An insightful Position Paper published by the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety (PPAHS) coinciding with the American Thoracic Society’s annual conference [ATS 2021] recognizes the need for improved technologies and procedures to measure lung dynamics and function that can be safely sustained during pandemics.
This Position Paper is a response by the PPAHS to a survey showing a reluctance by physicians and healthcare professionals to refer patients for lung function testing during the COVID pandemic.
Survey findings reveal less than one-quarter of respondents had commissioned or conducted lung function testing during the COVID pandemic, and that those tests tended to be limited to essential lung function testing related to transplants, monitoring side-effects of chemotherapy and assessing candidates for surgery.
Recognizing that avoiding or delaying testing has serious implications for patient health and exposure to malpractice claims against doctors, the PPAHS has teamed with 4DMedical and Professor Naresh Punjabi, Chief of Pulmonary Critical Care at the University of Miami, in calling for safer alternatives to traditional testing during COVID and incidence of airborne infectious diseases.
The utilization of innovative methodologies such as Dr Punjabi’s use of 4DMedical’s patented XV Technology is another focus area of the paper, and the basis for a live presentation and discussion session held during ATS 2021.
PPAHS Executive Director, Mr. Wong joined clinical affairs experts, Dr. Jason Kirkness, and Dr. Punjabi to present this session at ATS 2021, exploring alternatives to traditional PFT during pandemics − available for viewing by clicking here or on the image below: