Objective:

• Understand current professional practice for the management of the IPF (from diagnosis to treatment)
• Conduct care network inventory (existing, needs, expectations, potential developments and improvements)
• Estimate IPF epidemiology in France (distribution of mild to moderate forms, number of patients meeting label treatment criteria for a first specific antifibrotic treatment)

Timescale:

3 months (from the beginning of the survey to the final report)

Methods:

• Phone and internet survey, 20200 phone calls and reminders, 474 emails sent
• 9 interviewers

Results

• Exceptionally high participation rate (every other pulmonologist replied)
• Identified failures in the care pathways which uncovered several unmet needs (ground for future projects)
• Justification of existing medical need for a specific treatment