Departments

Established in 1984 in response to the increasing number of individuals being treated for HIV/AIDS at Yale New Haven Hospital, our AIDS Care Program offers comprehensive services for adults, adolescents, and children with HIV. We provide primary and consultative medical care, counseling and testing, social services, patient and family support groups, and women's health services. Our participating physicians are board certified in internal medicine and infectious disease. In addition to routine diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care, specialty services are available in psychiatry, neurology, hematology, dermatology, women's health, and substance use counseling. Adult patients requiring hospitalization are admitted to an inpatient unit at Yale New Haven Hospital dedicated to the care of patients with HIV and AIDS. We offer clinical trials offering new and promising therapies for HIV and its complications. Individuals enrolling in these programs may receive their continuing care from their own provider or be monitored at the hospital. We hold weekly AIDS conferences to keep up to date on the newest therapies in HIV prevention and public health strategies, as well as to discuss complicated multidisciplinary cases. Our specialized services include: Outpatient, primary, and consultative HIV care Infusion therapies Subspecialty consultation in dermatology, neurology, psychiatry, women's health, and substance abuse Experimental therapies HIV counseling and testing Testing Rapid HIV testing, which is available to adults and teens who are registered with our Primary Care Center and Women’s Center. Early detection is important for better health outcomes. Adult Outpatient Care In addition to comprehensive HIV specialty/primary care, our clinic offers psychiatry/mental health support, social work, nursing, neurology, gynecology, and hepatitis C treatment for those who need it. We offer HIV care for pregnant women in collaboration with Yale obstetric and pediatric services. Pediatric AIDS Care Program We provide specialized medical, nursing, and social care for children and teenagers living with HIV/AIDS, as well as a transitional program for young adults into adult care. We also follow pregnant HIV-positive mothers who are in the care of the Adult Outpatient Clinic, including screening newborns. The Pediatric AIDS Care Clinic is located in the Pediatric Specialty Center at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital. Appointments may be made by calling the YM CARE Center at 1-877-925-3637 (1-877-YALE MDS).

At Laboratory Medicine, we study the molecular and cellular components of blood and other body fluids. This work is crucial to diagnosing and managing illness and understanding the mechanisms and origins of disease.Our physicians, known as clinical pathologists, provide consultations to other doctors regarding optimal laboratory diagnostic approaches and the interpretation of complex laboratory tests. Our team includes pathologists, scientists, phlebotomists, medical technicians, technologists, and others who perform important support functions for our state-of-the-art laboratory. We are available every day, 24 hours a day, for physicians. We perform approximately 10 million tests each year, and also provide specialized high-tech testing to other hospitals in the Yale New Haven Health System and institutions throughout New England, and as far away as Puerto Rico. We also operate multiple satellite facilities and patient service centers located throughout the state. We ensure that every test we offer—at every location—is accurate and reliable. When physicians request to have patients’ blood drawn, here is what happens: Collection: A doctor, nurse, technician, or phlebotomist will draw the patient’s blood. Several tubes may be needed for different types of tests. Depending on what illness the patient might have, his or her doctor may want to obtain a urine sample, throat swab, or other sample. After the sample is collected, the container is labeled with the patient’s name and other information. The sample is received and processed by the Laboratory, and testing begins: Chemistry Testing Blood and other bodily fluids are tested for chemicals, drugs, and substances that indicate disease. We check cholesterol and other tests for risk of heart disease, glucose to monitor diabetes, or thyroxin to monitor the thyroid gland. Hematology Testing We analyze the amount and function of blood cells and plasma. Examples include the Complete Blood Count (CBC) that tells the doctor how many cells of each type are in the patient’s blood, and the prothrombin time (PT) to measure the time it takes for the blood to clot. Microbiology Testing We test a variety of specimen samples for infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or parasites. We often do urine cultures for urinary tract infections. Virology Testing We test for viral infections. This includes rapid tests for respiratory viruses such as influenza, molecular tests for noroviruses, and antibody tests for HIV. Immunology/Molecular Diagnostics Some tests are used to determine whether the immune system is functioning properly. State-of-the-art analysis of DNA and RNA is used to test for a variety of diseases and for the risk of developing certain diseases. Other specialized tests include the ANA, used to screen for autoimmune disease, and Factor V Leiden genotyping for patients with blood clots. Tumor Profiling Laboratory This lab analyzes tumor DNA to predict the sensitivity or resistance of tumors to a

We provide preventive and urgent health care to children and adolescents in the greater New Haven community. Our pediatricians work in the Yale New Haven Hospital Pediatric Primary Care Centers at three locations: York Street, St. Raphael campus, and at Chapel Pediatrics in Hamden. We offer routine vaccinations and wellness exams, screening for childhood illness, and positive parenting support and programs. We also have particular expertise in handling conditions that occur during adolescence. Our physicians are highly trained and committed to advocating for children. In our offices, we see children with Husky or commercial insurance, and offer a sliding scale for those without insurance. In our specialty programs, we treat infants and children with a broad range of childhood problems, including: Developmental and behavioral disorders Physical and sexual abuse Rheumatologic conditions, such as arthritis and lupus

