One size does not fit all in ILD. To achieve the best quality of care and patient outcomes, clinicians need to assess key factors that impact each individual patient’s ability to access and adhere to recommended lifestyle and therapeutic interventions. Such factors — collectively known as “social determinants of health” include health care access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, social and community context, economic stability, and education access and quality. This clinician tool includes definitions and a questionnaire to facilitate patient interviewing about these important considerations.
Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) is a condition that affects the network of tissue in your lungs called the interstitium. The interstitium helps with your body’s exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. With ILD, you may have a variety of symptoms including persistent cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, or a feeling of chest tightness. The good news is that there are ways to slow down the progression of ILD, manage burdensome symptoms, and improve your quality of life. Check out this short whiteboard animation for an overview of ILD, and be sure to discuss any questions you have with your healthcare provider!
Shared decision making (SDM) is an important approach in healthcare that involves collaboration between patients and healthcare providers to make informed and personalized medical decisions. This resource will help you optimize your time with clinicians and ensure you cover all the aspects of care most important to you.