In what situation might a patient navigator face a conflict of interest?

A patient navigator can encounter a conflict of interest when their spouse works at a referral healthcare facility. This situation presents a potential issue because the navigator may have a personal connection that could influence their professional judgment. For example, the navigator might feel pressured to refer patients to their spouse's facility, regardless of whether it is in the patients' best interest. This personal and professional overlap can lead to biased decision-making, which is a primary concern in healthcare where patient welfare should always be the priority.

In contrast, while a friend working at a referral facility or a pharmaceutical company sponsoring a webinar may create some level of personal connection, these situations do not carry the same direct personal obligation that impacts decision-making as having a spouse involved. Similarly, the mere presence of brochures from a pharmaceutical company does not inherently create a conflict of interest; it would only be an issue if the navigator were directly influenced by those materials in their decision-making process.