VA Lung Care Connect

Lung nodules and abnormal findings are common, and most are not cancer; but when something needs attention, timing and expertise are critical.  

• Lung cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S.
• It is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths
• Early, accurate, and expert evaluation can make treatment more effective and less invasive 

VA Lung Care Connect is designed to make sure you don't wait and wonder, but rather, you get clear answers and a plan moving forward. 

1. Referral: The VA Lung Care Connect team receives a referral from your local VA primary care provider after any abnormal imaging. Whether this is from routine screening, follow-up from a known abnormality, or an incidental finding when imaging was performed for another reason.
2. First Visit: You choose whether to schedule an in-person visit or a virtual visit. Not confident with virtual visits? No worries, your local clinic can help.
3. Personalized Plan of Care: You and your care team will decide together where and how your care will take place.
4. Procedure Coordination: An NP program navigator serves as your main point of contact to schedule appointments, answer questions, arrange travel, and provide lodging support if needed.
5. Follow-up Care: After your procedure, you return to your local clinic to continue care, either in-person or virtually through CVT (Clinical Video Telehealth).

Because VA healthcare is fully integrated and partnered with strong academic institutions, we offer expert coordination, advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies, and an informed, team-based approach to your care.  

• Rapid follow-up when time is critical
• Less travel by keeping your care close to home whenever possible
• Fewer repeat tests because your care teams can easily communicate at every step
• Personalized treatment plans for the best outcomes
• Access to targeted therapies, clinical trials, and the latest treatment options

This Interdisciplinary Care Team Model approach works together to care for the whole Veteran:
  Primary Care Physician – Pulmonary Nurse Practitioner Navigator – Pulmonologists – Thoracic Surgeons –   Pathologists – Medical and Radiation Oncologists – Palliative Care – Specialist Nurse Practitioners

We offer a wide variety of diagnostic procedures and tools tailored to you and your plan of care

• Robotic Assisted Bronchoscopy - A cutting-edge, minimally invasive, non-surgical approach that uses 3-D imaging (GPS-like technology) to reach small or hard-to-find lung nodules, helping diagnose earlier and more precisely.
• CT-Guided Lung Biopsy (TTNB/TTNA) - A biopsy guided by CT imaging to diagnose with very high accuracy.
• Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) – A scope with ultrasound that helps doctors see and biopsy lymph nodes inside the chest without surgery.   
• Flexible Bronchoscopy -  A thin, flexible camera and light are guided into the airways to visualize areas of interest and collect tissue samples.
• Mediastinoscopy - A minimally invasive surgical procedure used to examine the area between the lungs and behind the sternum.
• ROSE (Rapid On-Site Evaluation) – A pathologist is at your procedure to evaluate specimens in real time to help make a diagnosis
• Advanced Pathology and Targeted Molecular Oncology – These techniques examine the molecular details inside cancer cells to understand why the cancer behaves the way it does, and determine the best, most tailored treatment options.

Together, these services make cancer treatment more precise, effective, and personalized.

If you’ve had imaging that showed a lung nodule, or if your provider has recommended further evaluation, the VA Lung Care Connect Program can offer a more advanced and coordinated approach to your care

• Talk with your VA primary care provider
• Ask about the VA Lung Care Connect Program
• Watch our video on YouTube to hear directly from the VA Lung Care Connect Team: COMING SOON

Take the Next Step toward faster answers and expert-guided care