SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
Saint Mary’s Center for Cancer continues to enhance patient-centered care, including expanding its gastrointestinal (GI) and lung cancer services to include a nurse navigator, Don Moore, MSN, RN, FNP. In his role, Moore will be responsible for providing care coordination specifically for GI and lung patients, ensuring timely delivery of care, and supporting patients during cancer treatment.
“Nurse navigators have become a critical component for patients throughout the hospital,” said Don Moore, GI and lung cancer nurse navigator at Saint Mary’s Center for Cancer. “Our job is to see a patient through their entire continuum of care, making sure all the moving parts come together as one. This system is ideal because it allows our patients to focus entirely on the healing process while we manage the details of their care.”
Moore is a board-certified family nurse practitioner with more than 35 years of knowledge and expertise in the areas of medical, surgical and oncology services. Moore is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno where he received a master’s degree in nursing. Prior to joining Saint Mary’s, Moore worked as a registered nurse practitioner for the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System. Don is also a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
At Saint Mary’s, nurse navigators follow newly diagnosed cancer patients through the diagnostic process and first course of treatment as well as supporting them during the survivorship period. Navigation programs include coordinating care between multiple providers, serving as a liaison for a patient’s family, promoting screening and follow-up testing and identifying resources and referral sources for post-treatment.
Saint Mary’s currently has a total of three nurse navigators within its Center for Cancer, including a breast cancer navigator, Peg Farrar, RN, MSN and an infusion room navigator, Laura Hanson, RN, MSN, OCN. By expanding services within the Center, Saint Mary’s will be able to provide a seamless plan of care that will enhance a patient’s cancer journey and survivorship.
To find out more about Saint Mary’s Center for Cancer and how their nurse navigators are improving care, visit www.saintmarysreno.org or call 770- 7414.
About Saint Mary’s Center for Cancer
Saint Mary’s Center for Cancer (SMCC) is an accredited Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Program by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. The Center serves as a leader in cancer research, patient care, survivorship and professional and public education. Home to the most advanced technology, SMCC offers the region’s only CyberKnife, a non-invasive radiation delivery system that offers pinpoint accuracy when treating tumors. Additionally, in Dec. 2010, SMCC received accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, becoming the first accredited breast program in the state. For more information about Saint Mary’s Center for Cancer please call (775) 770-7410.
About Saint Mary’s
Saint Mary’s Network is a fully-integrated, faith-based health system in Reno, Nev. founded in 1908 by the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael. The network is comprised of Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center, an acute-care hospital, providing inpatient, outpatient and wellness services; Saint Mary’s Health Plans, a statewide insurance provider with more than 40,000 members; and Saint Mary’s Medical Group, a network of physicians and other health professionals offering primary and urgent care, retail clinics and specialty healthcare. A member of Catholic Healthcare West, Saint Mary’s is dedicated to meeting the healthcare needs of our community. For more information, visit our website at www.saintmarysreno.org.
About Catholic Healthcare West
Catholic Healthcare West (CHW), headquartered in San Francisco, CA, is a system of 40 hospitals and medical centers in California, Arizona, and Nevada. Founded in 1986, it is one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit health care systems and the largest private hospital system in California. CHW is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality, affordable health care services with special attention to the poor and underserved. The CHW network of nearly 10,000 physicians and approximately 54,000 employees provides health care services to more than five million people annually. In 2010, CHW provided more than $1.3 billion in charity care, community benefit, and unreimbursed patient care. For more information, please visit our website at www.chwHEALTH.org.
