Growth and Impact

Growth and Impact in 2025

The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) saw exponential growth in 2025, including new initiatives to embrace renewable energy, support for members of the care team, the rollout of an on-demand streaming platform, and further expansion of programs to improve patient care. The CHEST^® journal portfolio continues to climb the ranks with its open access publications achieving indexation in Scopus. Practice-defining guidelines were published for non-small cell lung cancer, biologics management in severe asthma, and more. And, amid changing federal guidance, CHEST remained fervently committed to its values in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).

ON THIS PAGE

Journal CHEST Portfolio

Expert Guidelines

Leading the charge

Sustainability at CHEST

In 2025, CHEST advanced its commitment to environmental stewardship and lung health by installing a solar panel system at its Glenview, Illinois, headquarters to reduce its carbon footprint and lower reliance on fossil fuels. The renewable energy installation supports facility operations, including the medical simulation lab, and reflects CHEST’s mission to address environmental determinants of respiratory health.

In recognition of this leadership and innovative approach, CHEST received the 2025 Glenview Environmental Sustainability Award for Innovation, honoring its efforts to reduce emissions, improve air quality, and contribute to healthier communities.

Power of Associations Award for Conscious Inclusion

First 5 Minutes

The First 5 Minutes^® initiative focuses on building patient trust to improve outcomes through empathetic listening. The original course, Strategies for Building Patient Trust, was launched as an e-learning module in 2023. In 2025, the program expanded to offer modules for Compassionate ILD Care.

Also in 2025, First 5 Minutes: Cultural Humility was awarded the Power of Associations Award for Conscious Inclusion. This microlearning series addresses implicit bias, antiracist communication, and cultural humility to make every patient feel comfortable with their provider.

The latest module, Patient-Centered Approaches in Critical Care, focuses on nonstigmatizing language and human-first care in the ICU and debuted at the CHEST Annual Meeting 2025.

Bridging Specialties

First launched to bring together pulmonary and primary care clinicians to shorten the time to diagnosis for interstitial lung disease, Bridging Specialties^® has since expanded to additional disease states, including COPD.

In 2025, CHEST launched Bridging Specialties: Timely Diagnosis for NTM Pulmonary Disease and Bronchiectasis and Bridging Specialties: Timely Diagnosis for PH-ILD, which include decision-making courses, interactive infographics, webinars, and more.

Advanced practice provider education and certification

This past year, CHEST made a landmark advancement in critical care professional development with the launch of comprehensive educational resources and the first-of-its-kind critical care certification exam for advanced practice providers (APPs), including nurse practitioners and physician assistants/associates.

Creating more than 23 hours of educational content, by APPs, for APPs, this initiative fills a clinician-reported gap between academic training and ICU practice by providing targeted educational materials. The CHEST Critical Care APP (CCAPP) certification validates clinical knowledge and strengthens the role of APPs in critical care teams.

In 2025, 194 clinicians passed the exam to earn the CCAPP credential.

Access APP Resources »
Learn about the CCAPP certification and exam »

CHEST MedCast

To meet the diverse learning needs of members, CHEST introduced an on-demand, personalized, streaming education resource in 2025. With CHEST MedCast, users can:

Watch anytime, anywhere
Access world-class content
Enjoy a Netflix-like user experience

879 VIDEOS
82 K VIEWS
19,092 HOURS WATCHED

Increasing diversity and belonging

CHEST is committed to creating an inclusive environment where the diverse experiences and perspectives of all staff and members are amplified, affirmed, and valued. In early 2025, when large corporations were eliminating DEIB, CHEST reaffirmed our pledge to the medical community. The statement asserts the importance of health equity through medical practice and public policy.

Where inclusion becomes action

From mentorship and professional advancement to allyship and advocacy, these initiatives reflect how CHEST is turning its values into meaningful impact, strengthening our community by fostering equity, representation, and a sense of belonging for all.

