From CHEST: APP Intersection, "Optimizing lung transplant care: The expanding role of advanced practice providers"

This month, we are highlighting an article from The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST)’s APP Intersection written by our Transplant Committee Chair, Haley Hoy, PhD, ACNP, and Elizabeth Olsen, APRN, CNP, who is on the Faculty for the upcoming 2026 APAPP Annual  National Conference, June 18th through 20th in Las Vegas. 

The following is from Optimizing lung transplant care: The expanding role of advanced practice providers, September 17, 2025, chestphysician.org.

With approximately 20,000 individuals in the United States living with a lung transplant, general pulmonologists are increasingly encountering posttransplant patients. However, many nontransplant providers report discomfort managing the unique challenges these patients present. Advanced practice providers (APPs)—including nurse practitioners and physician assistants/associates—increasingly bridge this gap.

Lung transplant recipients require nuanced, multidisciplinary care that extends beyond the capabilities of many general pulmonary practitioners. While general pulmonologists are encouraged to participate in longitudinal management—particularly for comorbidities and preventative care—the literature consistently underscores the challenges in identifying and managing transplant-specific complications such as rejection, infection, and allograft dysfunction.1,2

APPs are uniquely positioned to support the care of these patients’ complex cases. Their consistent presence during lung transplant services—where physicians often rotate—allows them to maintain continuity, deliver direct care, and educate both patients and medical professionals. Read more at chestphysician.org.