The Temple Lung Center’s global collaboration is driving advancements in pulmonary vascular disease care and management, elevating patient outcomes internationally and across the country.
In recent months, the Temple Lung Center’s Pulmonary Vascular Disease Program—led by Parth M. Rali, MD, FCCP, FAPSR, Director of Temple Health’s Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) Program—have strengthened its partnerships with the leading institutions in pulmonary vascular disease research. Dr. Rali now serves on the Board of Directors for the National PERT Consortium: the premier organization dedicated to establishing, optimizing, and expanding multidisciplinary PERT teams and enhancing the care they provide pulmonary embolism patients, of which Temple’s PERT team is a founding member.
Dr. Rali is also the incoming Vice Chair of the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) Pulmonary Vascular and Cardiovascular Network, which includes more than 18,000 pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine experts. In addition, he was appointed Vice Chair of the Asia Pacific Society of Respiratory Pulmonary Circulation. Dr. Rali’s responsibilities in these roles include expanding knowledge and education around pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary embolism, and chronic pulmonary embolism.
"Through international engagement, the Temple Lung Center is defining best practices and accelerating innovation that directly benefits patients across the continuum of pulmonary vascular care,” says Dr. Rali. “By aligning clinical expertise with global research networks, we’re shaping the future of pulmonary vascular medicine, and bringing the latest innovations to Philadelphia to enhance patient outcomes.”
A Multidisciplinary—and Lifesaving—Approach
The broad expertise across Temple's PERT team is at the heart of its success. This multidisciplinary program brings together clinicians from pulmonary and critical care, emergency medicine, radiology, cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, hematology, pharmacy, and related specialties to rapidly assess and treat patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). Rapid, coordinated action is essential in PE cases, as delays in treatment can be life-threatening, and decisions about appropriate care are complex and time-sensitive.
Launched in 2017 under Dr. Rali’s leadership, Temple’s PERT team has now been activated hundreds of times, coordinating interventions from advanced imaging and risk stratification to catheter-directed therapies and tailored follow-up care. Its multidisciplinary approach ensures patients receive prompt diagnosis and individualized treatment, improving outcomes and reducing complications.
A Global Impact on Patient Care
The Temple Lung Center’s leadership in the PERT Consortium and the CHEST Pulmonary Vascular Network is driving globally-standardized care protocols, evidence-based treatment pathways, and the rapid dissemination of emerging clinical insights. This collaboration ensures that innovations in minimally-invasive therapies, risk stratification, and post-care follow-up benefit patients and clinicians around the world.
By participating in collaborative research and guideline development, Temple is shaping global standards for practice: advancing prevention strategies, enhancing acute response frameworks, and improving health outcomes for patients in diverse settings.
Region-Defining Impact
The Temple Lung Center’s Pulmonary Vascular Disease physicians—led by Dr. Rali and Sheila Weaver, DO, Director of Temple University Hospital’s Sleep Fellowship Program and Professor of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine—are also launching the inaugural Northwell Health-Temple Lung Center Pulmonary Vascular Disease Conference in partnership with Long Island’s Northwell Health in spring 2026.
For patients in the tri-state region and beyond, this work—as well as the Lung Center’s global collaboration—will translate into direct improvements in care delivery and clinical outcomes. Patients and providers benefit from Temple’s expertise in real time: whether through referrals to the Lung Center, shared care protocols, or educational outreach that equips clinicians with best practices. Integrating these global best practices into regional care models also helps to reduce disparities, shorten hospital stays, and improve patients’ long-term recovery outcomes.