Pulmonology

Pulmonology Services

The pediatric pulmonologists at Riley Hospital for Children, Indiana University Medical Center provide diagnosis and treatment of infants, children and adolescents with acute and chronic respiratory disease. In addition to caring for patients throughout the Midwest, we are active in researching ways to prevent serious lung damage in children with cystic fibrosis. Our research efforts in the treatment of asthma allow us to offer selected patients the latest medications before they are available to the public.

Specialized Care for Breathing Problems

Pediatric pulmonologists are physicians who specialize in caring for children with breathing disorders of all kinds. We provide thorough evaluation, then design a treatment and follow-up program to meet the needs of each child. The kinds of problems treated include asthma, wheezing, coughing, chest pain, viral respiratory infections, structural abnormalities in the respiratory system, and chronic lung disease in premature infants. Special programs are offered for children and adults with cystic fibrosis and for children with apnea (stopping breathing). Our Children's Sleep Disorder Center offers state-of-the-art evaluation of sleep disorders of all kinds. It is the only such center in Indiana and is nationally recognized.

National Prominence

Riley's pulmonary intensive care programs ranked number 7 overall in the U.S. by Child Magazine. No other Indiana hospitals pediatric pulmonary intensive care programs made the national rankings.

The Latest Technologies for Diagnosis

IU Medical Center's Pulmonary Diagnostic Center provides specialized lung function testing for children through the Pediatric Pulmonary Function Laboratory. This specialized laboratory performs testing for physicians throughout Indiana and is one of only a few places in the country to offer pulmonary function testing for infants. Other diagnostic methods include fiberoptic bronchoscopy, an outpatient procedure that lets doctors see inside the child's air passages. Our metabolic and exercise testing laboratory, which is also available to physicians throughout Indiana, is used to help evaluate the cause of a child's breathing problems.

Helping children and families at Home

We work closely with families and other health care professionals to coordinate home care planing for children who need ventilators, monitoring, supplemental oxygen or private duty nursing care. Our home care programs not only provide sophisticated technology in the home settings, but also offer 24-hour support from our pediatric pulmonologists, respiratory therapists and nurse specialists.

For Consultations or Referrals:

IMACS (Indiana Medical Access and Communication System) is a toll-free, direct line that gives you, the healthcare professional, and your office staff prompt access to IU faculty physicians for clinical consultations, patient referrals, patient information, or the latest research protocols. Simply call: (317) 916-3500 or 1-800-622-4989, or you can call the physicians office directly by phone (317) 274-7208 or fax (317) 274-7247.

In addition to connecting you with our clinical specialties, IMACS can connect you to: the Ruth Lilly Medical Library & Research Building; the IUPUI Medical Bookstore; the Clarian LifeLine Helicopter; the Newborn Intensive Care Vans and Continuing Medical Education. IMACS physician resource specialists are trained professionals who will expertly direct your call, even if you are not certain whom to ask for. Clarian Health Partners operates IMACS, and they follow detailed guidelines, established by our medical staff, to help you select the most appropriate person or area.

IMACS specialists will stay with you on the line until your call is complete to ensure you receive the information you need. They can transfer your call to a different area or help you make multiple contacts with just one call.

For routine consultations or referrals, please call IMACS Monday-Friday from 8am until 5:30pm. For emergency consultations or referrals, IMACS operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.