Topic Summary
Pulmonary fibrosis represents a significant diagnostic and management challenge in primary care. With a global average delay of two years between symptom onset and diagnosis, early recognition is crucial for improving patient outcomes. This delay often occurs because symptoms like breathlessness and cough are non-specific and easily attributed to more common conditions, particularly in older patients with smoking histories. Gain practical guidance on detection, assessment, and management strategies relevant to general practitioners, who are often the first point of contact for these patients.
Featured Expert
A/Prof Nicole Goh
A/Prof Nicole Goh is a graduate of the University of Melbourne. She trained as a specialist respiratory and sleep medicine physician at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Austin Hospital in Melbourne before completing her training at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London. She obtained her PhD at the Imperial College in London (UK) on “prognostic evaluation of interstitial lung disease secondary to systemic sclerosis.
A/Prof Goh works at the Austin and Alfred Hospitals as a respiratory and sleep medicine physician. She manages all respiratory and sleep disorders but has a particular interest in interstitial lung diseases. She is the Director of the Interstitial Lung Disease Service at the Austin Hospital.
A/Prof Goh is also actively involved in research and teaching. Her main research is in the area of Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD), focusing in particular on measures of improving quality of life (for example, the role of pulmonary rehabilitation and supplementary oxygen). Nicole is on the Steering Committee of the National Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) Registry. She has collaborations with the Australian Scleroderma Interest Group (ASIG).
She is currently the Chair of IBAS (Institute for Breathing and Sleep) Medical and Scientific Research Committee, and the Chair of the PIVOT (Pulmonary Interstitial Vascular Organisational Taskforce) group.
Learning Objectives
- Identify and examine suspected pulmonary fibrosis early, by recognising key clinical features and initiating timely high-resolution CT referral to reduce diagnostic delays
- Implement evidence-based management strategies by understanding the benefits and ongoing use of anti-fibrotic medications, applying supportive interventions, and coordinating multidisciplinary care to improve patient outcomes
- Integrate comprehensive long-term care by monitoring treatment safety and efficacy, managing medication side effects, and facilitating early palliative care and advance care planning discussions to enhance quality of life
CPD and Accreditation
This activity is accredited with the RACGP and ACRRM for the following hours:
- 0.5 hours in the Educational Activities (EA)
- 0.5 hours Reviewing Performance (RP)
- 1 hour Measuring Outcomes (MO)
Disclosure Statement
The content of this educational program was independently developed by Healthed and based on the presenter’s opinion. Funding was provided by Boehringer Ingelheim.
