Northwell’s rapidly expanding Nurse Navigation program needed a scalable, patient-centered model that could truly differentiate the system in a competitive oncology landscape.

I worked alongside a team of researchers and designers at IA Collaborative to conduct deep contextual research with patients, clinicians, leadership, and external nurse navigation experts to define what effective navigation really requires. Building on these insights, we developed and tested three low-fidelity prototypes to explore how Northwell could better deliver personalized, sustainable navigation at scale.

The research revealed that true navigation, where patients feel guided throughout their oncology journey, depends on both logistical and emotional needs being met. Prototype testing identified tangible ways to leverage new technology to empower navigators to spend more time connecting with their patients on a human level.

The effective navigation framework still guides the team's work today as they implement tool changes in their shift to Epic. We also co-wrote a paper on the findings with the navigation team which is set to be published in March 2026 in the Journal of Oncology Navigation and Survivorship (JONS).