Patient service navigator: improving quality and services and reducing cost under the Affordable Care Act

This article proposes the implementation of a Patient Service Navigator to improve quality, service, and the patient and family experience and to reduce costs in caring for patients in a hospital setting. Under the Affordable Care Act, the Patient Service Navigator is a means to address value-based purchasing whereby hospitals will be reimbursed based on quality and Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and System scores for Medicare patients. In this article, the reader will learn the history, background, purpose, and role of the Patient Service Navigator as a critical component of a multidisciplinary health care team in supporting inpatient care with a human touch. Navigating for the patient and family in a confusing and complex health care delivery environment is critical today in order to survive the mandates of the Affordable Care Act.