Pulmonology in 2025: Three Key Advances in Severe Lung Disease Care

Updated on January 30, 2025

As we move into 2025, the field of pulmonology is poised to make significant strides, with advancements in treatments, diagnostics, and care models creating new opportunities to improve the overall outcomes for patients with severe lung diseases. These developments are not just about technological progress—they represent a shift toward more patient-focused, minimally invasive care that prioritizes early detection and personalized treatment.

For patients living with conditions like severe COPD and emphysema, these changes – from innovative treatments that can reduce the need for surgery to smarter workflows that streamline care – offer new hope for an improved quality of life. 

These are the three key trends we expect to shape pulmonology and severe lung disease care in 2025, enhancing patient outcomes and access to care.

Innovative, minimally invasive treatments will help patients breathe easier

More individuals with severe breathing difficulties will find relief and be able to regain their quality of life thanks to advanced treatments like endobronchial valves (EBVs). EBVs offer a minimally invasive option for people living with severe COPD/emphysema and can help patients recover faster with fewer complications compared to traditional surgeries. Placed in select airways of the lung, EBVs reduce hyperinflation to improve symptoms and lung function, helping patients resume daily activities, such as climbing stairs or going to the grocery store, with greater ease (see risks associated with this procedure here).

Doctors and specialists are increasingly embracing minimally invasive treatments that prioritize patient quality of life while reducing health care system costs. This shift reflects a growing commitment within the medical community to adopt treatments that have the potential to improve outcomes, minimize risks, and make care more accessible for all patients. 

Screening rates will improve early detection of severe lung diseases 

Early detection of lung conditions like emphysema will become more achievable as lung health screenings expand. Low-dose CT scans and other diagnostic tools can identify lung diseases in their earlier stages, providing patients with a broader range of treatment options. Improved public awareness and accessibility of these screenings will lead to earlier interventions, helping patients avoid the progression of debilitating symptoms. Currently, screening rates for lung diseases remain low; for example only 16% of the high-risk population is screened for lung cancer, according to the American Lung Association. This underscores the need for greater emphasis on expanding screening programs for all severe lung diseases. 

Leading hospitals are increasingly focusing on intervening earlier in the course of severe lung diseases to improve outcomes, whether it’s catching lung cancer early through screenings, preventing exacerbations with biologics in appropriate patients, or helping severe emphysema patients return to daily activities before they become too deconditioned from their disease. 

Diagnostics will trigger smarter, streamlined care 

Enhanced diagnostic tools will help trigger integrated health care workflows, ensuring more patients receive timely and essential care they might otherwise miss. For example, an in-office pulmonary function test or low-dose CT scan result can now prompt automated follow-up actions, such as scheduling appointments with specialists or initiating advanced treatments like endobronchial valves. Digitized workflows will improve care coordination, enabling earlier and more effective interventions for patients with severe lung diseases. Every step will be automated and intelligent, albeit with humans in the loop to ensure the care is appropriate.

The trends highlighted above offer a glimpse into what’s on the horizon, and by proactively responding to these shifts, we’ll be better positioned to provide the best care possible for patients with severe lung diseases. As the landscape continues to evolve, embracing innovation and adapting to these changes will ensure that we can continue to drive meaningful improvements in patient outcomes and quality of life. 

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Beran Rose
Chief Commercial Officer at 

Beran Rose, Chief Commercial Officer at Pulmonx, has over 25 years of experience in healthcare, driving growth through product strategy, market development, and commercial execution. Before Pulmonx, he served as Global Group Marketing Director at Boston Scientific, where he was responsible for building the Pulmonary business and created the market for the first procedure to treat severe asthma. Beran also has a decade of management consulting experience and holds a BA from Yale and an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management.