Respiratory, Pulmonary & Lung Care Specialists

When your respiratory system is healthy, you barely give it a thought – but if you're not breathing normally, it's hard to function well during the day or get restful sleep at night. Whatever the nature of your pulmonary issues, we take the time to ensure you and your family are well informed and fully educated on managing your own care when leaving our facility. Our Department of Pulmonary Medicine & Lung Disease provides patient-centered evaluation and treatment of pulmonary disorders and conditions in a compassionate setting, on both an inpatient and outpatient basis.

What is pulmonary medicine?

Pulmonary medicine is the specialty that focuses on helping people with respiratory challenges involving the lungs and bronchial tubes. Pulmonologists typically care for patients with more complex pulmonary disease; who are critically ill or injured; or who have a sleep disorder. They are responsible for:

• Diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases
• Diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders
• Management of critical illness

Most Common Respiratory Diseases or Symptoms Stamford Health Pulmonologists Treat:

• Asthma
• Bronchitis
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Emphysema
• Lung Cancer
• Pneumonia
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Tuberculosis
• Cough
• Wheeze
• Shortness of breath
• Sleep apnea
• Chest pain
• Pulmonary nodules
• Abnormal chest x-rays

Our full pulmonary function testing services are comprised of complex and simple exercise tests, arterial blood gases, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing for unexplained shortness of breath. Our diagnostic services include thoracenteses, GPS guided fiberoptic bronchoscopy, and endobronchial ultrasound guided biopsies. Our Sleep Center is able to provide sleep studies in the comfort of the patient’s home as well as in-house overnight sleep studies, if needed. Our respiratory care treatment services include both invasive and non-invasive ventilator management; airway care and management; bronchial hygiene services, including chest physiotherapy services and suctioning; supplemental oxygen administration and management; respiratory patient assessment and education; aerosol medication treatment; and emergency care.

At Tully Health Center, we offer outpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation and pediatric pulmonary services such as full pediatric pulmonary function testing, simple exercise testing, pediatric bronchoscopy, and a monthly outpatient pediatric pulmonary clinic. Also, our cystic fibrosis (CF) team meets and sees CF patients weekly, and we are an affiliate of the Columbia Cystic Fibrosis Center monthly pediatric asthma clinic.

About Stamford Health's Pulmonology Team

All of our pulmonary doctors are board certified in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. Some are also board certified in Sleep Medicine and Allergy and Immunology. We are available 24/7 for both hospital patients and people who come to the emergency department requiring urgent pulmonary care and attention. Eligible patients can often participate in clinical research studies in which our pulmonary doctors are involved.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation helps restore function and improve the daily living of patients with pulmonary diseases including emphysema, chronic bronchitis and other forms of pulmonary disease.

With the help of one of our specially trained pulmonary rehabilitation care providers, patients receive:

• Gentle lower and upper body exercise training
• Instruction on proper breathing and pacing techniques
• Ventilator muscle training, when appropriate
• Psychosocial counseling, including stress management
• Education about proper medications, good nutritional habits and if necessary, smoking-cessation-program
• Suggestions for a home exercise program