Oncology Navigation Team
Your Oncology Navigation Team
By your side, every step of the way.
Receiving a cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming. Suddenly there are appointments, medical decisions, insurance questions, and everyday concerns - all at once. At New Mexico Cancer Center and Health Specialists of New Mexico, we understand how heavy that can feel. That’s why we don’t rely on just one navigator. We believe you deserve an entire team - people who work together to support you medically, emotionally, and practically, so you can focus on what matters most: your health and your life.
Scheduling & Care Coordination - Making Appointments Easier
When you’re not feeling well, coordinating multiple appointments can feel overwhelming. Our Patient Care Navigators specialize in scheduling and care coordination so you don’t have to manage it all yourself. They help:
- Schedule appointments within our practice
- Coordinate care with hospitals, labs, and outside specialists
- Work with insurance teams to prevent delays in care whenever possible
Medical Navigation - Helping You Get the Right Care, At the Right Time
Your physician leads your medical care, supported by advanced practice clinicians - nurse practitioners and physician assistants - and our oncology-trained Triage Nurse Navigators. Together, they ensure you always have access to knowledgeable, responsive care.
- A physician is always on call, including nights and weekends.
- All on-call physicians have access to your medical record and understand your diagnosis and treatment.
- Our Triage Nurse Navigators are specially trained oncology nurses who help assess symptoms and guide next steps.
If you call with a medical concern during business hours, we’ll ask a few questions to make sure you’re connected to the right person quickly. Urgent symptoms - such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, bleeding, or loss of consciousness - are addressed immediately. Other concerns are returned promptly, typically within an hour. When possible, we’ll care for you right here in our clinic. If you need to be seen urgently, our schedules are designed to make room for you. If additional testing, imaging, infusion, or medication is needed, we coordinate that seamlessly. And if your concern is something best treated outside our office, we’ll help connect you to the appropriate specialists.
For patients with breast cancer, additional navigation support is provided through a dedicated nurse who works closely with our breast surgeon. We also collaborate with radiology partners to help guide patients through diagnostic steps.
Financial Navigation - Helping You Understand Costs and Reduce Stress
Insurance and medical bills can be confusing and frustrating - especially when you’re already dealing with a serious illness. Our Financial Navigators are here to help take that burden off your shoulders. They can explain your insurance benefits in clear, understandable terms; handle prior authorizations and insurance paperwork; appeal insurance denials when needed; and help identify patient assistance programs for medications and copays. You don’t have to fight insurance companies alone - we’re here to advocate for you.
We also know that cancer affects more than just medical bills. Through the New Mexico Cancer Center Foundation, support may be available for non-medical needs such as transportation, food, or housing assistance. Our Financial Navigators help with the simple paperwork required to access these resources.
Emotional & Nutritional Support - Caring for the Whole Person
Cancer affects more than the body. It can impact emotions, stress levels, and daily routines - including eating and maintaining strength. We screen for emotional and supportive care needs and help connect you to the right resources, including: emotional support services through Colla Health, offering coping tools and guidance during treatment; and nutrition support through Agilixis, helping you understand what and how to eat to stay strong. Your physician can order these services, and our care navigators will take care of the scheduling. Their job is to make the logistics simpler, smoother, and less stressful for you.