PerFECT 2.0: A Web-Based Platform Designed to Facilitate and Support the Diagnosis of Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in Italy

Carlo Vancheri; Monica Bengus; Laura Bianchino; Maria G Cagnazzo; Alessandra Ghirardini; Donato Lacedonia; Mercedes Pasquali; Gaetano Rea; Sonja A Rohner; Alessandro Sanduzzi; Sebastiano E Torrisi; Alberto Pesci

doi:10.1007/s41030-021-00155-8

PerFECT 2.0: A Web-Based Platform Designed to Facilitate and Support the Diagnosis of Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in Italy

Pulm Ther. 2021 Jun;7(1):267-279. doi: 10.1007/s41030-021-00155-8. Epub 2021 May 11.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Regional Referral Centre for Rare Lung Diseases, University Hospital 'Policlinico G. Rodolico-San Marco', University of Catania, via Santa Sofia 78, 95123, Catania, Italy. vancheri@unict.it.
² F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland.
³ Roche S.p.A., Monza, Italy.
⁴ Departmental Unit of Territorial Pulmonology, Local Health Service, Lecce, Italy.
⁵ Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
⁶ Division of Pneumology, S. Corona Hospital, Pietra Ligure, Italy.
⁷ Department of Radiology, Monaldi Hospital, AO dei Colli, Naples, Italy.
⁸ UNESCO Chair for Health Education and Sustainable Development, Respiratory Division, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
⁹ Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Regional Referral Centre for Rare Lung Diseases, University Hospital 'Policlinico G. Rodolico-San Marco', University of Catania, via Santa Sofia 78, 95123, Catania, Italy.
¹⁰ Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca, ASST Monza, Monza, Italy.

Abstract

Introduction: Timely and accurate diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is challenging, requiring specific tests including chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and limited by access to specialist centres with a multidisciplinary team (MDT). Here we describe PerFECT 2.0, an Italian web-based platform designed to create a network between tertiary centres with an MDT (hubs) and secondary centres (spokes), aiming to facilitate the diagnosis of IPF.

Methods: PerFECT 2.0 went live on 1 November 2016. Spoke centres submit anonymised documentation (HRCT images, pathological samples, clinical data) for a second opinion on the potential diagnosis of IPF from a hub centre. HRCT images are quickly uploaded, with patient-identifying information automatically removed. The hub centre views documentation online (no downloads allowed), makes any further information requests, then returns their second opinion as free text. An e-learning area contains educational material and simulated training clinical cases. Metrics were collected for 2017-2019; a user survey was conducted from 30 June-31 July 2020.

Results: Ten hub centres and 137 spoke centres have registered. The requests for a second opinion numbered 251 in 2017, 270 in 2018 and 265 in 2019 (overall mean 19.9 requests per month). The proportion of requests answered was 100.0% (251) in 2017, 100.0% (270) in 2018 and 97.7% (259) in 2019. The mean response time was 15.7 days. In the user survey, of nine hub responders and 19 spoke responders, 78% and 74%, respectively, reported that the platform is easy to use, and 100% and 89%, respectively, would recommend the platform to colleagues.

Conclusion: The PerFECT 2.0 web-based platform has created a network that enables secondary centres to gain quick and easy access to a second opinion from a tertiary centre with an MDT through online evaluation of anonymised documentation, thereby facilitating and supporting the timely and accurate diagnosis of IPF.

Keywords: Diagnosis; E-learning; High-resolution computed tomography; Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; Web-based platform.