PFF Care Center Network Expands to 74 Sites Across 34 US States
6 new sites now offering PF treatment, patient support
The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation’s PFF Care Center Network (CCN) now includes 74 medical centers in 34 U.S. states, after six more sites specializing in pulmonary fibrosis (PF) diagnosis, treatment, and patient support joined the nationwide program.
“Our new PFF Care Center Network sites offer much-needed comprehensive care for patients living with PF and interstitial lung disease (ILD). The new centers are located in California, Florida, Illinois, Oklahoma, Virginia and Wisconsin,” Jessica Shore, PhD, a registered nurse and vice president of clinical affairs and quality at PFF, said in a press release.
“In addition to providing expert care, our centers participate in ILD research and offer educational events for the community to help patients and their loved ones,” added Shore.
The new PFF Care Center Network site in Oklahoma — at OU Health — is the first in that state. Its addition brought the number of U.S. states with these specialized care centers to 34.
To be eligible for CCN, care centers must meet high-standard eligibility criteria, which were developed based on input from PF medical specialists and patients. People living with PF can find experienced healthcare professionals at these centers, including experts in pulmonary hypertension, lung transplant, rheumatology, and nurses with a specialty in treating ILDs.
ILDs include all conditions that are characterized by inflammation and/or scarring (fibrosis) in the lung.
CCN was launched in 2013 with nine original sites. By 2019, the network had expanded to 68 sites spread across 33 U.S. states. Now, it was joined by the following centers:
- Center for Advanced Lung Disease, Keck Medicine of University of Southern California, in Los Angeles, California
- University of South Florida–Tampa General Hospital, in Tampa, Florida
- Rush University Medical Center, in Chicago, Illinois
- OU Health, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- VCU Health, in Richmond, Virginia
- Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The network addresses the needs of more than 250,000 people with PF in the U.S. Their teams use a multidisciplinary approach to improve diagnosis and increase the quality of care for patients.
The centers also seek to speed up clinical research by directing patients to local clinical trials.
According to the Foundation website, patients at PF care centers may be able to participate in the PFF Patient Registry, a clinical research registry that gathers important disease information from PF patients, lung transplant recipients, caregivers, and family members.
Care centers also promote advocacy by distributing educational materials for patients, carers, and healthcare providers. The main team of each center will join learning sessions on the provided materials and support groups are expected to run at least quarterly, the Foundation states. Care centers and support group locations can be found on the PFF website.
Patients and caregivers interested in learning more about these centers can email [email protected], or call 844.TalkPFF (844-825-5733).
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