Chronic lung disease care

Breathing in and breathing out—it’s vital to life, but chronic lung disease can make each breath uncomfortable. If your airflow is blocked and you have a cough, shortness of breath, or a tight chest, it’s essential to see a specialist for an evaluation and get an accurate diagnosis. Chronic lung diseases can get worse over time and require treatment from a specialized team of experts.

At Penn Medicine, our health care providers use an advanced diagnostic workup to pinpoint what’s causing your symptoms so that you can get on a path toward breathing more comfortably. Our team of pulmonary specialists develops a chronic lung disease treatment plan tailored especially for you that may include medications, respiratory therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation therapy, help quitting smoking, and surgery. If you need a lung transplant, you can seamlessly transition into our lung transplant program where you can receive world-class transplant care. We support you every step of the way, and you benefit from the expertise of an experienced team of specialists.

If you have a chronic lung disorder, you deserve comprehensive care from a team of experts who are focused on what’s best for you. More than a dozen programs and services at Penn Medicine have specialists who can diagnose and treat the most complex lung and chronic respiratory diseases, whether you have symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a chronic lung infection, or advanced pulmonary disease. Our team provides you with the highest quality care that includes specialized pulmonologists, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, radiologists, and surgeons.

You’ll get a thorough evaluation to determine if an underlying immune or genetic disease is causing your symptoms, and you’ll have access to non-invasive testing when appropriate, like sputum testing. If your lung disease leads to other complications, like heart problems or infections, our pulmonary team coordinates with experts across Penn Medicine so that you receive well-rounded care that addresses every aspect of your health.

You’ll also find unmatched expertise at Penn Medicine’s pulmonary rehabilitation program, where our specialists design a personalized plan to reduce your shortness of breath and make it easier for you to complete daily tasks and get back to doing the things you love. Our rehab program has received national certification by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation for excellence in helping people with lung diseases achieve an improved quality of life, along with meeting other standards of care.