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MANILA, Philippines — Navigating the complexities of Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)—a group of disorders characterized by scarring and inflammation of lung tissue—can be overwhelming, not only for patients and their families, but sometimes even for our medical community.
With symptoms that often mimic other respiratory conditions, ILD is frequently misdiagnosed or unrecognized. However, in the Philippines, hope is in the horizon.
Dr. Aileen Banzon of Philippine Heart Center told Philstar.com in an email interview that in recent years, ILD management in the Philippines has made significant strides.
“The collaborative efforts of the Council on Occupational and Interstitial Lung Disease of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP), ILD referral centers, multidisciplinary teams, and stakeholders such as the Orphan Disease Foundation of the Philippines and the Scleroderma Society have been instrumental in raising awareness,” she shares.
Additionally, support from pharmaceutical partners like Boehringer Ingelheim has also enhanced the capacity of healthcare professionals to identify and manage ILD cases more effectively.
Leading institutions like the Philippine Heart Center and St. Luke’s Medical Center, along with dedicated clinics and hospitals nationwide are also stepping up efforts to address these challenge through collaboration, expertise sharing and a commitment to providing comprehensive care.
ILD in the Philippines: Challenges, hurdles
ILD is a group of complex, rare lung disorders that involve scarring and inflammation of the lung tissue, making it difficult for patients to breathe.
Unfortunately, due to its overlapping symptoms with other common respiratory illnesses, diagnosing ILD can often be a prolonged and difficult process.
This delay in diagnosis, combined with the overall lack of awareness about the condition, exacerbates the healthcare challenges faced by patients.
“In clinical practice, patients with ILD often experience misdiagnosis and diagnostic delays, with many patients waiting over 12 months for a diagnosis,” Dr. Banzon tells.
She adds that this can prevent initiation of treatment, deny patients the chance to participate in clinical trials and cause anxiety for both the patients and their families.
Aside from that, patients with ILD in the Philippines face other challenges, such as access to specialized centers, especially those living in rural or underserved areas. The cost of diagnostics tests and medications required for ILD are also costly, making affordability a barrier.
In a separate email interview, Dr. Celeste Mae Campomanes from St. Luke’s Medical Center shares, “Physicians often lack access to specialty referral centers, and the delayed referrals from general practitioners only prolong the time to diagnosis and appropriate treatment.”
Specialized ILD centers to address gaps
From misdiagnoses to limited treatment options, gaps in healthcare services have long hindered the journey to proper ILD management.
Fortunately, specialized ILD centers, equipped with integrated units in Pulmonology, Rheumatology and Radiology, offer hope to address these gaps.
Esteemed health institutions like Makati Medical Center, Philippine Lung Center, University of Sto. Tomas and the Philippine Heart Center have forged collaboration for specialized ILD centers, bringing together their expertise across multiple disciplines to ensure that patients receive the precise and holistic treatment they need.
Dr. Banzon explains that the integration of specialized units at ILD Centers has significantly strengthened their ability to address the complexities of ILD.
This multidisciplinary approach, she says, allows for a more confident and unified evaluation of ILD cases, ultimately improving the accuracy of diagnoses and the development of comprehensive treatment plans for patients.
“At these meetings, the etiology, morphology, behavior and prognosis and management plans are discussed. The results are then relayed or reported back to the referring physician for continuation of care,” she recounts.
Dr. Campomanes also says that integration of special services usually results in improved medical care and better patient outcome.
“In ILD centers, good coordination of the pulmonary, radiology and rheumatology services and a regular MDD can speed up diagnosis and treatment of ILD,” she said.
Sharing expertise key to advancing ILD care
Navigating the complexities ILD also requires a multifaceted approach that brings together diverse expertise from various medical disciplines.
By sharing knowledge and expertise, healthcare professionals can enhance their understanding and develop better treatment strategies for patients, as well as establishes best practices in ILD care.
Additionally, insights from within the medical community, as well as patients, contribute to more informed decision-making and targeted interventions, leading to possible outcomes in treating those affected by ILD.
According to Dr. Campomanes, multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings in St. Luke’s Medical Center, which have been held since 2019. These meetings emerged from a collective desire for knowledge in recognizing, screening and managing ILD.
Similarly, the Philippine Heart Center, designated as an ILD referral center, has developed a successful screening and follow-up process that has garnered appreciation from referring physicians and patients for its simplicity.
With strong coordination among colleagues across Metro Manila and beyond, Dr. Banzon reveals that they now have a significant number of ILD patients who follow up regularly at their clinic.
According to her, the implementation of the hospital’s high-resolution computed tomography ILD protocol and systematic patient follow-up has resulted in many success stories, with patients expressing satisfaction with their treatment outcomes.
Breathing hope for the future of ILD care in PH
With the Philippines making strides in ILD care, there are also increasing resources that offer vital support for ILD patients.
Apart from comprehensive care, ILD centers also provide education on treatment options and quality of life improvements. These centers also offer access to drug trials, providing patients with cutting-edge treatments.
Moreover, the Philippines is said to be gaining recognition as a site for research, and patients are offered the opportunity to participate in essential drug trials, typically available only in developed countries.
Looking ahead, the future of ILD care in the Philippines is poised for further improvement.
Through these efforts and collaborations—with health institutions, pharmaceutical companies, government and non-government organizations, there is hope for a brighter future for ILD care in the Philippines.
Editor’s Note: #BrandSpace story is created with Boehringer Ingelheim. It is produced by the Advertising Content Team that is independent from our Editorial Newsroom.
MPR-PH-100407 | December 2024
