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IPF has been defined as specific form of chronic, progressive, fibrosing interstitial pneumonitis of unknown cause, occurring primarily in older adults and being limited to the lungs (1). Lung transplantation is the only curative therapeutic approach. Pirfenidone and Nintedanib are the only approved pharmaceutical therapies in IPF. However, both antifibrotics only could demonstrate a reduction of the lung function decline over time, thereby slowing down disease progression (2,3). Due to the irreversibility of the progressive fibrotic processes and the limited availability of highly effective medical treatment, disease monitoring remains an essential part of the clinical care in IPF (4). Thereby, the physician is responsible for patient education, monitoring drug adherence, documentation and treatment of druginduced side effects, screening and treatment of relevant comorbidities, evaluation for lung transplantation, early implementation of palliative care and supportive therapies (e.g., oxygen therapy). Although considered a relatively rare disease, the costs associated with IPF specific medical care are high and disproportionate to the incidence and prevalence (5). A major issue to be addressed is personal and time resource. Physician assistants and care coordinators have been implemented in different medical specialties to relieve workload from the physicians as well as to further develop and improve individualized therapy concepts. This editorial will focus on the potential role of care coordinators in the treatment of IPF patients as it has been analyzed by Nathan Hambly et al. in their article “A cross-sectional evaluation of the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patient satisfaction and quality of life with a care coordinator” (6).

Beyond standard care?—idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients’ perception of care coordinators