# Assessing Training Practices and Gaps for Staff Involved in the Delivery of Oncology Financial Navigation: A Qualitative Study

## TL;DR

This study explores how financial navigators for cancer patients are trained and finds that more structured training is needed to help them handle sensitive financial discussions.

## Contribution

The study identifies gaps in current training practices for financial navigators and suggests the need for comprehensive, standardized training programs.

## Key findings

- Current training for financial navigators is largely based on hands-on experience rather than structured programs.
- Participants emphasized the need for training that covers insurance, treatment costs, and soft skills for patient communication.
- A web-based search revealed limited standardized training resources for financial navigation roles.

## Abstract

Financial hardship is extremely common in cancer patients and can cause delayed treatment and worse health outcomes. Although some health systems employ financial navigation teams to help patients with financial hardship, there is currently no clear standard for training these teams. In this study, we conducted interviews with individuals in financial navigator roles to better understand current training practices and performed a web search to assess current training resources. Participants expressed that most jobs relied on “hands-on” training and that there was a need for more structured and comprehensive training that covers both relevant financial topics and soft skills to communicate with patients on this sensitive topic.

Financial hardship affects 30–70% of cancer patients and is associated with worse quality-of-life outcomes and higher mortality. In response, many health systems have implemented financial navigation teams to mitigate financial hardship and provide financial guidance to cancer patients. Currently, there is a lack of standardization in financial navigation training. Our primary objective was to assess current training practices and gaps that may exist in critical information and tools for day-to-day operations for individuals providing financial navigation services. Our secondary objective was to supplement findings from the interviews with a web-based search for training resources that would be helpful in these roles. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted over a video-based conferencing platform in the United States of America with nine individuals in varying roles related to financial navigation. Thematic analysis was conducted by investigators to identify common themes using a constant comparative method. Current financial navigation training practices were found to be less structured and comprehensive than desired, largely relying on experiential “on the job” learning. Participants expressed the need for more multi-dimensional training that covers insurance, cancer treatment and associated costs, financial resources, and an emphasis on developing soft skills to navigate the sensitive topics of cancer and cancer costs. The findings contribute to the development of more standardized trainings that incorporate dissemination of crucial financial information in a compassionate manner. A web-based search was also performed to create a compilation of available financial navigation training resources.