Sputum Test at SLMC

[Hawaii1 25]

For those of you who are getting a Philippine immigrant visa from your spouse...be aware...SLMC is really cracking down on x-rays and making a lot of spouse's go through sputum culture testing (which takes 2 MONTHS to get the results back).  My wife just went in for her physical at SLMC yesterday (she had a visa interview appointment with the U.S. Embassy scheduled for 21 Sep 2020).  They said they saw "some thickening on the lining of one of her lungs" .....whatever that means!  She has no symptoms at all....no coughing, fever, wait gain, etc, etc that indicates TB.  She has had many x-rays done over the past couple of years....with no issues.  Now she must go in for the next 3 days and do sputum testing....then wait 8 weeks for the results to come back.  I will be cancelling her visa interview appointment today. 

 

She saw "several" people yesterday with the same story at St Luke's.  These tests are to detect any bacteria in the lungs... (to include COVID-19)....not just TB  The doctor at SLMC indicated  yesterday that they were just concerned about TB....but i think the U.S. Embassy is telling SLMC to do this to slow down immigrants from going from Manila to the US because of COVID-19...and using the "we are just focusing on detecting TB" as an excuse.  

[SalishSea 17,916]

1 hour ago, Hawaii1 said:

These tests are to detect any bacteria in the lungs... (to include COVID-19)....not just TB 

COVID is not a bacteria, it is a virus.  X-rays don't show 'bacteria' in the lungs.  

 

TB is an encapsulated mycobacteria that looks very different on imaging than a COVID pneumonia or other viral-related infection.

 

TB infection can be indolent, meaning the capsules can remain in the lungs without causing symptoms or illness.  

 

TB is endemic to the Philippines, which is why the medical protocols for US immigration from PH are different than from, say, New Zealand.

 

 

[PWB 213]

I just wrote to the Embassy this week about their sputum protocol.  My fiancée is once again caught up in this mess for the third time.  She is negative but they still make her comply with the protocol.  St. Lukes is quick to point out that it is an Embassy requirement and they just have to comply.   If they would not singled us out for no justifiable reason, except they can, she would have avoided the Covid mess.  We interviewed in February 2020 and the visa was issued/withheld  8 days later for a BOGUS  NBI.  We have copies of what they claimed was missing.  Now this mess.  Ten months to wait before she can be consider for the reissuing  of a visa that should have been issued already.  Don't take it, let your voice be heard.  Complain to the USEM. The number of people St. Lukes are placing in the protocol right now is just a stall tactic to all the Embassy to get back to strength.  Very upset.....

[Hawaii1 25]

I agree with you PWB.....my wife was in a room with 50+ people this morning doing this same thing (all immigrant visa applicants who are waiting or already have their visa interview appointments). 

 

I understand TB is critical in the Philippines  (and everywhere for that matter)...I work in a very large medical hospital here in Hawaii...so I get it....but the way SLMC are just automatically forcing people to take a 8 week test without ANY symptoms and questionable x-ray readings....(without any 2nd x-ray to confirm or second opinion) is crazy and unacceptable.  

[Alforte05 14]

14 hours ago, Hawaii1 said:

For those of you who are getting a Philippine immigrant visa from your spouse...be aware...SLMC is really cracking down on x-rays and making a lot of spouse's go through sputum culture testing (which takes 2 MONTHS to get the results back).  My wife just went in for her physical at SLMC yesterday (she had a visa interview appointment with the U.S. Embassy scheduled for 21 Sep 2020).  They said they saw "some thickening on the lining of one of her lungs" .....whatever that means!  She has no symptoms at all....no coughing, fever, wait gain, etc, etc that indicates TB.  She has had many x-rays done over the past couple of years....with no issues.  Now she must go in for the next 3 days and do sputum testing....then wait 8 weeks for the results to come back.  I will be cancelling her visa interview appointment today. 

 

She saw "several" people yesterday with the same story at St Luke's.  These tests are to detect any bacteria in the lungs... (to include COVID-19)....not just TB  The doctor at SLMC indicated  yesterday that they were just concerned about TB....but i think the U.S. Embassy is telling SLMC to do this to slow down immigrants from going from Manila to the US because of COVID-19...and using the "we are just focusing on detecting TB" as an excuse.  

Sorry to hear that happened. I read this post as my husband was in SLEC today doing his medical. A bit panicked, i message my husband every 30 min about his progress at SLEC. No problems. medical report released same day. I wish everyone the same luck.

[user555 196]

On 9/9/2020 at 12:26 AM, Hawaii1 said:

SLMC is really cracking down on x-rays

Someone analyzed five years worth of SLEC data

 

https://europepmc.org/article/pmc/6390485#S15

Look at Table 2a

1.03% had TB

13.63% were flagged but negative 

 

Annual averages

 

46, 363 applicants per year (mother, father, children, sibling, spouse, fiance)

6, 798 were flagged with abnormal chest x-rays

6, 319 were negative (no TB)

479 had TB 

 

Around 15% of SLEC visa applicants are flagged due to an unclear x-ray, but only 1.03% actually have TB.

That means around 93% of the people that are required to do sputum end up being cleared (no TB). That's a waste of 2 months. These doctors and radiologists need better training. That is a horrendous failure rate. Can you imagine if you only got it right 7% of the time? Would you still be employed?  

[Hawaii1 25]

Hi User555 - I agree with you completely!!  My wife met someone who used to work at SLEC....and she said it was "all about money".  If they can show to the USEM that they are "catching" all of these "possible" TB cases....it justifies them charging the high cost of a pre-interview physical....which everyone must get. 

 

This has been going on for many, many years...and would expect it to continue.

[FrogDS 11]

No one has posted on this topic for a long time, but I just wanted to bring it back up.  My Fiance, after waiting for nearly 2 years like everyone else, is going through the 8 week culture test.  We just made it into week 4 of the waiting.  She has no symptoms, and they told her that her x-ray was flagged because of a very small blurry spot at the top of her right breast.  When they showed her the X-ray, she could not even see it.  However, it is what it is.  I am now going their on April 1st and will be there the week she gets gets her immunization and hopefully has her interview.   It would be awesome if everything goes smooth that first week of April and I can bring her back with me.   Maybe it is just a fantasy, but a guy has to dream.  

 

 

[Tiana F 0]

HI any update on rescheduling the interview after getting the sputum result?

[Chancy 6,241]

2 hours ago, Tiana F said:

any update on rescheduling the interview after getting the sputum result?

 

For IR5, you must book the interview appointment yourself, using the online scheduling portal.