Bringing Health Care Providers Together to Diagnose and Treat Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Patient Simulation

Although the most common of the restrictive lung diseases, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a rare but deadly disease, affecting an estimated 6.8 to 42.7 per 100,000 people, with higher rates in those older than 65 years, and resulting in approximately 40,000 deaths annually in the United States.

Education to community pulmonologists, radiologists, and primary care physicians, as well as the multidisciplinary team is important to increase knowledge related to recognition and diagnosis. Clinicians need to be aware of when to refer patients with potential IPF to specialty centers with pulmonologists, radiologists, and pathologists specialized in interstitial lung disease (ILD). All providers in the multidisciplinary and multispecialty treatment team need education related to recent ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT guidelines and mechanisms of action for the approved treatments for IPF.

In this CME Outfitters decision-tree medical simulation participants will navigate the clinical challenges presented by a patient with IPF. Expert faculty will highlight the latest evidence and guidelines for IPF including when to refer and best treatment approach.