Patient Navigation was founded by Harold P. Freeman, M.D. in 1990, when he initiated and developed the first Patient Navigation program in Harlem to reduce disparities in access to diagnosis and treatment of cancer, particularly among poor and uninsured people. In 2007, as a direct result of a $2.5M grant received from the Amgen Foundation, the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention established the Harold P. Freeman Patient Navigation Institute (HPFPNI) to support patient navigation training to individuals associated with organizations. The Institute opened its doors to address the growth in patient navigation programs, but also to offer standards and best practices that are customizable to meet each program’s needs.
