by supporting initiatives to educate, empower, and improve, but this may have been one of its most exciting and impactful years yet. As 2022 draws to a close, look back at the progress made over the past 12 months and the initiatives that will help the Foundation continue to support clinicians and patients in 2023.
Collaboration and communication key in 2022
2022 saw the launch of two new initiatives that will be integral to improving patient care in the years to come: The First 5 Minutes™ and Bridging Specialties™: Timely Diagnosis for ILD Patients.
A collaborative partnership between CHEST and Three Lakes Foundation, Bridging Specialties brings together pulmonologists and primary care physicians to define a clearer clinician-guided approach to diagnosis for ILDs like pulmonary fibrosis (PF).
A Steering Committee of multidisciplinary clinicians – including pulmonologists, primary care physicians, and a nurse practitioner – have led the development of important resources including a white paper highlighting the most recent data into delays in diagnosis.
Plus, a newly launched ILD Clinician Toolkit offers the following and more:
- An early detection learning module offering information about reasons for delayed ILD diagnosis, symptoms to watch and listen for (like crackles on auscultation), suggested patient workups, and recommendations on proactive steps to take, including when to refer to a pulmonologist;
- A decision-making tool offering interactive simulated patient visits; and
- Radiologic imaging videos covering key patterns, common CT scan appearances and imaging features that can help in diagnosis of ILDs.
Clinicians can access the toolkit at bit.ly/Bridging-Specialties.
The First 5 Minutes
The First 5 Minutes initiative, developed in response to themes identified during the Foundation’s Listening Tour in 2020, kicked off in Bexar County, TX, in June with an in-person pilot training program at the University of Texas Health Science Center.
There, relationship-centered communication trainers from the Academy of Communication Healthcare led 18 clinicians through interactive activities on empathetic listening and trust-building communication skills.
Attendees at CHEST 2022 had the opportunity to participate in a similar interactive session on Monday, October 17, where they practiced empathetic listening skills with fellow attendees and learned how establishing trust with patients in the first 5 minutes of interactions can lead to more efficient communication and improve patient adherence. Learn more at bit.ly/First-5-Minutes.
CHEST gratefully acknowledges the following founding supporters of the First 5 Minutes™: Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bexar County, Novartis, Regeneron, Sanofi, and VIATRIS.
Making medicine a more inclusive practice
In February 2022, the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), the American Thoracic Society (ATS), and the American Lung Association announced a partnership with the prestigious Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program (AMFDP), a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation initiative, to sponsor a scholar in pulmonary and critical care medicine.
The recipient of that grant, George Alba, MD, Instructor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician at Massachusetts General, was announced earlier this year. Through his AMFDP award project, “Pulmonary Endothelial NEDD9 and Acute Lung Injury,” Dr. Alba seeks to advance NEDD9 antagonism as a potential therapeutic target in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
“Growing up, I saw through my father’s example how education unlocks opportunities. Our community came together to help him on this path. Now a retired doctor of osteopathy in neonatology, it inspired me to pursue a career in medicine,” said Dr. Alba. “This award comes at a critical time in my junior faculty career: it allows me to continue pursuing my research in a meaningful way while also gaining new skills that will be critical for my ongoing career development.”
Visit bit.ly/3X4VphB to learn more about the AMFDP initiative and Dr. Alba.