Patient Navigators

On June 29, President Bush signed into law the Patient Navigator Outreach and Chronic Disease Prevention Act of 2005.

It sets aside $25 million through the year 2010 to be used on programs that will "recruit, assign, train, and employ patient navigators who have direct knowledge of the communities they serve" to:

• Act as a contact for healthcare services
  
• Involve community organizations to improve access to high quality healthcare services
  
• Involve eligible individuals in clinical trials
  
• Assist individuals in overcoming healthcare barriers
  
• Provide information about health insurance
  
• Seek out and provide services to underserved populations: uninsured, rural, at risk for or have chronic disease

This legislation should help people who may be at risk for, or have, diabetes to obtain healthcare services, especially if theyre in a medically underserved group or area.

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For a summary of the legislation:
“Patient Navigator” Legislation Will Help Expand Access to Diabetes Prevention and Treatment, USA

For the text of the legislation:
Visit Congresss online legislation database and enter "Patient Navigator" in the search box.

Photo of President Bush signing the Patient Navigator Act thanks to White House News Releases