Meet the Visionary Defender of Early Detection and Prompt Treatment

VISIONARY: a person who inspires others to pursue a long-term concept. DEFENDER: a person who protects others from danger.

Dr. Rami Arfoosh. Photo by Abby Stancil.

Dr. Rami Arfoosh, a pulmonologist, has been defending people with abnormal lung cancer screening exams for more than four years in northeast Georgia. With high rates of incidence and mortality, lung cancer is a dangerous and often silent killer for the residents of northeast Georgia. For Dr. Arfoosh, lung cancer screening, quick referrals and prompt treatment for people with newly diagnosed lung cancer are at the forefront of his daily work.

Under his leadership of chest board, an interdisciplinary team that reviews abnormal lung cancer screening exams, he has directed the evaluations of over 200 abnormal lung scans, assisted with the identification of over 50 early-stage lung cancers, gradually improved the time to treatment for those with newly diagnosed lung cancer and facilitated prompt referrals for people during the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of 2020, Dr. Arfoosh and the chest board completed more lung cancer screening exam evaluations than the previous year and cut the time to treatment almost in half. Dr. Arfoosh’s achievements in early detection and prompt treatment of lung cancer are most certainly rooted in his ability to collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to identify the best evidence-based approaches to care.

Dr. Arfoosh relentlessly strives to improve overall lung cancer care in northeast Georgia. Recently, his visionary concept of implementing a lung nodule clinic to detect earlier-stage lung cancers for people in Northeast Georgia that do not fit into the traditional lung screening guidelines is in the early phases of development.

From left: Dr. Rami Arfoosh and Andria Caton, M.S.N., RN, OCN, CHPN.

Dr. Arfoosh cares about people after they receive a lung cancer diagnosis. Dr. Arfoosh lends his assistance and backing to the monthly community lung cancer support group, and he frequently speaks to the group (who are often patients in his practice) on survivorship issues and long-term side effects of lung cancer treatment.

In addition to his passion for early detection and prompt treatment of lung cancer, Dr. Arfoosh is a lifelong learner and teacher. He takes time to mentor physician residents, physician assistant students and medical students in his daily pulmonary practice. During chest board discussions, he can be heard taking additional time to explain radiographic findings, review clinical data and reinforce evidence-based guidelines with the students. Dr. Arfoosh ensures the success of lung cancer care in the future by investing his time with residents and students today.

The people of Northeast Georgia are fortunate to have Dr. Rami Arfoosh, a dedicated visionary defender in the fight against lung cancer.

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