FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 9, 2007
CONTACT: Geoff Embler or Matt Mackowiak
Sen. Hutchison Receives Award From American Cancer Society
Award Recognizes Leadership on Legislation to Assist Medically Underserved Patients
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) today received the Capitol Dome Award from the American Cancer Society in recognition of her sponsorship of legislation in 2005 that supports medically underserved people.
“I’m honored to receive this award from the American Cancer Society, an organization with such a remarkable reputation as advocates for cancer victims,” Sen. Hutchison said. “The Patient Navigator Act helps patients understand the health care options available to them. As medical options continue to expand it is imperative that those most in need are not left behind.”
“The American Cancer Society thanks Senator Hutchison for leading the effort to pass legislation that helps people who need it most navigate our health care system,” American Cancer Society advocacy volunteer Barry Johnson said. Mr. Johnson is a respiratory therapist and a resident of DeSoto. “For us, patient navigators are a critical tool toward achieving the National Cancer Institute's challenge goal of eliminating suffering and death from cancer by 2015, by helping to increase access to early detection screenings and timely treatment needed to combat cancer.”
Sen. Hutchison introduced the Patient Navigator, Outreach and Chronic Disease Prevention Act, which was signed into law by President Bush in 2005, to connect the medically underserved -- the low-income, the uninsured, racial and ethnic minorities, and rural populations -- to vital health care resources. Patient navigator programs act as a “buddy system,” pairing patients with a local health professional often called a “navigator.” Navigators schedule appointments, arrange transportation, serve as interpreters, explain cultural differences to both doctors and patients, and help patients find funds to pay for medical treatment. They also counsel patients on the importance of disease prevention and healthy lifestyle choices. By maximizing resources already in place, patient navigator programs can help reduce health care costs, improve access to care, and save lives.
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