving the diagnostic process for both patients and providers.
The cancer center recently added Anne Aguilera, a registered nurse who specializes in radiology and oncology, as its newly minted nurse navigator. Aguilera assists patients and the clinic by coordinating care, communicating findings and ensuring patients and providers have access to everything they need to make the best decisions for each case.
“The addition of a breast health navigator represents a major step forward in how we support our patients during one of the most vulnerable points in their lives,” radiology department Chair Elizabeth Morris, MD, said in a statement. “This role will allow Anne to provide not only clinical coordination but also compassion, clarity and continuity.”
Aguilera contacts every person who is scheduled for breast imaging to ensure they understand what the process entails. Through this, she is able to identify individuals who may need extra assistance, such as translation services or help with transportation. She also gets in touch with those who have abnormal findings to help them understand what the rest of the diagnostic process will look like. In the absence of a direct line to a radiologist, the nurse navigator fills a critical role and communicates findings in a way patients can understand.
The new role is especially helpful for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer but have not yet met with an oncologist. Aguilera coordinates this process and makes sure each patient has undergone an MRI—a critical step in the diagnostic journey—within two weeks prior to their cancer care appointments. This ensures that providers have everything they need to create personalized treatment plans and reduce care delays.
“A breast cancer diagnosis involves many moving parts, and even small delays can feel overwhelming to patients,” Aguilera said. “We want to ensure that imaging is completed quickly and thoughtfully, so patients can transition to breast surgery or medical oncology care without unnecessary waiting.”
Read more here.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.