Pulmonary & Critical Care Division Newsletter

Announcements

* Medha Cherabuddi has been invited to serve as a member of the CHEST Trainee Work Group for the next two years. This prestigious opportunity highlights Medha’s dedication to pulmonary medicine and her growing leadership on the national stage.

* Akhil Sharma and Austin Parsons have volunteered their time and expertise to teach Respiratory Physiology to medical students at Michigan State University

Highlights

* Bryan Kelly has spent the last five years teaching the Pulmonary Medicine Block to medical students at Michigan State University. Through his dedication and passion for education, he has impacted an estimated 1,500 future physicians—a remarkable contribution that will ripple forward in the care of countless patients for years to come.

* Last weekend, the Tri-State Thoracic Society Conference (formerly Pembine) was held with strong representation from our program. Three of our fellows—Al Muthanna Shadid, Reema Rani, and Sharanya Santhi—delivered presentations alongside Alaa Aby Sayf. Their work was met with great enthusiasm!

Announcements

We’re excited to announce a new section on HFH Pulm dedicated to Clinical Trials. This page now provides an up-to-date list of all active clinical trials within our division, making it easier for providers and patients to stay connected to ongoing research opportunities.

• Enhances awareness of available studies across the division
• Supports patient access to cutting-edge treatments
• Highlights our division’s commitment to advancing pulmonary medicine

Visit the new Clinical Trials section on HFH Pulm, explore current studies, and share this resource with your patients who may benefit from participation.

Clinical Updates

Medication Update: Flolan Discontinuation

The manufacturer has announced that Flolan will be discontinued on November 30, 2025. At Henry Ford Hospital, this therapy is currently used by the PAH, ECMO, and Cardiac P5 teams.
To prepare for this change, the recommendation is to transition patients to Veletri (epoprostenol). Here’s why:
*Same active ingredient: Both Flolan and Veletri contain epoprostenol.
*Different formulation, proven safety: Veletri offers a more stable formulation and has stronger safety data, especially when used for inhalation.
*Consistency with local practice: Other PAH programs in the region already use Veletri, providing added familiarity and experience.
This proactive shift will ensure continuity of care and maintain the highest standards of safety for our patients.

New Radiology Process for Secondary Blood Stream Infections (BSI)

To improve accuracy and consistency in identifying secondary sources of bloodstream infections, a new process is being implemented for radiology requests:
When ordering imaging to rule out a secondary source for BSI, please include the following in the reason for imaging:
“BSI, evaluate for secondary infection”
Radiologists will provide more explicit reporting, noting potential sources of infection in both the diagnosis and differential diagnosis.
If clarification or an addendum is needed, please call the reading radiologist directly. This ensures mutual understanding that the shared goal is to accurately exclude patients with secondary infection sources.

Guidelines for Handling Behavioral Health Patients – Psych Hold/Cert vs. Lacks Medical Decision Making/Capacity

Psych Hold (Active Petition or Clinical Certificate PCM 208)

• Patients may not leave the hospital—even if medically stable—unless cleared by the Behavioral Health (BH) team or transferred to an inpatient psychiatric facility.
• This restriction includes leaving AMA and/or having floor privileges.
• If medically indicated, patients may be escorted off the floor with appropriate supervision at provider discretion.
• BH will place “Psych Hold” information at the top of Team Com to ensure consistent provider communication.
• “Patient under a Psych Hold” will be added to the nursing report sheet.
• Follow all recommendations from the HFH Tier 2 Flight Risk Policy (e.g., gray gowns for patients, 1:1 sitter, flight risk banner, suicide precautions).

Lacks Medical Decision Making

• Patient has a Guardian/Healthcare Agent.
• All medical decisions and treatments must go through the guardian.
• Shared decision making with patient, guardian, and provider is preferred.
• Floor privileges are determined by the provider team on a case-by-case basis (does not require guardian approval).
• Consents and legal medical documents must be signed by the guardian (e.g., consents, AMA papers).
• Patients lacking decision-making capacity still retain the right to refuse treatment unless the treatment is emergent or life-saving.
• Patients may not leave AMA without guardian approval.
• Refer to the HFH Informed Consent Policy for further guidance.

