We are using the following guidelines for scheduling pulmonary function procedures:
The underlying principle would be the benefit of doing the test far outweighs the risk to the patient and health care team, and that waiting for six (6) weeks would lead to significant potential harm.
1. We will schedule for
- Preoperative patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery within the next 6 weeks.
- Cancer patients who are or will be receiving chemotherapy with drugs or radiation that could cause significant pulmonary toxicity
- Cardiac patients who are on amiodarone therapy with significant concern for pulmonary toxicity for whom waiting 6 weeks could cause substantial harm.
- Patients who need diagnostic testing that cannot wait due to severe symptoms. Provider must provide justification.
2. We will postpone testing for:
- Confirmation or staging of COPD
- Confirmation of asthma diagnosis
- Routine progress of COPD or asthma
- Bronchoprovocation testing
The provider should be contacted to provide justification for doing the test during the COVID-19 pandemic, which are outside these guidelines.