Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine: Services
UF Health Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at Jacksonville treats a wide
array of medical conditions, including:
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Shortness of Breath
The most common condition seen treated is shortness of breath. The physicians' goals
are determine the cause and arrive at appropriate therapy based on the underlying
condition. Shortness of breath can be caused by heart disease, lung disease, deconditioning,
or any combination of these things.
Diagnosing the correct underlying condition can be as simple as pulmonary function
tests (breathing into a machine) to diagnose chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
or asthma or can involve more complicated heart and lung tests. These tests can
include high resolution CT scanning, echocardiography, stress tests, and a vast
array of other tests depending on the underlying cause. Treating shortness of breath
depends upon the cause.
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Obstructive Lung Disease
Obstructive lung diseases, which include emphysema and chronic bronchitis, are commonly
referred to as COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Less than one-half
of people labeled with this disease have actually undergone diagnostic testing to
confirm the diagnosis. The test can be obtained at the time of the initial office
visit and consists of blowing forcefully into a machine known as a spirometer.
Once the diagnosis is confirmed then a program of medication, exercise, and patient
education is prescribed to enable the patient to avoid acute illness, maximize their
exercise ability and improve their quality of life.
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Asthma
Asthma is nearly always able to be managed by the patient. In the asthma clinic
the focus is on patient education. The multidisciplinary team of clinical pharmacists,
respiratory therapists, and physicians has as its goal the prevention of asthma
attacks using the least amount of medication possible so that the patient can live
and work normally. We also offer bronchial thermoplasty,
a safe, long-lasting, non-drug procedure used to treat severe, persistent asthma
in adult patients whose asthma is not well controlled with inhaled corticosteroids
and long-acting beta-agonists.
Bronchial Thermoplasty
for Asthma
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Abnormal X-rays
Most patients with abnormal X-rays are seen in the Thoracic Oncology Clinic because
the multidisciplinary approach enables rapid evaluation. An evaluation can entail
anything from a review of films in the case of obvious, non-serious conditions to
bronchoscopic biopsy (including lymph node biopsy by ultrasound bronchoscopy) and
referral to a cardiothoracic surgeon for surgical biopsy.
Treatment Clinics
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Pulmonary Hypertension and Interstitial Lung Disease Program
Pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung disease are a group of complex diseases
and require a dedicated, multidisciplinary team to evaluate, diagnose and treat
these conditions. The Pulmonary Hypertension program is staffed by two pulmonologists
dedicated to Pulmonary Hypertension and one dedicated to Interstitial Lung Diseases,
a registered respiratory therapist/Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic Coordinator and
a Clinical Research Coordinator. The clinic offers state of the art diagnostics
and therapies and offers to participation in numerous clinical trials. In cases
where transplantation is required, referrals to transplant centers can be made in
a timely and efficient manner. A pharmacist is present in the clinic to help with
complex medication regimen and education regarding different medications. The program
coordinator allows patient to navigate the complex environment of evaluation, treatment
authorizations and follow ups.
For more information you can contact:
Janice Wood, RRT
Pulmonary Hypertension and Interstitial Lung Disease Program Coordinator
(904) 244-1578
Janice.Wood@jax.ufl.edu
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Sleep Center
UF physicians at the UF Health Jacksonville Sleep Center
diagnose and treat a variety of sleep-related disorders. The center is fully accredited
by American Association of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and fully equipped with an overnight
polysomnography suite. In addition the Center is also fully accredited by AASM to
offer home sleep testing (HST). The physicians evaluate and treat adult and pediatric
patients with a wide spectrum of sleep related disturbances.
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Thoracic Oncology Program
A multidisciplinary approach ensures timely diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer.
The UF thoracic surgeons, pulmonologists, oncologists and radiation oncologists
of the UF Health Jacksonville Thoracic
Oncology Program meet on a weekly basis to discuss patients and consider
the best individual therapy; this ensures that patients benefits from a collaborative,
academic team of specialists.
The Thoracic Oncology Program at the UF Health Cancer Center at Jacksonville also
offers lung cancer screenings using a
safe, low-dose CT scan. The American Lung Association endorses facilities which
use a team of experts for lung cancer screening procedures.
Lung Cancer Screenings
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Interventional pulmonary program
The interventional pulmonary program is an integral part of the division and offers
a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic options for patients with a variety of
lung and pleural diseases:
- Fiberoptic bronchoscopy
- Transbronchial biopsy under fluoroscopic guidance
- Transbronchial needle aspiration of lymph nodes
- Argon plasma coagulation
- Endobronchial ultrasound guided biopsy of hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes
- Navigational bronchoscopy
- Bronchial Thermoplasty
- Pleuroscopy
- Tunneled pleural drainage catheter placement
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Pulmonary Laboratory
The staff provides a full range of services that include complete pulmonary function
testing, methacholine challenge tests, a six-minute walking test, Cardiopulmonary
exercise testing (CPET) and High altitude simulation testing (HAST). The laboratory
has the capacity for therapeutic intervention, including ultrasound-guided catheter
placement for pleural effusions (excess fluid that accumulates in the space surrounding
the lungs) and pneumothorax (a collapsed lung).
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Medical Intensive Care Unit
The medical intensive care unit consists of 32 beds. Five critical care certified
medical professionals are on duty at all times and consist of UF physicians, residents
and fellows; pharmacists; nurses and physician extenders. The unit offers state
of the art technology for evaluating and managing critically ill population.
Other conditions and services