Physician Resource

COPDThe COPD Program at National Jewish Health offers comprehensive and individualized evaluation, treatment, rehabilitation, and education for patients at all stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Our unique, multi-specialty approach is designed to evaluate the full scope of medical and non-medical aspects of your patient's COPD in a short period of time. This focus enables our team of physicians and therapists to address education, compliance, nutrition, and rehabilitation-all potentially challenging issues in the primary care setting. Our goal is to return to you each and every patient with a personalized management plan and all the tools necessary to optimize their COPD care and quality of life.

 

Setting a New Standard of Care

The COPD Program Care Model is based on the collaboration of a dedicated team of COPD specialists. The program is customized to meet individual and family needs as your patients move through a series of outpatient appointments. The program generally the lasts 6-12 weeks for local patients and 8-10 days for out-of-state patients. 

National Jewish Health COPD Program highlights include:

  • Customized programs for local and out-of-state patients.
  • Detailed evaluation to confirm a COPD diagnosis and determine type, severity and co-morbid conditions or complications. 
  • Specialized diagnostic testing including:
    • Complete pulmonary function testing
    • Spirometry  (pre- and post-albuterol treatment)
    • DLCO (Diffusion capacity)
    • Exercise Tolerance (with or without an Arterial-line)
    • Arterial Blood Gas (with pulse oximetry and walking)
  • Multidisciplinary care team meets weekly to discuss each patient's status, progress and goals.
  • Access to latest pharmacologic therapies, oxygen therapy and clinical research.
  • Specialized alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency program.
  • Evaluation for other smoking-related lung diseases.
  • Formal pulmonary rehabilitation program and warm water therapy pool.
  • Individual take-home management guide for every patient.
  • Behavioral health, nutrition, and smoking cessation counseling.
  • Evaluation for lung volume reduction surgery.
  • Evaluation and treatment for sleep disorders.
  • Evaluation for potential lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) and lung transplant.

If you would like to refer a patient, please call the Physician Line at 1.800.652.9555. We look forward to the opportunity to serve as a resource for you in the care of patients with COPD.