Statement of Need

Fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) encompass a heterogeneous group of disorders such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), progressive pulmonary fibrosis, and systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease-associated ILD, that are often progressive and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The clinical presentation of fibrosing ILDs can be subtle and often overlaps with other respiratory ailments, leading to delays in diagnosis and appropriate interventions that negatively impact patients. Patients with SARDs are at increased risk of ILD, requiring routine screening with available diagnostics. A robust understanding of at-risk patients, the distinctive signs and symptoms, coupled with insights into the epidemiology and natural history of these disorders, is essential for clinicians to effectively recognize and differentiate these conditions. Although treatments for fibrosing ILDs have been developed, findings from studies utilizing US registry data have indicated that only 58% to 70% of IPF patients receive antifibrotic therapies. Effective management of fibrosing ILDs necessitates a multidisciplinary approach, demanding proficiency in the most up-to-date diagnostic techniques, therapeutic interventions, and supportive care strategies.

Target Audience

This activity is intended for academic and community rheumatologists, pulmonologists, radiologists, APPs in these settings, and other members of the multidisciplinary teams treating patients with or at risk for fibrosing ILDs across the US.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Apply evidence-based guidelines for the interpretation of diagnostic tools, such as pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), in the evaluation of fibrosing ILDs
• Evaluate current and emerging antifibrotic therapies for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF), and systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease-associated ILD (SARD-ILD) in terms of efficacy, adverse events (AEs), and patient suitability
• Design patient-centered care plans that integrate current and emerging pharmacologic interventions to alleviate the clinical burden associated with fibrosing ILDs
• Develop effective strategies for interdisciplinary collaboration in the management of fibrosing

Method of Participation

To receive credit, learners are required to complete a baseline assessment; design, develop, and implement an action plan using our automated platform; view the online interventions; and return after 30 days to report progress in making system-level changes. A thorough response to the reflection questionnaire on your involvement in the quality improvement activity is also required for meaningful participation. A certificate will be available upon completion of the reflection questionnaire. There is no fee to participate in the activity or for the generation of the certificate.

ABIM credit will be submitted to ABIM within 30 days of completion.

For questions, contact Melissa Stradal at mstradal@achlcme.org.

Accreditation and Credit Designation Statement

In support of improving patient care, Rush University Medical Center is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Rush University Medical Center designates this Enduring Material for a maximum of 3.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.

Physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) may participate in this educational activity and earn a certificate of completion as AAPA and AANP accept AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ through their reciprocity agreements.

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 3.5 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC points.

Completion of this activity, including the pretest, posttest, and follow-up assessments, qualifies as a medium weight MIPS improvement activity under MACRA and can be claimed as completion of IA_PSPA 28 of an Accredited Safety or Quality Improvement Program in the Quality Payment Program. Clinicians should submit their improvement activities by attestation via the CMS Quality Payment Program website. You will receive additional information after completing the activity and receiving your certificate via email.

Disclosures

It is the policy of the Interprofessional Continuing Education office at RUSH to ensure that its CE activities are independent, free of commercial bias. Therefore, we manage all financial relationships associated with accredited continuing education activities. RUSH asks everyone who has the ability to control or influence the content of an educational activity to disclose information about all of their financial relationships with ineligible companies within the prior 24 months. An ineligible company is an entity whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. There is no minimum threshold; individuals must disclose all financial relationships, regardless of the amount, with ineligible companies. Individuals must disclose regardless of their view of the relevance of relationships to education. Mechanisms are in place to identify and mitigate any potential conflicts of interest prior to the planning, implementation, or evaluation of the continuing education activity. If a financial relationship is identified for the person in control of content, conflict mitigation strategies will be used to mitigate the financial relationship before they assume their role.

Individuals in control of content for this activity have the following relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose and all financial relationships have been mitigated.

The following financial relationships have been provided:

Shervin Assassi, MD, MS
Consultant: Abbvie, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, CSL Behring, Merck, Mitsubishi Tanabe, Takeda, TeneoFour
Research Grant: Abbvie, aTyr, Boehringer Ingelheim (relationship has ended within the last 24 months), Janssen (relationship has ended within the last 24 months)
Speakers Bureau: Boehringer Ingelheim

Mark Yoder, MD
No financial relationships to disclose.

Elaine Chen, MD (Peer Reviewer)
No financial relationships to disclose.

Staff and Reviewer Disclosures

Rush University Medical Center and the Office of Interprofessional Continuing Education staff members, ACHL staff members, and others involved with the planning, development, and review of the content for this activity have no relevant affiliations or financial relationships to disclose.

Disclaimer

Unapproved Uses of Drugs/Devices: In accordance with requirements of the FDA, the audience is advised that information presented in this continuing medical education activity may contain references to unlabeled or unapproved uses of drugs or devices. Please refer to the FDA approved package insert for each drug/device for full prescribing/utilization information. Rush University Medical Center and ACHL require the speaker to disclose that a product is not labeled for the use under discussion.

Discussion of scientific information on unapproved uses (SIUU), off-label, investigational, or experimental drug/device use: nerandomilast, BMS-986278, inhaled treprostinil, TTI-101, deupirfenidone, and HZN-825.

Acknowledgement

This educational activity is presented in collaboration with Rush University Medical Center and Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning (ACHL).

Supported by an educational grant from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.