Respiratory Services
Guiding You Towards Better Health
Customized care designed to help you breathe your best
Our all-inclusive program is available for COPC patients with ongoing respiratory needs.
We aim to give our patients the tools they need to better manage their condition and
improve their overall quality of life.
Through dynamic education and a personalized plan,
we will help you overcome respiratory-related obstacles.
What to Expect from Our Sessions
- Gain a better understanding of your condition
- Receive a customized action plan
- Learn how to control feelings of shortness of breath and reduce panic
- Discover what inhalers are the best for you and how to effectively use them
- Learn how to pursue exercise, if this is hard for you
- Understand how to deal with airway and environmental triggers
- Learn energy conservation techniques for daily activities
Respiratory Services Overview
Adult Chronic Respiratory Disease Management
Patients Age 18 Years and Older
We provide comprehensive education and treatment plans for adults with chronic respiratory diseases including:
- COPD, i.e. emphysema and chronic bronchitis
- Asthma
- Restrictive lung diseases, i.e. pulmonary fibrosis
- Post-COVID syndrome (long haulers)
Pediatric Asthma Management/Education
Patients Age 6-18 Years
Our pediatric program only focuses on teaching children with asthma about understanding their condition and how to manage it with their personalized treatment plan.
Program Goals
Increase Awareness
Our program aims to teach our patients and their families that even though chronic respiratory conditions are not curable, they are in fact treatable and progression can be considerably slowed.
Reduce Hospitalizations
Our goal is to significantly decrease respiratory-related emergency room and/or hospital admissions for patients with any chronic respiratory diagnosis.
Increase Confidence
We strive to help boost your confidence in your ability to manage your respiratory symptoms so you can live well and focus on life, not your condition.
Increase Success
We will encourage you to be actively involved in every aspect of your care and help you successfully follow your personalized treatment plan.
Increase Family Awareness
We will also work with your family to increase their awareness and decrease anxiety related to your respiratory condition.
Session Outline
We customize each care plan based on the individual needs of the patient. Below is a general idea of what is typically covered in most plans.
Adults
- Discuss treatment plan (inhaler use, breathing techniques, airway clearance)
Pediatrics
- Discuss inhaler use
Both
- Lung function testing
- Go over your detailed health history
- Review your current respiratory condition management
Adults
- Evaluate progress and ability to follow treatment plan
- Provide further management methods as needed
Pediatrics
- Discuss inhaler use and effectiveness
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my (or my child’s) asthma 'go away'?
Like many respiratory conditions, asthma cannot be cured but it can be controlled. If diagnosed with asthma, you will always have sensitive airways, but you may just go through periods of time where you experience no symptoms. The response to airway triggers seems to change at certain age points, making the asthma symptoms better or sometimes worse.
Will I always need daily medications/inhalers to manage my respiratory condition?
Respiratory medications help manage the inflammation or airway spasms that often cause obstructed air flow in respiratory disease. Many work best if taken on a daily basis. If your airway sensitivity decreases, you may be able to go to an “as needed” inhaler.
What about physical activity with lung disease?
Exertional activity (sports, exercise work outs) is important for maintaining good health — this is for any age. You may be directed to take an inhaler prior to activity, but most activity can be done safely.
What is COPD?
COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This is a “umbrella” term that usually has an overlap of emphysema and chronic bronchitis under it. In each situation air gets into the lungs but then has trouble getting back out. This leads to air trapping and shortness of breath. While this is not a curable disease it can be managed so the individual can lead a full and productive life.
Do I need oxygen to help my shortness of breath?
We can teach you how to check and manage your oxygen levels. Shortness of breath is caused by trapping air in your lungs. You can learn breathing techniques to help with this. The correct inhaler can also help. Often a patient does not need oxygen therapy.