The Division of Pulmonary Medicine as well as Cystic Fibrosis Center care for the inpatient and outpatient needs of infants and children referred to us both internally as well as from the entire Midwest and beyond.
In addition to the Cystic Fibrosis program, fellows care for children with Asthma, Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia, Chronic Respiratory Insufficiency and Technology Dependence, and Sleep Disorders. In addition, infants and children with a wide variety of pulmonary diseases and breathing disorders are followed by the fellows.
An interdisciplinary team that includes personnel from Internal Medicine, Nursing, Nutrition, Social Work, Respiratory Therapy, and Physical Therapy provides comprehensive patient care. All CF patients are reviewed and discussed during a weekly interdisciplinary team meeting. While rotating on the inpatient service, the fellow is responsible for the care of all patients admitted onto the pulmonary service on the general wards and in the intensive care units of the hospital. Rounds are made daily with a designated inpatient faculty member, at which time the plan of care is reviewed.
On the outpatient rotation, the fellow sees new patients referred to the office, technology-dependent infants and children, acutely ill pulmonary patients for sick visits, and those patients followed by the Fellow in continuity. All office visits are precipitated by division faculty.
Diagnostic evaluation of inpatients and outpatients is supported by a well-equipped flexible bronchoscopy facility, as well as state-of-the-art pulmonary function testing and sleep disorders laboratories which comprehensively serve to assess lung function and respiratory nocturnal disorders in infants and older children. The pulmonary function laboratories include tests of routine pulmonary function, infant pulmonary function, ventilatory control, exercise-related breathing disorders, and bronchial reactivity.
Fellows are taught the indications for and techniques to perform flexible bronchoscopy and learn how to administer and interpret standard and infant pulmonary function tests, bronchial challenges and sleep studies.
Facilities
University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital
The new, approximately $360 million, 507,000-square-foot Stead Family Children’s Hospital facility opened in February 2017. Adjacent to the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center, the 14-level structure (12 above ground, 2 below ground) has 183 beds and eight pediatric operating rooms as well as features that focus on the needs of patients and their families.
PICU
Our 28-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (PCICU) is the only comprehensive health care center in Iowa that offers the full range of pediatric critical care therapies. We have the people, the expertise, the experience, and the state-of-the-art equipment and facilities to provide the highest level of care for a wide range of complex, and sometimes rapidly changing, medical problems.
NICU
Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is the only NICU in Iowa to have a Level IV designation, which is the highest level recognized by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This means that we care for the tiniest and most critically ill babies, offering the greatest range of neonatal services and support. The state-of-the-art NICU houses up to 81 critically ill newborns, all in single rooms with four larger rooms that will accommodate twins. The unit is equipped with the latest equipment and staffed by a large team of highly trained nurses and other staff. A laboratory within the NICU provides around-the-clock service.
Iowa River Landing
Our clinic at Iowa River Landing is a short 2.5 miles from the main hospital campus. The facility is equipped with laboratory and radiology services, as well as an outpatient pharmacy.
Patients and their families enjoy the ease of access with its location right off I-80. Many pediatric subspecialties as well as pediatric providers of other specialties also have clinics at IRL. This allows us to collaborate with these providers when needed and coordinate care for our more complex patient populations.