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Physician Referrals
Asthma
For patients who suffer from Asthma, MetroHealth offers three area Asthma Clinics (including one on the main campus) available by appointment for routine and urgent visits. These are specialized clinics staffed by board certified Pulmonologists, a nurse practitioner, and a registered respiratory therapist. We provide a team approach in which the patients are partners in their own care. Patients are evaluated and educated on how to control their asthma and avoid flare-ups. Spirometry is available at each of the locations.
Bariatrics
The Pulmonary/Critical Care/Sleep Division at MetroHealth has established a clinic designed particularly for the evaluation of obese patients who may be considering bariatric surgery. The medical complications of obesity are many and include heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and premature death. Patients with obesity are also at high risk for respiratory disorders, particularly sleep-disordered breathing. If you have such a patient and you are concerned that he/she may suffer from sleep apnea or other respiratory disorder, consider referring the patient to our Bariatric Pulmonary Clinic.
Medical-Surgical Step-Down Unit (MSSU)
The MSSU is a 16-bed unit, including 10 critical care step-down beds and 6 telemetry beds. The Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Division shares the Unit with the Department of Surgery. The medical patients are transferred from the medial Intensive Care Unit, from the inpatient medical units, or are admitted directly from the Emergency Department. The unit cares for a wide variety of medical patients, ranging from acute on chronic respiratory failure, patients requiring prolonged ventilatory support through a tracheostomy, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, acute overdose, diabetic ketoacidosis, cardiac dysrhythmias due to acute respiratory disorders or other acute medical condition, and a myriad of other disorders. The MSSU is staffed by a Board Certified Intensivist and seven house officers (2 senior residents and 5 interns). The patient to nurse ratio is 3:1 for the step-down patients and 4:1 for the telemetry patients. Respiratory Therapists also play an integral role in the care of many of the patients.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Pulmonary rehabilitation is recommended by the American Thoracic Society and the NIH as part of a comprehensive treatment plan for patients with chronic respiratory disease. Pulmonary Rehabilitation Classes are offered three times a week in our exercise center, which features continuous monitoring, oxygen supplementation and a highly trained staff. The eight-week program is specially designed to meet the needs and goals of each participant. This program uses supervised exercise and education to help individuals with lung diseases learn about the need for life-long exercise and how to live a healthy lifestyle.
If you are caring for patients with chronic pulmonary disease, consider a referral to the MetroHealth Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program. Your patients will benefit from:
- an improved quality of life
- an increased exercise capacity
- a decrease in dyspnea symptoms
- a reduction in frequency of disease exacerbations
- an improved knowledge and understanding of their disease and treatment plan
- the emotional support of group therapy
Pulmonary Tests and Procedures
- Bronchoscopy
The Division of Pulmonary Medicine and the Department of Thoracic Surgery perform bronchcospic-based procedures, including transbronchial biopsy and needle aspiration, alevolar lavage, lung biopsy, tracheobronchoscopy, brushings/washings, thoracentesis pleura biopsy and foreign body removal. Our providers utilize a state-of-the-art Multispecialty Endoscopy suite where other specialties such as Gatroenterology, Pediatrics and general surgery are available for immediate consulting. The physician faculty work collaboratively to provide superior patient care for both outpatients and the critically ill. As an academic institution, our physician staff teach fellows the knowledge and skills needed to practice pulmonary medicine anywhere in the U.S., and the nursing staff follows evidence-based practices to promote caring, compassionate, patient-focused care. The Multi-Specialty Endoscopy suite is located at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. The Medical Center's mission is to provide care to patients regardless of the ability to pay. Questions or appointment scheduling may be directed to the Department of Pulmonary Medicine.
- Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT)
The Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Division operates a full-service, state-of-the-art pulmonary function laboratory on main campus and at our MetroHealth Broadway Health Center, and spirometry at our Beachwood, Buckeye and Middleburg Heights health centers. Arterial blood gas sampling and exercise oximetry testing for home oxygen evaluations are also available. Pulmonary function tests are performed on both inpatients and outpatients for diagnosis and management of respiratory conditions, pre-operative assessments and disability evaluations. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing is performed to evaluate patients with unexplained dyspnea, to follow the course of a respiratory disorder and the response to treatment, and for evaluation prior to enrollment in our Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program. Respiratory management training is also available, including: meter-dosed inhaler technique, the proper use of spacers, peak flow monitoring, and airway clearance modalities (such as PEP therapy, flutter valve and postural drainage). In addition to our full-service laboratory on the main campus, limited pulmonary function testing and respiratory management training are available at our satellite locations, as well.
