Bridging Specialties™: Timely diagnosis for patients with ILD

Affecting around 400,000 people in the United States, interstitial lung diseases (ILD), like pulmonary fibrosis (PF), present with symptoms that are similar to other more common lung diseases, frequently resulting in misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. Some studies show that reaching a proper diagnosis for rarer lung diseases can take upwards of several years.

Despite scientific advancements and increased information available, timely and accurate diagnosis for PF remains a challenge. The course of the disease varies from person to person and can progress rapidly in some cases, increasing the necessity to have the condition diagnosed in its earliest stages. By the time patients learn they have PF, the condition may require reliance on oxygen use and hospitalizations, and it can lead to poor quality of life and a significantly shortened lifespan.

To address this issue, Three Lakes Foundation (TLF) and the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) recently announced their collaboration on a multiphase educational initiative led by a steering committee of medical experts aiming to reduce the time it takes to diagnose patients with ILDs like PF. Composed of pulmonologists, primary care physicians, and a nursing professional, the steering committee will work to create materials that will aid in identifying and diagnosing complex lung diseases quicker.

“As a catalyst for change in the PF community, Three Lakes Foundation spoke with patients, health care professionals, physicians, and advocacy groups to advance an understanding of the PF diagnostic experience,” said Dana Ball, executive director for Three Lakes Foundation. “We approached CHEST when it became apparent that primary care physicians could use specific tools to identify high-risk patients with pulmonary conditions. This collaboration is the result of our common need to increase awareness among health care professionals and to improve patient outcomes.”

Members of the expert steering committee include individuals from leading medical institutions, health systems, and organizations across the country:

• Daniel F. Dilling, MD, FCCP, Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL.
• Andrew Duggan, MPH, Patient Engagement and Innovation Leader representing Three Lakes Foundation, Boston, MA.
• Jessica Glennie, APRN, MSN, Nurse Practitioner, Interstitial Lung Disease Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH.
• Timothy Hernandez, MD, Family Medicine Physician, Chief Executive Officer of Entira Family Clinics, San Antonio, TX.
• Corey D. Kershaw, MD, FCCP, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.
• Tejaswini Kulkarni, MD, MPH, FCCP, Assistant Professor, Director, Interstitial Lung Disease Program, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
• William Lago, MD, Family Medicine Physician, Wooster Family Health Center, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Wooster, OH.
• Andrew H. Limper, MD, FCCP, Annenberg Professor of Pulmonary Medicine, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Director – Thoracic Disease Research Unit, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN.
• Anoop M. Nambiar, MD, MS, FCCP, Professor of Medicine, Founding Director of the UT Health San Antonio Center for Interstitial Lung Diseases, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX.
• Mary Beth Scholand, MD, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary Diseases, Director, Interstitial Lung Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

“While interstitial lung diseases do not affect a substantial amount of the population, those touched by the disease are impacted tremendously,” says steering committee member and pulmonologist, Dr. Andrew H. Limper. “Any delay in receiving a diagnosis is time that could be dedicated to finding a treatment therapy that can improve their quality of life. I look forward to the work of this committee helping to shape how patients with ILDs are diagnosed and treated in the future.”

Starting with data-gathering surveys sent to both primary care physicians and pulmonologists, the committee will evaluate the findings to develop tools that can be used to aid in diagnosing complex lung diseases.

“Having experts from both pulmonary and primary care medicine as members of the steering committee is critical,” says steering committee member and family medicine physician, Dr. William Lago. “Patients first see their family medicine or primary care clinicians and, all too often, the most complex lung diseases present in ways that are indistinguishable from more common conditions like asthma and COPD. Bringing together experts in both fields will yield the best results in creating a path to diagnosis.”

Three Lakes Foundation is providing the initial funding for CHEST to begin designing an educational intervention that addresses the gaps in knowledge and practice and will play an active role in overseeing the development of the program.

For more information on the Bridging Specialties^™: Timely Diagnosis for Patients With ILD initiative and to sign up for updates, visit info.chestnet.org/bridging-specialties-timely-diagnosis-for-ild-patients.

