Asthma Clinic: Pacific Lung Health Centre
Vision: "To improve quality of life in patients diagnosed with asthma and to re-evaluate current clinical practices in the management of asthma through a collaborative model of patient care that includes patient involvement in the decision making process."
Mission: Under the direction of Dr. Tony Bai, and in collaboration with other physicians interested in asthma care, the mission of the asthma clinic is to provide state-of-the-art asthma care, coupled with research, including the evaluation of the new therapies.
Goals:
- To better understand the mechanisms of asthma and more carefully define "subtypes" (phenotypes) of asthma.
- Estimate the minimal amount of therapy patients need by using tests such as exhaled breath analysis and induced sputum.
- Modify the natural history of asthma, for example by dietary modifications.
Clinical Care:
- The clinic will provide comprehensive evaluation of the patient's asthma status and will recommend/implement management strategies in conjunction with the primary physician including treatment plans for:
- Medication
- Rehabilitation/Exercise/Breathing Technique
- Nutrition/dietary modification
- The clinic will provide management for difficult asthma as well as evaluate patients in whom the diagnosis of asthma is uncertain. The clinic provides asthma education, skin testing for allergies, lung function testing, induced sputum, exhaled breath analysis and quality of life questionnaires.
- Education will encompass a broad spectrum and will be patient focused.
- Patients who provide informed consent to allow publication of outcomes and/or participate in research studies are seen in a Wednesday morning clinic, otherwise they can be seen at clinics on multiple other days.
Participating Staff:
Dr's Bai, Schellenberg and Lawson
Sue Attridge RRT and Educator
Research staff of the Pacific Lung Research Center, part of the Providence Heart and lung Institute at St Paul's
Dr. Bai's special interest is in mechanisms of asthma, with a goal to more carefully define "subtypes" (phenotypes) of asthma. In addition, we hope to be able to more carefully estimate the minimal amount of therapy patients need by using tests such as exhaled breath analysis and induced sputum. We analyze in our research laboratory the cellular components of the mucus that asthmatics produce. These studies will require informed consent from interested parties, approved by the ethics boards of Providence Health Care and the University of British Columbia. Dr's. Bai, Schellenberg and Lawson hold appointments in the Department of Medicine, Respiratory Division, University of British Columbia. Dr. Bai is a member of the Canadian Thoracic Society Asthma Guidelines Committee. Dr. Robert Schellenberg in the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Dr's Lawson and Bai in the division of Respirology.
Partners & Supporters:
iCapture
BC Lung Association
Providence Health Care
St Paul's Hospital Foundation
University of British Columbia
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St Paul's Hospital
8B Providence Wing
1081 Burrard Street
Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1Y6
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