Question

What is the name of the person or person(s) that are considered the father of the health navigation profession?

Answer 1

What is the name of the person or person(s) that are considered the father of the health navigation profession?

Harold Freeman. Recognized throughout the world as the father of patient navigation, Freeman established the first such program in the United States in 1990 at the Harlem Hospital Center where he worked with mostly poor, black patients.

No person with cancer should have to spend more time fighting their way through the cancer care system than fighting their disease." Dr. Harold Freeman

Patient navigators owe their creation, title and roles to New York cancer surgeon Dr. Harold Freeman.

Recognized throughout the world as the father of patient navigation, Freeman established the first such program in the United States in 1990 at the Harlem Hospital Center where he worked with mostly poor, black patients.

Because of who he was serving, Freeman knew this to be true:

- Poor people face more barriers getting screened, diagnosed and treated.

- Poor people suffer through more pain and have higher death rates because of late diagnosis and treatment.

- Poor people delay or avoid care because they can't afford it.

- Poor people have fewer emotional supports and give up hope sooner.