In 2025, CHEST added a sixth organizational value—science-based—reinforcing its commitment to evidence-based medicine as a guiding principle.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEST VALUES »

CHEST Board of Regents mentoring high school youth

Supporting the future of medicine

In August, CHEST welcomed high school students from the Sneakers 2 Scrubs program. On-site at CHEST HQ, they connected with members of the CHEST Board of Regents, explored hands-on learning in our simulation center, and engaged in mentoring sessions.

Elevating women in chest medicine

In March, the Women in Chest Medicine Interest Group led a Women’s History Month social media campaign celebrating the contributions and leadership of women across chest medicine. The campaign amplified diverse voices, highlighted professional achievements, and reinforced CHEST’s commitment to equity, visibility, and advancement for women in the field.

Artisitc representation of respiratory care

Strengthening team-based care

Working to advance the respiratory therapist profession, in 2025, the Respiratory Care Interest Group contributed several articles to the CHEST Physician^® publication. In “Respiratory Care: A Glass Half Full?”, they discussed workforce challenges and opportunities while underscoring the need for greater inclusion, collaboration, and recognition of respiratory therapists across the care continuum.

Advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion

In 2025, the LGBTQ+ at CHEST Interest Group hosted Healing Under Pressure: Advancing LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Uncertain Times, a webinar focused on fostering inclusive clinical environments. The program addressed emerging challenges in LGBTQ+ health care and highlighted strategies to support equity, belonging, and affirming care for both patients and health professionals.

Coming in 2026: Citizens of the Global Majority Interest Group

Learn more about CHEST Interest Groups »

Actively including DEIB at CHEST 2025

In addition to CHEST’s commitment to ensure all annual meeting sessions are well represented by a variety of genders, races, etc, DEIB had a presence throughout CHEST 2025 in Chicago, including:

A program that brought aspiring clinicians, the Talent Garden scholars, to the meeting
Educational sessions, including Incorporating Health Equity Into Medical Education
Hosting more than 135 respiratory therapy students from six Illinois schools for a full day of educational content and networking
Celebrating Diwali at the Cultures and Communities Reception
A volunteer opportunity for attendees to assemble care kits for individuals with intellectual disabilities entering independent living and/or transitioning to new housing
Welcoming three local vendors to the CHEST Exhibit Hall for a Common Cause Collective; the vendors were Sip of Hope, Bright Endeavors, and Crafted Chaos, which is owned and operated by CHEST member and local registered respiratory therapist Suma Maizer

CHEST 2025 welcomes
Talent Garden scholars

CHEST celebrates Diwali

CHEST attendees
assemble care kits

CHEST attendees shopping at the Common Cause Collective

Fueled by CHEST’s commitment to social responsibility, the annual meeting also places an intentional focus on meaningful engagement with local communities. In 2025, this program, known as Community Connections, was recognized as a recipient of an American Society of Association Executives Power of Associations Award in the Power of Community Support category. At CHEST 2025, the CHEST Community Connections were Chicago Asthma Consortium, CommunityHealth, and Mobile Care Chicago, each of which received an unrestricted grant of $5,000 and a platform in the CHEST Exhibit Hall to inform attendees about their work.

Chest staff at Skokie United Juneteenth celebration

In the local community

Equity and inclusion continue to play a prominent role in CHEST’s philanthropic goals. This ongoing commitment includes a sustained effort to build relationships with social impact organizations local to our Chicagoland headquarters. In 2025, CHEST participated in events such as the Skokie United Juneteenth celebration (pictured), a Sneakers 2 Scrubs youth event, the Malcolm X College Respiratory Care Conference, and more.

Internal education and representation

CHEST hosted antiracism seminars for staff led by Board of Regents member Nneka Sederstrom, PhD, FCCP, and her colleague Talee Vang, PsyD, LP. The seminars focused on tools to recognize racism and microaggressions and ways to be actively antiracist in the workplace and beyond.

Now in its third year, the CHEST staff DEIB Committee worked to plan educational and volunteer opportunities for their colleagues and hosted an ofrenda in recognition and celebration of Día de los Muertos. The 2025 Lunch and Learns covered a variety of topics, from mental health awareness to experiencing Native American culture.

