The Oregon Clinic is now recognized by the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) as one of only sixty-eight medical centers nationwide designated with expertise in accurately diagnosing and treating people with pulmonary fibrosis. The Oregon Clinic became part of the PFF’s Care Center Network (CCN), a national network of medical centers with expertise in treating adult patients with fibrotic lung diseases. The Oregon Clinic is the only medical clinic in Oregon with this designation.
“Being diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis can be devastating and overwhelming, but we hope Oregonians will feel confidence knowing there’s a whole team of inter-disciplinary physicians who specialize in this rare disease and can collaborate on their care,” said Dr. Thomas Schaumberg, Pulmonologist and Medical Director at The Oregon Clinic’s Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Care Center Network.
The Oregon Clinic has more than 20 pulmonologists throughout the Portland area. In addition to providing nationally recognized care in the diagnosis and treatment of fibrotic lung diseases, The Oregon Clinic participates in clinical research studies in pulmonary fibrosis, and hosts patient support groups for pulmonary fibrosis and lung transplant patients.
“We are honored to be recognized for our expertise in this arena,” said Dr. Jeffrey Robinson, Assistant Medical Director at The Oregon Clinic’s Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Care Center Network. “As the only center designated in Oregon, we look forward to partnering with the foundation to ensure Oregonians with this disease have access to the care, resources, and treatment they need.”
Pulmonary fibrosis is a complex collection of findings in several devastating lung diseases that affect more than 200,000 Americans. Fifty-thousand new cases of pulmonary fibrosis are diagnosed each year. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the most common form of the disease, has no known cause and no known cure but can be treated.
The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is a national nonprofit dedicated promoting earlier recognition and diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis and ensuring that patients receive the highest quality healthcare. The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation’s Care Center Network was created to help people with pulmonary fibrosis find experienced medical professionals who understand their disease and support services to
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improve the quality of their lives. To receive this designation, medical centers must utilize a multidisciplinary approach to deliver comprehensive patient care, engage in patient-oriented pulmonary fibrosis research, and work with the PFF to provide educational materials and engage the local community through PFF programs.
Patients with pulmonary fibrosis visiting CCN sites benefit from a comprehensive evaluation and diagnosis, assistance with social services, and opportunities to participate in research. Medical centers in the CCN have met criteria developed with both pulmonary fibrosis medical experts and patient input. All sites offer multi-disciplinary teams with expertise in pulmonary medicine, rheumatology, radiology, pathology, and dedicated clinical staff. Centers collaborate with the PFF to actively engage their local pulmonary fibrosis communities with resources including support groups, educational activities and materials for patients, caregivers and their loved ones.
In addition to The Oregon Clinic, the latest medical centers to receive the Care Center Network designation are Creighton University (NB), Emory University Hospital (GA), Indiana University Health (IN), New York University School of Medicine (NY), The University of Vermont Medical Center (VT), Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (PA), and University of Kentucky Research Foundation (KY). The Oregon Clinic is just one of a handful of designated care centers in the country that are not affiliated with a teaching hospital.