Affecting around 400,000 people in the United States, interstitial lung diseases (ILD), like pulmonary fibrosis (PF), present with symptoms that are similar to other more common lung diseases, frequently resulting in misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. Some studies show that reaching a proper diagnosis for rarer lung diseases can take upwards of several years.

Despite scientific advancements and increased information available, timely and accurate diagnosis for PF remains a challenge. The course of the disease varies from person to person and can progress rapidly in some cases, increasing the necessity to have the condition diagnosed in its earliest stages. By the time patients learn they have PF, the condition may require reliance on oxygen use and hospitalizations, and it can lead to poor quality of life and a significantly shortened lifespan.

To address this issue, Three Lakes Foundation (TLF) and the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) recently announced their collaboration on a multiphase educational initiative led by a steering committee of medical experts aiming to reduce the time it takes to diagnose patients with ILDs like PF. Composed of pulmonologists, primary care physicians, and a nursing professional, the steering committee will work to create materials that will aid in identifying and diagnosing complex lung diseases quicker.

“As a catalyst for change in the PF community, Three Lakes Foundation spoke with patients, health care professionals, physicians, and advocacy groups to advance an understanding of the PF diagnostic experience,” said Dana Ball, executive director for Three Lakes Foundation. “We approached CHEST when it became apparent that primary care physicians could use specific tools to identify high-risk patients with pulmonary conditions. This collaboration is the result of our common need to increase awareness among health care professionals and to improve patient outcomes.”

Members of the expert steering committee include individuals from leading medical institutions, health systems, and organizations across the country:

• Daniel F. Dilling, MD, FCCP, Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL.
• Andrew Duggan, MPH, Patient Engagement and Innovation Leader representing Three Lakes Foundation, Boston, MA.
• Jessica Glennie, APRN, MSN, Nurse Practitioner, Interstitial Lung Disease Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH.
• Timothy Hernandez, MD, Family Medicine Physician, Chief Executive Officer of Entira Family Clinics, San Antonio, TX.
• Corey D. Kershaw, MD, FCCP, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.
• Tejaswini Kulkarni, MD, MPH, FCCP, Assistant Professor, Director, Interstitial Lung Disease Program, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
• William Lago, MD, Family Medicine Physician, Wooster Family Health Center, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Wooster, OH.
• Andrew H. Limper, MD, FCCP, Annenberg Professor of Pulmonary Medicine, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Director – Thoracic Disease Research Unit, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN.
• Anoop M. Nambiar, MD, MS, FCCP, Professor of Medicine, Founding Director of the UT Health San Antonio Center for Interstitial Lung Diseases, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX.
• Mary Beth Scholand, MD, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary Diseases, Director, Interstitial Lung Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

“While interstitial lung diseases do not affect a substantial amount of the population, those touched by the disease are impacted tremendously,” says steering committee member and pulmonologist, Dr. Andrew H. Limper. “Any delay in receiving a diagnosis is time that could be dedicated to finding a treatment therapy that can improve their quality of life. I look forward to the work of this committee helping to shape how patients with ILDs are diagnosed and treated in the future.”

Starting with data-gathering surveys sent to both primary care physicians and pulmonologists, the committee will evaluate the findings to develop tools that can be used to aid in diagnosing complex lung diseases.

“Having experts from both pulmonary and primary care medicine as members of the steering committee is critical,” says steering committee member and family medicine physician, Dr. William Lago. “Patients first see their family medicine or primary care clinicians and, all too often, the most complex lung diseases present in ways that are indistinguishable from more common conditions like asthma and COPD. Bringing together experts in both fields will yield the best results in creating a path to diagnosis.”

Three Lakes Foundation is providing the initial funding for CHEST to begin designing an educational intervention that addresses the gaps in knowledge and practice and will play an active role in overseeing the development of the program.

For more information on the Bridging Specialties^™: Timely Diagnosis for Patients With ILD initiative and to sign up for updates, visit info.chestnet.org/bridging-specialties-timely-diagnosis-for-ild-patients.

