Melissa Alexander: Allison, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. 

Virginia Oncology Associates has been a Navigating Care partner for many years. Can you tell our readers a little about VOA and your role?

Allison Alexander:
Virginia Oncology Associates is a large, multidisciplinary oncology practice that has been serving patients across Southeast Virginia and Northeast North Carolina for many years. With nine locations and a comprehensive range of oncology services, VOA is committed to providing high-quality, patient-centered cancer care close to home.

As the Manager of Triage Nursing Services, I lead our centralized triage team of 11 nurses. Our team works closely with VOA physicians, Advanced Practice Providers, and clinical staff across all locations to ensure patients receive timely guidance and support when they have symptoms, treatment-related concerns, or other clinical needs while at home. Our goal is to help patients access the right care at the right time while providing a seamless experience throughout their cancer journey whether in the office or at home.

Melissa Alexander: You’ve been using Navigating Care to support your triage team for several years.

How has the platform evolved alongside your team’s needs?

Allison Alexander: Navigating Care has evolved into the primary platform our triage nurses use throughout the day. It brings symptom assessments, documentation, and care management together in one place, allowing our nurses to respond efficiently while maintaining a consistent approach to patient care.

Beyond supporting triage workflows, we also utilize the patient portal, and ePRO capabilities for select patient populations. The ePRO option allows patients to report symptoms or distress early, which can trigger alerts to triage nurses or nurse navigators. It adds another layer of proactive monitoring, helping us identify changes sooner and intervene when needed.

The patient portal has also become an important communication tool. Patients appreciate having multiple ways to connect with their care team, including an electronic option. Offering different communication channels helps us meet patients where they are and accommodate varying levels of health literacy, comfort with technology, and personal preferences. That flexibility is especially important in oncology, where patient needs can be complex and change throughout the course of care.

Melissa Alexander: Oncology triage has become increasingly complex over the past several years.

How does Navigating Care help your nurses provide consistent, high-quality care?

Allison Alexander: Oncology triage has become increasingly complex, with more treatment options, more outpatient care, and patients who are often managing symptoms across multiple settings.

Navigating Care helps us maintain consistency by providing structured clinical workflows that guide nurses through symptom assessments, ensure important questions aren’t missed, and support evidence-based decision-making. It also allows us to incorporate our organization’s standing orders and established protocols into the workflow. 

This helps ensure that every patient receives the same high standard of care, regardless of which nurse takes the call. At the same time, it still allows room for clinical judgment, as every patient’s situation is unique.

Ultimately, it helps our team deliver safe, efficient, and consistent care while providing patients with timely guidance and support when they need it most.

Melissa Alexander: Beyond supporting individual patient interactions—

How does Navigating Care help you manage the overall triage operation?

Allison Alexander: Beyond supporting individual patient interactions, it also provides valuable operational insight that helps us manage and continuously improve our triage program. Through reporting and analytics, we can better understand our workload, identify trends in patient needs, and see where our nurses are spending their time.

That visibility allows us to make informed decisions around staffing, resource allocation, and workflow design. It also helps us identify opportunities for process improvement, measure the impact of changes we implement, and ensure we’re meeting the needs of both patients and staff.

Having access to reliable data helps guide operational planning and supports our ongoing efforts to improve efficiency, maintain high-quality care, and enhance the overall patient experience.

Melissa Alexander: Your team uses a centralized triage model.

What advantages has that provided?

Allison Alexander: Standardization has been one of the biggest benefits of our centralized triage model. Because every nurse uses the same platform and follows the same clinical workflows, patients receive a consistent experience.

The model also allows triage to function as a dedicated specialty role rather than something nurses must balance alongside other clinical responsibilities. Our triage nurses can remain fully focused on remote patient management, conducting thorough assessments and responding efficiently to patient needs, while clinic nurses, physicians, and APPs stay focused on caring for patients in the office.

Ultimately, the centralized model creates a more efficient workflow for the care team, improves consistency across the organization, and provides a safer, more responsive experience for patients.

Melissa Alexander: Looking back over your partnership with Navigating Care—

What impact has the platform had on your organization?

Allison Alexander: Navigating Care has supported our efforts to build a more standardized and efficient triage program by bringing patient communication, symptom management, and documentation together in one place.

The reporting and operational data have also provided valuable insights into workload and workflow trends, helping guide process improvements and operational planning. As our program has grown, having visibility into both clinical and operational aspects of triage has been beneficial in helping us meet the needs of our patients and care teams.

Allison, thank you again for taking the time to share your experience and for your team’s continued partnership. We truly value our partnership with Virginia Oncology Associates and appreciate the opportunity to support your team as you continue delivering exceptional care to your patients.