The CHEST DEIB Committee at the Chicago Field Museum

CHEST and Glenview neighbor, Western Golf Association/Evans Scholars Foundation, swapped DEI interns for a day of learning and networking

The CHEST ofrenda for Día de los Muertos

CHEST staff embracing mental wellness through painting

Advocacy in action

Representatives from health organizations meeting at CHEST Headquarters to address idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis as a chronic disease.

CHEST made great strides in advocacy in 2025, seeing success when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released long-awaited guidelines on coverage for noninvasive ventilation devices used by millions of Americans with chronic COPD. In addition to this CHEST-led success, the organization continued to advocate for clinician and patient rights and joined the conversations on topics such as:

At the CHEST Annual Meeting, advocacy-focused educational sessions included Changemakers: Promoting Health Care Sustainability in Your Institution, Breaking News! New Coverage Guidelines for NIV in COPD, and more.

Supported by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CHEST started a work group of various health organizations to raise awareness for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis as a chronic disease. The work group completed the landscape assessment of the disease state in 2025 and will work on developing and disseminating educational assets in years two and three.

VISIT OUR ADVOCACY PAGE »

Representatives from health organizations meeting at CHEST Headquarters to address idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis as a chronic disease.

CELEBRATING THE FIGHTER AND THE FIGHT

CHEST Advocates

The all-digital CHEST Advocates publication offers readers the information and insights they need to champion important changes in respiratory health. Each issue features perspectives of frontline organizations, patients, clinicians, and community leaders, using words, images, and multimedia to tell the story. In 2026, CHEST Advocates will welcome a new Editor in Chief, Panagis Galiatsatos, MD, MHS.

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1: CULTIVATING OPPORTUNITY
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2: ACCESS TO CARE
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3: RESEARCH INTEGRITY

Making a meaningful difference

This year marked a meaningful moment in how the CHEST community supports the next generation of clinicians. Through the 90 for 90 Campaign, created to honor CHEST’s 90th anniversary, member generosity made it possible to award 90 travel grants, the highest number in CHEST’s history. As a result, early career clinicians from around the world were able to attend the CHEST Annual Meeting, engage in high-quality education, and begin building the professional networks that will sustain their careers.

Across CHEST’s three philanthropic pillars, member-supported giving delivered tangible outcomes:

Clinical Research: Donor-funded grants continued to advance investigator-led studies in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine, supporting innovative work that strengthens the evidence base and informs patient care.
Dedication to Education: In addition to expanded travel grants, philanthropy supported programs designed to foster mentorship, leadership development, and access to educational opportunities for clinicians at critical points in their professional journeys.
Community Impact: Through targeted, values-aligned initiatives, donor dollars helped extend health education and resources into communities, reinforcing CHEST’s commitment to improving outcomes beyond the walls of academic medicine.

The full CHEST Philanthropy Impact Report 2025 will be available shortly.

MORE ABOUT CHEST PHILANTHROPY »

Sharing the latest research

journal CHEST | CHEST Critical Care | CHEST Pulmonary

The highly ranked journal CHEST advances patient care by publishing rigorous research, commentary, and clinical insights. The journal also houses CHEST’s multidisciplinary clinical practice guidelines and consensus statements, and, at CHEST 2025 in Chicago, the journal led eight educational sessions: Practice Changing Research in Critical Care, Sleep, and Thoracic Oncology; a Best of CHEST journals session highlighting important research from the three journals in the portfolio; and four sessions celebrating the 90th anniversary of CHEST—90 Years of Progress in Mechanical Ventilation, Lung Cancer, Diffuse Lung Disease, and Asthma.

Included in the journal portfolio are two open access journals, which—just two years after launch—received approval for indexation with Elsevier’s Scopus, which is expected to increase the visibility, accessibility, usage, and impact of these scholarly research journals. CHEST^® Critical Care and CHEST^® Pulmonary both feature content that is permanently and freely available online for all.

