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Audit: Agency paid public assistance benefits to dead people

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Luzerne County presents its side on why past election director was fired

<p>Sonoma State, Cleveland State &#8212; and Misericordia.</p><p>The Dallas university this fall has introduced a bachelor&#8217;s of health science program with a specialization in patient navigation in a growing field designed to prepare professionals to be effective communicators for patients and practitioners, according to the university.</p><p>While Misericordia is the only school in Luzerne County to offer the program, other colleges in the nation that have it include Sonoma State University in California, Cleveland State University in Ohio, and Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, N.Y.</p><p>According to the Pennsylvania State Department of Labor and Industry, about 1,300 jobs a year in this field will exist from now on, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that through 2024, there will be a 50 percent increase in this area.</p><p>Leamor Kahanov, dean of the College of Health Sciences and Education at Misericordia, agrees there is a high demand for the program, which includes a certificate program in the field.</p><p>&#8220;The role of a patient navigator is to advocate and navigate for the patient or client,&#8221; she said. &#8220;(Their role is) to help patients understand what tests they need, help with insurance, and help determine what information is accurate from the web,&#8221; among other things.</p><p>Also important is helping patients navigate health-care systems in general, Kahanov said.</p><p>Eighteen students are enrolled in the program, which is designed not to have a competitive entry field, Kahanov said.</p><p>&#8220;There is such a need (for people in this profession) at this time,&#8221; she said, adding that because of that need, the university isn&#8217;t putting a cap on the number of students it will accept.</p><p>In addition to statistics that show the patient-navigation field is growing, Misericordia officials determined there was a high need for the profession based off the community personnel who make up their health-care advisory board.</p><p>Joann P. Sciandra, vice president of care coordination and integration for Danville-based Geisinger Health System and a member on the board, said the job isn&#8217;t about telling patients how to live their lives, but rather helping them achieve their goals.</p><p>In partnering with Misericordia, Sciandra said Geisinger hopes it can get more people interested in the profession and properly train them. One way to do that, she said, is by allowing students direct exposure to the duties of the job by placing them alongside people currently in the profession.</p><p>The certificate program at Misericordia, worth 18 credits, offers field work paired with online delivery. A school news release said the certificate is geared toward working professionals in health care who are looking for career mobility or for adults who want to enter the health-care field.</p><p>&#8220;Anyone can come in and take this major,&#8221; Kahanov said. &#8220;(Patient navigators) will be the &#8216;center of the hub&#8217; for social work, physicians&#8217; offices and insurance offices.&#8221;</p><p>For more information about the program, visit <a href="http://www.misericordia.edu/page.cfm?p=1814" target="_blank">the web</a> or email Elaine Halesey, patient navigation program director, at ehalesey@misericordia.edu.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Kahanov </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_Kahanov-Leamor.jpg</photo0><caption0>Kahanov </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Alyssa Mursch</p><p>For the Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

Misericordia adds patient navigation program in growing field