Affecting around 400,000 people in the United States, interstitial lung diseases (ILD), like pulmonary fibrosis (PF), present with symptoms that are similar to other more common lung diseases, frequently resulting in misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. Some studies show that reaching a proper diagnosis for rarer lung diseases can take upwards of several years.

Despite scientific advancements and increased information available, timely and accurate diagnosis for PF remains a challenge. The course of the disease varies from person to person and can progress rapidly in some cases, increasing the necessity to have the condition diagnosed in its earliest stages. By the time patients learn they have PF, the condition may require reliance on oxygen use and hospitalizations, and it can lead to poor quality of life and a significantly shortened lifespan.

To address this issue, Three Lakes Foundation (TLF) and the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) recently announced their collaboration on a multiphase educational initiative led by a steering committee of medical experts aiming to reduce the time it takes to diagnose patients with ILDs like PF. Composed of pulmonologists, primary care physicians, and a nursing professional, the steering committee will work to create materials that will aid in identifying and diagnosing complex lung diseases quicker.

“As a catalyst for change in the PF community, Three Lakes Foundation spoke with patients, health care professionals, physicians, and advocacy groups to advance an understanding of the PF diagnostic experience,” said Dana Ball, executive director for Three Lakes Foundation. “We approached CHEST when it became apparent that primary care physicians could use specific tools to identify high-risk patients with pulmonary conditions. This collaboration is the result of our common need to increase awareness among health care professionals and to improve patient outcomes.”

Members of the expert steering committee include individuals from leading medical institutions, health systems, and organizations across the country:

• Daniel F. Dilling, MD, FCCP, Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL.
• Andrew Duggan, MPH, Patient Engagement and Innovation Leader representing Three Lakes Foundation, Boston, MA.
• Jessica Glennie, APRN, MSN, Nurse Practitioner, Interstitial Lung Disease Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH.
• Timothy Hernandez, MD, Family Medicine Physician, Chief Executive Officer of Entira Family Clinics, San Antonio, TX.
• Corey D. Kershaw, MD, FCCP, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.
• Tejaswini Kulkarni, MD, MPH, FCCP, Assistant Professor, Director, Interstitial Lung Disease Program, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
• William Lago, MD, Family Medicine Physician, Wooster Family Health Center, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Wooster, OH.
• Andrew H. Limper, MD, FCCP, Annenberg Professor of Pulmonary Medicine, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Director – Thoracic Disease Research Unit, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN.
• Anoop M. Nambiar, MD, MS, FCCP, Professor of Medicine, Founding Director of the UT Health San Antonio Center for Interstitial Lung Diseases, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX.
• Mary Beth Scholand, MD, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary Diseases, Director, Interstitial Lung Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

“While interstitial lung diseases do not affect a substantial amount of the population, those touched by the disease are impacted tremendously,” says steering committee member and pulmonologist, Dr. Andrew H. Limper. “Any delay in receiving a diagnosis is time that could be dedicated to finding a treatment therapy that can improve their quality of life. I look forward to the work of this committee helping to shape how patients with ILDs are diagnosed and treated in the future.”

Starting with data-gathering surveys sent to both primary care physicians and pulmonologists, the committee will evaluate the findings to develop tools that can be used to aid in diagnosing complex lung diseases.

“Having experts from both pulmonary and primary care medicine as members of the steering committee is critical,” says steering committee member and family medicine physician, Dr. William Lago. “Patients first see their family medicine or primary care clinicians and, all too often, the most complex lung diseases present in ways that are indistinguishable from more common conditions like asthma and COPD. Bringing together experts in both fields will yield the best results in creating a path to diagnosis.”

Three Lakes Foundation is providing the initial funding for CHEST to begin designing an educational intervention that addresses the gaps in knowledge and practice and will play an active role in overseeing the development of the program.

For more information on the Bridging Specialties^™: Timely Diagnosis for Patients With ILD initiative and to sign up for updates, visit info.chestnet.org/bridging-specialties-timely-diagnosis-for-ild-patients.