EXPLORE THE CHEST JOURNAL PORTFOLIO »

9.2
IMPACT
FACTOR

547
PUBLISHED
CONTENT PIECES

8,898
GLOBAL PRINT
CIRCULATION*

14,553
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EMAIL RECIPIENTS**

310,933
AVERAGE MONTHLY
ONLINE VISITS***

*As of September 2025, based on a 12-month monthly average from September 2024 to August 2025 for the flagship CHEST journal
**Based on a 12-month monthly average from September 2024 to August 2025
***Monthly average web metrics based on the period from September 2024 to August 2025

Multimedia and journal reach in 2025

Each month, the journal CHEST offers an array of complementary multimedia activities to expand the reach of the most interesting, timely, and relevant research, including 32 podcast episodes and 63 visual abstracts.

To leverage the success of the Humanities section, in 2025, the journal CHEST debuted a new podcast hosted by Abhishek Bhardwaj, MD, that dove into deeper discussions surrounding popular Humanities Exhalations articles.

3,785
JOURNAL SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

52,961
CLICKS TO PUBLISHED RESEARCH

4,779,052
SOCIAL IMPRESSIONS

Follow the Journal CHEST on X (formerly Twitter) »

The Journal CHEST in the Media

Medscape: APRV vs Low Tidal Volume Ventilation: Why the Debate Persists in ARDS Care

Healio Pulmonology: Odds for future airway obstruction elevated with preserved ratio impaired spirometry

Pulmonology Advisor: CS Use Linked to Higher 90-Day Mortality in Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia

VIEW ALL MEDIA PLACEMENTS

Supporting transparency and inclusiveness in publishing

As open access journals, CHEST Pulmonary and CHEST Critical Care feature content that is freely available online. In 2025, both new journals received approval for indexation with the Directory of Open Access Journals and Elsevier’s Scopus.

CHEST Critical Care

CHEST Critical Care advances the care of patients served by critical care clinicians. Research published in this journal covers topics such as ARDS and acute respiratory failure, end-of-life care, ICU organization, injury, mechanical ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, medical education, post-ICU syndrome, sepsis and infections, and shock.

CHEST CRITICAL CARE IN THE MEDIA | News Medical - Continuous glucose monitors show promise in managing diabetic ketoacidosis

105
ARTICLES PUBLISHED

566
SOCIAL POSTS

1,286,051
SOCIAL IMPRESSIONS

CHEST Pulmonary

CHEST Pulmonary advances the care of patients served by multidisciplinary clinicians across pulmonary and sleep medicine. Research published in this journal covers topics such as asthma, chest infections, COPD, diffuse lung disease, education and clinical practice, pulmonary vascular disease, sleep, and thoracic oncology.

CHEST PULMONARY IN THE MEDIA | MedCentral - Is home-based pulmonary rehab a viable option for COPD?

106
ARTICLES PUBLISHED

688
SOCIAL POSTS

917,726
SOCIAL IMPRESSIONS

Darcy Marciniuk, MD, FCCP, receiving the Alfred Soffer Award for Editorial Excellence

Awards and what’s next

At the CHEST Annual Meeting 2025, the journal CHEST was recognized when recent Deputy Editor Darcy Marciniuk, MD, FCCP, received the Alfred Soffer Award for Editorial Excellence. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the CHEST journal. In 2025, following years of dedicated service as Deputy Editor, Dr. Marciniuk concluded his tenure in the role. Ryan Maves, MD, FCCP, has since stepped into the position of Deputy Editor of Outreach and is actively supporting the journal’s initiatives.

Coming in 2026: a podcast based on the journal’s How I Do It reviews and the launch of an Artificial Intelligence Work Group

Defining and standardizing best care practices

CHEST’s multidisciplinary guidelines help translate quality evidence into applicable recommendations that enrich patient care and improve health outcomes. Clinicians around the world turn to CHEST clinical practice guidelines for the most relevant interventions in chest medicine. CHEST also supplements the guidelines with infographics, dedicated webpages on chestnet.org, and social media campaigns to convey key points.

Started in 2024, CHEST has an open call for guideline panelists to self-nominate. In 2025, CHEST received nearly 100 applicants.

Published in 2025

LOOKING AHEAD

In 2026, the Guidelines Oversight Committee is anticipating the publication of up to seven new guidelines, with topics including bronchiectasis, tobacco cessation, and more.