Needs Navigation
Needs Navigation
Needs Navigation Outreach Toolkit
Grassroots actions you can take to bring awareness to needs navigation in your community.
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Background
Before you can take meaningful action in your community, it’s important to understand what needs navigation is and why it’s essential for patients and caregivers.
What is Needs Navigation?
Needs navigation refers to the services that guide people through complex systems to address their most pressing financial, social, and essential needs.
At its heart, needs navigation is about hands-on support from people who know how to help patients and caregivers address their cost concerns.
At NPAF (National Patient Advocate Foundation), we are committed to making needs navigation a core part of both the healthcare system and local communities. Our vision is to ensure that every patient and caregiver can:
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Share concerns about medical costs or financial hardship without fear or stigma
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Access trained needs navigators in their health system or community—no matter where they live
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Find peace of mind knowing they don’t have to fall into debt because of an illness or diagnosis
Why Needs Navigation Is Urgent
Financial hardship has a direct impact on health outcomes. Patients facing the stress of high medical bills often delay or avoid treatment, which can worsen their health. Needs navigation bridges this gap by connecting people to resources that protect both their well-being and financial security.
That’s why we created the Needs Navigation Outreach Toolkit—a free resource designed to help you spread awareness, spark conversations, and inspire grassroots action.
Download the Outreach Toolkit to learn how you can get involved.
What You Can Do
Raising awareness about needs navigation services is the first step toward change. You can make a difference by helping both:
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Patients and caregivers who could benefit from these services
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Community leaders, health systems, and policymakers who can make needs navigation a standard part of healthcare
Together, we can make sure that no one has to choose between their health and their financial stability.
Start today—download our Outreach Toolkit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is needs navigation?
National Patient Advocate Foundation (NPAF) defines needs navigation as hands-on support from people who know how to help patients and caregivers address their cost concerns.
How does needs navigation help patients and caregivers?
Needs navigation connects patients and caregivers with essential support, like help paying for care, getting to appointments, and accessing food, housing, or utilities. It removes real-life barriers so people can focus on their health, not the hurdles.
Who provides needs navigation?
Needs navigation is offered both inside and outside clinical settings. In clinics, hospitals, or cancer centers, professionals like case managers, financial navigators, social workers, and certified patient advocates provide these services. Outside healthcare facilities, community-based organizations may have community health workers/promotoras de salud or legal aids. Nonprofit and faith-based organizations may also assist people with accessing care, applying for insurance programs like Medicaid or Medicare, and managing health-related costs.
What's the difference between needs navigation and patient navigation?
Needs navigation offers support that goes beyond the clinic or hospital. It focuses on removing barriers like healthcare costs, transportation challenges, and other cost-of-living pressures that prevent patients from accessing the resources they need to live with dignity.
On the other hand, patient navigation is focused on guiding people through the health system, usually for a specific illness like cancer, or within a hospital setting. Patient navigators may help with scheduling appointments, assisting with referrals, or explaining treatments.
