Change agents in the oncology workforce: Let's be clear about community health workers and patient navigators

Despite efforts of professional organizations and government agencies to solidify the professional identities of community health workers and patient navigators in the oncology workforce, the scientific literature perpetuates wide variation in the nomenclature used to define these natural change agents, who have proven efficacy in improving access to quality cancer care for historically marginalized populations. To disseminate, sustain, and scale‐up these life‐saving roles in cancer care, the oncology field must come together now to adopt clear and consistent job titles and occupational identities. Despite efforts of professional organizations and government agencies to solidify the professional identities of community health workers and patient navigators in the oncology workforce, the scientific literature perpetuated wide variation in the nomenclature used to define these natural change agents, who have proven efficacy in improving access to quality cancer care for historically marginalized populations. The current findings indicated that, to disseminate, sustain, and scale‐up these life‐saving roles in cancer care, the oncology field must come together now to adopt clear and consistent job titles and occupational identities.