Scleroderma (or systemic sclerosis) is a complex disease which results in chronic hardening and tightening of connective tissues, and patients can experience many different symptoms involving different organs. Our multidisciplinary team of doctors and nurses with expertise and an interest in scleroderma, including specialists in rheumatology, allergy and clinical immunology, pulmonary and critical care, cardiology, gastroenterology, nephrology, and dermatology, provide care for patients. The team provides coordinated, multidisciplinary, and compassionate care for patients and all the parts of the body scleroderma affects, including the skin, lung, heart, kidneys, and gastrointestinal system. We also address functional, nutritional, psychological, gynecological, urological, and/or sexual health challenges. The goal is improved quality of life for our patients. We strive to ease the burden on patients and their families. Support staff help patients gather outside medical records and coordinate appointments with different specialists at Yale so that patients can get all their relevant medical care in one place. Doctors readily communicate about the plan of care through the electronic health record. We also actively participate in clinical research, to bring the most innovative treatments for the disease to our patients. Yale has been designated as a Scleroderma Center by the Scleroderma Foundation.

Our asthma and airway disease experts offer comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment for a broad spectrum of conditions including: Treatment-resistant asthma Steroid-dependent asthma Steroid-resistant asthma Environmental and occupational asthma Exercise-induced asthma We frequently take care of patients with chronic cough, asthma that is difficult to control, as well as those whose condition is difficult to diagnose and who may be significantly affected by such co-occurring illnesses as gastroesophageal reflux, sinusitis, or vocal-cord dysfunction. We develop individualized care plans for all patients, with the goal of forming a working partnership with the referring primary care provider. Our skilled group includes three pulmonologists, one physician assistant, asthma nurse coordinators, and pulmonary function technicians trained in asthma education. We work closely with our colleagues in allergy and immunology, otolaryngology, gastroenterology and occupational and environmental medicine to coordinate an efficient and comprehensive process of evaluation for patients with complicated asthma. In conjunction with occupational and environmental medicine specialists, we may perform workplace or home environmental evaluations.

At the Yale Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) program, our highly trained and skilled specialists provide comprehensive and multidisciplinary treatment to patients with COPD, an inflammatory lung disease that obstructs airflow from the lungs, making it increasingly difficult to breathe. We care for individuals: With emphysema With chronic bronchitis With COPD with associated bronchiectasis With asthma/COPD overlap With COPD/obstructive sleep apnea overlap With combined emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis (in conjunction with our interstitial lung disease team) Who experience frequent disease exacerbations and/or hospitalizations Under consideration for surgical therapies for emphysema (such as bullectomy, lung volume reduction surgery, and lung transplantation) Who need a pre-operative respiratory assessment for other forms of surgery With a suspected genetic basis for their disease (such as alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency) With chronic respiratory failure related to COPD Patients suffering from COPD may experience flare-ups that require hospitalization, leaving them feeling weaker. Our physicians tailor treatment plans to help them manage their COPD so that they can live life to the fullest. Our physicians are also exploring therapies and medications that can help patients in the future. Whether patients have mild symptoms, need rehabilitation, or assisted ventilation, we can help. We also offer lung volume reduction surgery or lung transplantation to eligible patients. The Yale COPD program is staffed by two pulmonologists, a pulmonary specialist nurse practitioner, nurses, and respiratory therapists with special expertise in COPD. We arrange visits for patients with other specialist providers as needed, including cardiologists, thoracic surgeons, thoracic oncologists, palliative care specialists, otolaryngologists, allergists/immunologists, sleep medicine specialists, and health psychologists. The Yale COPD Program receives referrals for patients with difficult-to-control symptoms and/or frequent acute disease exacerbations, those who do not respond well to routine medical therapies, those with co-occurring complex medical conditions or overlap syndromes (as detailed above), those who may require surgical therapies, and those who have advanced disease with chronic respiratory failure. Providers in the COPD Program perform comprehensive evaluations and develop individualized care plans for all patients, with the goal of partnering closely with each patient’s primary care and other specialist providers. In addition, opportunities to participate in clinical research trials of new therapies in COPD are often available through our collaboration with the Yale Center for Asthma and Airways Disease (203-500-3808).