FIG. 10:  In the United States, pulmonary rehabilitation is generally administered by a core team that includes a medical director and a program coordinator.  The program coordinator can be a nurse, physical therapist, or respiratory therapist; often it is a respiratory rehabilitation specialist.  Outside the United States, pulmonary rehabilitation is given by physiotherapists.  As seen in this Figure, other professionals who contribute to the pulmonary rehabilitation process include physical therapists, nurses, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, exercise physiologists, administrative assistants, psychologists, nutritionists, dietitians, social workers, occupational therapists, pharmacists, physiatrists, physician extenders, recreational therapists, pastoral care workers, and speech therapists. 

A typical pulmonary rehabilitation program cannot afford to include all of these professionals.  However, pulmonary rehabilitation is often center-based (in the United States it is usually a hospital-based outpatient program), and in center-based pulmonary rehabilitation programs, these professionals often volunteer their time to the rehabilitation process.