ATS Launches Landmark Bronchiectasis Initiative

The American Thoracic Society (ATS) has launched a landmark initiative to address the serious underdiagnosis of bronchiectasis in the U.S.

Working with seven academic medical systems across the country, the ATS will conduct a large-scale electronic health record (EHR) inquiry to determine whether patients diagnosed with COPD or asthma also have bronchiectasis, or whether they were misdiagnosed and bronchiectasis is their underlying condition.

Diagnostic imaging practices, potential patterns of misdiagnosis, and potential disparities in access to specialty care will be assessed, with special focus on underserved and diverse communities.
 
At the same time, the ATS will establish prospective programs designed to improve earlier diagnosis and promote guideline-directed care. Outcomes will be evaluated across this combined, representative patient population.

The ATS hopes to achieve these four goals over a 36-month period:

1. Identify patterns of potential misdiagnosis using structured EHR data and, at select sites, AI-assisted tools to determine how many patients currently diagnosed with COPD or asthma may actually have bronchiectasis.
2. Work to understand the burden of exacerbations by characterizing patients with frequent respiratory exacerbations and assessing whether bronchiectasis, chronic infections, or underlying etiologies have been appropriately evaluated.
3. Pilot scalable solutions by co-designing and testing practical interventions, including EHR-based prompts, point-of-care clinical tools, and educational outreach such as continuing medical education modules.
4. Broadly disseminate the findings to clinicians and health systems nationwide through a variety of educational resources and national platforms.

“Bronchiectasis is a condition that has long been hiding in plain sight,” said ATS President Raed Dweik, MD, MBA, ATSF. “Too many patients are living with undiagnosed or misdiagnosed bronchiectasis, missing out on appropriate care. This initiative represents a critical step toward closing that gap — using the power of real-world data, quality improvement and implementation science, and the ATS’s national network to drive better outcomes for patients across the country.”

The quality improvement initiative is being supported by a grant from Insmed Incorporated. 

Highlighted in RC Buzz, May 11, 2026