Social & Community News

The PH Team is raising funds for the Detroit O2 Breath Walk at Kensington Metropark on Sunday, September 13th! Join the team or donate at https://phassociation.donordrive.com/teams/5199


The ILD team has partnered with the ILD team at UofM for the first annual Metro Detroit Pulmonary Fibrosis Walk on Sunday, September 21st at The Hawk in Farmington Hills! We would love for you to join our team or donate to our cause at https://secure.qgiv.com/event/metrodetroitpfcommunitywalk/team/996754/. Families welcome and encouraged!

Announcements

Welcome to Our New Team Members

We are excited to welcome Samantha Ball as our new Pulmonary RN Research Coordinator!

Sam brings a rich background of 4.5 years as a registered nurse, following 4 years as a nursing assistant. Most of her nursing career has been in a step-down ICU, with additional experience in PICU, and most recently as a pre/post-op RN and joint replacement coordinator at a surgery center. Throughout her career, she has cared for many patients with chronic pulmonary conditions and has witnessed the physical, emotional, and mental toll these illnesses can take. Sam has long hoped for a role where she could help improve patients’ quality of life—and she believes this research position is exactly that opportunity.

Beyond her professional work, Sam loves traveling with her husband on their mission to visit all the National Parks. She enjoys time with her son, tending to her small urban farm, and challenging herself to read at least one book each month.

We are thrilled to have Sam on board and look forward to the impact she will make in our division!

In addition, we are pleased to share that we have hired a new Grant Manager for Research, who will support Pulmonary, Allergy, and Rheumatology. She will begin on September 8, 2025, and more information about her will be shared in an upcoming email.

Ongoing Research

AMGA Quality Improvement Project: Lung Cancer Early Detection and Diagnosis (A-38773)
Project Objective: Improve rates of early detection and diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer
Participating Groups: Henry Ford Health, Lehigh Valley Health Network, Charleston Area Medical Center - Vandalia Health, SIMED Health, and Sutter Health.

Clinical Updates

Technology Update: Smarter Tracking for Lung Cancer Screening

Keeping patients on track for life-saving lung cancer screening just got easier.
On September 8, 2025, the Eon Patient Management System successfully launched Version 5. Eon is a cornerstone of our LCS infrastructure, using AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to scan radiology reports for key details that help flag patients at higher risk for lung cancer.
Here’s what Eon makes possible:
*Predicts next steps by projecting the next expected action in a patient’s care plan
*Identifies overdue cases to prevent patients from falling through the cracks
*Streamlines tracking with a “one-stop shop” dashboard for the entire LCS patient population
Since its adoption in 2021, Eon has transformed how we track patients—bringing greater transparency, accountability, and timely follow-up to our lung cancer screening program.

Social & Community News

In August, our team proudly joined the HEAL Collaborative’s 2-Day Educational Workshop, “Lung Cancer: Screening to Treatment.” Held August 22–23, the program brought people together in person and reached even more through live-streaming at two additional senior centers—extending vital lung health education across the community.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to partner with HF Mammography for two days of PINK & PEARL Screenings, combining breast and lung cancer awareness in one powerful initiative.

* October 23 – Henry Ford Grosse Pointe Cottage

* October 30 – Henry Ford Bridget Harris Cancer Pavilion

These events highlight the strength of collaboration in advancing early detection and education. Mark your calendars and help us spread the word!

Challenges or Needs

Rising Demand for Lung Cancer Screening

Referrals for lung cancer screening have surged, creating significant new demands on staffing resources. This rise comes at a familiar crunch point—the year-end rush—when many patients push to complete appointments before insurance changes take effect.
To keep pace with this growing volume, additional Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) are being requested. Expanding the team will help ensure patients continue to receive timely scheduling, support, and follow-up despite the sharp increase in demand.

Announcements

Mallory Lueck, APP received the Daisy Nominination for June 2025.
Destiny Spencer, CSR will be joining the LCS Team. Her orientation will begin on September 15th.