Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine

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Irina Petrache, MD, Division Chief

What do we do?

The Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at National Jewish Health is one of the largest specialty groups in the nation. Our pulmonologists diagnose and treat adults with complex lung (respiratory) diseases and sleep disorders. Patients are evaluated and treated by doctors in both clinic and hospital settings. Our pulmonology care programs are designed to improve quality of life and reduce long-term cost associated with health care.

Why National Jewish Health? 

As the nation’s leading respiratory hospital for 125 years, our pulmonologists are widely recognized for excellence in diagnosing, treating and researching lung diseases and sleep disorders. We have unparalleled pulmonology expertise and internationally recognized doctors and scientists who bring their extensive experience and knowledge to the most challenging respiratory cases from around the world.

Our Section of Sleep Medicine and Section of Critical Care are an integrated part of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine.

Irina Petrache

Irina Petrache, MD

Multi-specialty Approach

Our pulmonologists work closely with other National Jewish Health doctors including cardiologists, gastroenterologists, rheumatologists, radiologists and pathologists to provide care that is thorough, multidisciplinary and tailored to the needs of each patient. Our doctors are specialists and they take the time to get to know our patients and really understand their conditions and concerns.

Advanced Diagnostic Services

In addition to having multiple specialties in one location, our patients benefit from having the most advanced imaging and pulmonary testing services on site.

  • Institute for Advanced Biomedical Imaging® — Cutting-edge technology and world-renowned thoracic (chest) radiologists
  • Pulmonary Physiology Services Laboratory— One of the largest and leading-edge pulmonary function laboratories in the country with unparalleled accuracy. Assessments and evaluations include:
    • Lung function and efficiency
    • Lung size, resistance, elasticity, compliance and specific conductance of the airways
    • Complex metabolic exercise
    • Exhaled nitric oxide, lung mechanic measurements and other special pulmonary physiology procedures that are unavailable at most facilities
    • Vocal cord dysfunction at rest and during exercise
    • Complex gastroesophageal reflux and laryngopharyngeal aspiration lung 
  • Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) Section –
    • Outpatient and inpatient multidisciplinary assessment and treatment of PH and right heart dysfunction by specialized pulmonologists
    • Phenotyping of pulmonary hypertension severity at rest and during exercise
    • Access to clinical trials with the newest drugs to treat this heart-lung condition
  • Multidisciplinary Sleep Medicine Programoffers
    • At home and in-lab sleep testing with state-of-the-art technology
    • Consultation with board certified sleep doctors
    • Sleep mask-fitting program for a comfortable personalized experience
    • Assessment and management of insomnia and other behavioral sleep conditions

Clinical Trials

We have a robust clinical trials program with more than 300 active clinical trials in progress. Our patients have access to the latest, most advanced clinical trials and effective treatments through research conducted here.

 

National Recognition – Special Designations

National Jewish Health is recognized by a variety of national organizations and has received the following designations of distinction for high-quality care and research in pulmonology; occupational and environmental health; critical care; and sleep medicine:

View National Recognition – Special Designations

 

Unique Centers

NTM Center of Excellence
Our NTM Center of Excellence serves the needs of patients, doctors, health-care providers and scientists. Its mission is to study NTM in a comprehensive manner and generate a catalog of physical, biological, chemical and genetic characteristics of these organisms; relate the phenotypic (physical, biological, and chemical) and genotypic (DNA) characteristics to the behavior of these species/strains of NTM in patients; test organism resistance and drug susceptibility to various strains of NTM; perform pharmacokinetic testing for patients undergoing drug treatment for NTM; and improve the education and training about NTM for health professionals and patients.

Center of Excellence for Silicosis and its Prevention
First of its kind in the nation, our Center of Excellence for Silicosis and its Prevention identifies at-risk construction workers and tailors diagnoses and treatments; works with government entities to create safety programs for employees; and helps educate industry professionals as they develop programs to keep workers safe.

Education
Pulmonary Fellows at the University of Colorado Denver rotate through Pulmonary Physiology Services at National Jewish Health to learn about pulmonary function testing, exercise testing and other specialized studies. Fellows may also see patients under the supervision of our pulmonoligists. Learn more about the Pulmonary Fellowship.

Research
We conduct research to advance the understanding and treatment of asthma, COPD and other pulmonary diseases. Learn about our research.


Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine

  • Mark S. Aloia

    Mark S. Aloia, PhD

  • Evgeny V. Berdyshev

    Evgeny V. Berdyshev, PhD

  • David A. Beuther

    David A. Beuther, MD, PhD, FCCP

  • James P. Bridges

    James P. Bridges, PhD

  • Amy Cacace

    Amy Cacace, MD

  • Hong Wei Chu

    Hong Wei Chu, MD

  • Joseph Cooley

    Joseph Cooley, DO

  • James D. Crapo

    James D. Crapo, MD

  • Azzeddine Dakhama

    Azzeddine Dakhama, PhD

  • Gregory P. Downey

    Gregory P. Downey, MD, FRCPC

  • Jack D. Edinger

    Jack D. Edinger, PhD

  • Evans Fernández

    Evans Fernández, MD, MS

  • David M. Ferraro

    David M. Ferraro, MD

  • James H. Finigan

    James H. Finigan, MD

  • Stephen K. Frankel

    Stephen K. Frankel, MD, FCCM, FCCP

  • Fernando Jose Fuentes

    Fernando Jose Fuentes, MD, FACP, FCCP, DABFM

  • Marjorie Patricia George

    Marjorie Patricia George, MD

  • Anthony N. Gerber

    Anthony N. Gerber, MD, PhD

  • Kristen Glisinski

    Kristen Glisinski, MD

  • Nir M. Goldstein

    Nir M. Goldstein, MD, FCCP

  • Ann Granchelli

    Ann Granchelli, MD

  • Vamsi P. Guntur

    Vamsi P. Guntur, MD, MSc

  • Katherine Hisert

    Katherine Hisert, MD, PhD

  • Tristan J. Huie

    Tristan J. Huie, MD

  • Patrick S. Hume

    Patrick S. Hume, MD, PhD

  • Yoko Ito

    Yoko Ito, MD, PhD

  • William J. Janssen

    William J. Janssen, MD

  • Rebecca C. Keith

    Rebecca C. Keith, MD

  • Matthew Koslow

    Matthew Koslow, MD

  • Tim Lahm

    Tim Lahm, MD, ATSF

  • Teofilo L. Lee-Chiong Jr

    Teofilo L. Lee-Chiong Jr, Jr, MD

  • Gabriel C. Lockhart

    Gabriel C. Lockhart, MD

  • Sherstin T. Lommatzsch

    Sherstin T. Lommatzsch, MD

  • Steven E. Lommatzsch

    Steven E. Lommatzsch, MD

  • Kenneth E. Lyn-Kew

    Kenneth E. Lyn-Kew, MD

  • Sean Maddock

    Sean Maddock, MD

  • Susan M. Majka

    Susan M. Majka, PhD

  • Barry J. Make

    Barry J. Make, MD

  • Adriel J. Malavé

    Adriel J. Malavé, MD

  • Kenneth C. Malcolm

    Kenneth C. Malcolm, PhD

  • Vipin Malik

    Vipin Malik, MD

  • Laurie A. Manka

    Laurie A. Manka, MD

  • Richard J. Martin

    Richard J. Martin, MD

  • Robert J. Mason

    Robert J. Mason, MD

  • Alexandra McCubbrey

    Alexandra McCubbrey, PhD

  • Michael P. Mohning

    Michael P. Mohning, MD

  • Kara Mould

    Kara Mould, MD, MPH

  • Christine Nguyen

    Christine Nguyen, DO

  • Jerry A. Nick

    Jerry A. Nick, MD

  • Mari Numata-Nakamura

    Mari Numata-Nakamura, MD, PhD

  • James K. O'Brien

    James K. O'Brien, MD, FACP, FCCP

  • J. Tod Olin

    J. Tod Olin, MD, MSCS

  • Claudia Onofrei

    Claudia Onofrei, MD, MSc

  • Irina Petrache

    Irina Petrache, MD

  • Kevin Rurak

    Kevin Rurak, MD

  • Milene Saavedra

    Milene Saavedra, MD

  • Howard Saft

    Howard Saft, MD, MS

  • Robert A. Sandhaus

    Robert A. Sandhaus, MD, PhD, FCCP

  • Sarah Sasse

    Sarah Sasse, PhD

  • Michael D. Schwartz

    Michael D. Schwartz, MD, FCCM

  • Joshua J. Solomon

    Joshua J. Solomon, MD

  • Evan L. Stepp

    Evan L. Stepp, MD

  • Jeff Swigris

    Jeff Swigris, DO, MS

  • Jennifer L. Taylor-Cousar

    Jennifer L. Taylor-Cousar, MD, MSCS

  • Sheila Tsai

    Sheila Tsai, MD

  • Dennis R. Voelker

    Dennis R. Voelker, PhD

  • Ryan Webster

    Ryan Webster, MD

  • Michael E. Wechsler

    Michael E. Wechsler, MD, MMSc

  • Catherine Wittman

    Catherine Wittman, MD

  • Chen-Shan Julia Woodcock

    Chen-Shan Julia Woodcock, PhD

  • James Woodrow

    James Woodrow, MD

  • Zulma X. Yunt

    Zulma X. Yunt, MD

  • Daniel Zank

    Daniel Zank, MD

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Programs and Services

Woman sleeping

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Conditions We Treat

Pencil checking the Sleep Apnea box on a checklist

Education

Pulmonary Fellows at the University of Colorado Denver rotate through Pulmonary Physiology Services at National Jewish Health to learn about pulmonary function testing, exercise testing and other specialized studies. Fellows may also see patients under the supervision of our faculty. Learn more about the Pulmonary Fellowship.

Research

Our division conducts research to advance the understanding and treatment of asthma, COPD and other pulmonary diseases. Learn about our research.

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