The Guam Regional Medical City has named Dr. Michael Agustin as the recipient of the 2021 Physician Partners Choice award.
As part of National Physicians Week and Doctors Day on March 30, employees selected the recipient of the first Physician Partners Choice Award.
Agustin is a pulmonologist and critical care physician who has been with GRMC since 2016.
Since then, the doctor has grown the hospital’s pulmonology clinic into a center for pulmonary excellence in Guam, according to a news release from the hospital.
He has established a pulmonary lab and pulmonary subspecialty clinic for lung cancer, bronchiectasis and severe asthma, as well as the pleural clinic.
In October 2020, Agustin also introduced the pulmonary rehabilitation clinic, where he is the director.
He expanded lung cancer diagnostic capabilities on the island by introducing the use of endobronchial ultrasound, a procedure that’s used to diagnose different types of lung disorders, including inflammation, infections and cancer.
Together with GRMC oncologists, he helped to establish GRMC tumor boards.
As a critical care physician in the intensive care unit, Agustin has served as interim chief medical officer and has published several case studies from Guam in international journals, including the first published article potentially linking extensive vaping to diffuse alveolar hemorrhage syndrome, bleeding into the lungs.
“The contributions Dr. Agustin has made to GRMC, particularly in our pulmonology clinic and ICU, will be his legacy,” said CEO/President Alan Funtanilla in a news release. “He works tirelessly on behalf of his patients and has never been one to rest on his laurels. Dr. Agustin is an inspiration to everyone at GRMC.”