Yale Infectious Diseases cares for ambulatory and hospitalized patients with every variety of infectious disease. Specialized services are offered in such areas as traveler’s health, tick-borne diseases, HIV, and related disorders. Research explores such areas as Lyme disease, West Nile and Zika virus, microbial pathogenesis, pneumonia and UTI in older adults, HIV, meningitis, malaria and international health, and nosocomial infections. We are both consultants, working hand-in-hand with referring physicians or groups, and principal caregivers for our patients. Our care is multidisciplinary, involving skilled nurses, dietitians, social workers, and other physicians to deliver the best care possible. Specialized care is offered in the following areas: Hospital-acquired infection control and management Central nervous system infections Fungal infections Hospital epidemiology Traveler's medicine/international health HIV/AIDS Care Lyme disease and tick-borne illnesses Expertise in treating infections in solid organ and stem cell transplants Comprehensive AIDS care and prevention services for people living with and at risk for HIV Multiple observational studies and clinical trial expertise in the study of HIV, HCV, immunology of aging, pneumonia, pseudomonas, tuberculosis (including MDR), urinary tract infections, and tick- and mosquito-borne diseases

Yale’s section of neuroradiology is one of the largest in the country. Advanced neuroradiology imaging techniques, especially in MRI and CT, have shown vast new ways of understanding, evaluating, and diagnosing diseases of the central nervous system. This understanding is crucial in concerns regarding the prevalence of traumatic brain injury in high-level sports and the military. Radiologists have also made strides in enhancing imaging for other diseases ranging from tumors, to multiple sclerosis, to strokes. The new imaging techniques available at Yale allow for insight into many areas of medicine. They make possible greater knowledge of a variety of diseases, including those for which there is currently a wealth of understanding, such as tumors and demyelinating diseases, and those that have been difficult to understand, particularly neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, as well as neuropsychiatric disorders.

Our internationally recognized team of clinicians focuses on treating a wide array of viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections. Through our outpatient clinical services, we diagnose and treat infectious diseases in children from throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. In addition to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and Lyme disease, our doctors are experts in: Acquired and congenital infections in newborns Infections in immunocompromised patients Fungal infections Respiratory tract infections Tropical medicine and parasitology

At the Yale Multiple Sclerosis Center, patients may receive all of their care in one easy-to-access location. Our team provides comprehensive care to patients at a state-of-the-art facility in North Haven featuring advanced MRI scanners, a clinical laboratory, and dedicated infusion center. Our expert neurologists collaborate with experienced nurses, therapists, and social workers to care for patients at all stages of disease. In addition to patients with multiple sclerosis, we treat patients with neuromyelitis optica, transverse myelitis, optic neuritis, and other neuroimmune disorders. MS Access is a program designed to expedite the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). For patients with multiple sclerosis, we believe an accurate, timely diagnosis and early treatment are crucial to a patient's overall well-being. We also understand that a potential diagnosis of MS can be overwhelming, and a long wait to see a specialist can cause needless anxiety and frustration. We developed MS Access to address these issues. The physicians at the Yale Multiple Sclerosis Center will expedite initial visits for individuals about whom another doctor (e.g. primary care doctor, general neurologist, or ophthalmologist) is concerned regarding a new diagnosis of MS or optic neuritis. We will work to see these patients urgently, arrange for any necessary diagnostic imaging or lab work, and address treatment options early. To take advantage of this program, referring physicians can call our MS Clinic in North Haven, CT, at 203-287-6100 and let staff know that the referral is for MS Access. Patients who have been recently diagnosed with MS or who suspect that they might have it can ask their physician to refer them to the Yale Multiple Sclerosis Center.

At the Yale Pediatric Infectious Diseases Consultation Program, our internationally recognized team of clinicians focuses on treating a wide array of viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections. Through our outpatient clinical services, we diagnose and treat infectious diseases in children. In addition to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and Lyme disease, our doctors are experts in: Acquired and congenital infections in newborns Infections in immunocompromised patients Fungal infections Respiratory tract infections Tropical medicine and parasitology Transplant ID Outpatient consultations in Infectious Diseases are provided at The Children's Hospital at Yale New Haven, the major teaching hospital of the Yale School of Medicine. Appointments require a referral from a Primary care provider. To schedule a consultation, physicians should call the YM CARE Center at 1-877-925-3637 (1-877-YALE MDS).

Yale’s Department of Neurology has been at the forefront of cutting-edge clinical care and scientific discovery since it began in 1952. It was Yale scientists who discovered the genes that cause Multiple Sclerosis. Yale housed one of the first epilepsy monitoring units in the country, and one of the first stroke centers at its partner, the Veterans Affairs (VA) Center in West Haven. Today, our team of experienced doctors are committed to understanding and treating the entire spectrum of nervous system diseases. Expert physicians specialize in brain and nerve health for both children and adults. Specialized care is offered in the following areas: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), myasthenia gravis, peripheral neuropathy, neuromuscular disorders Alzheimer’s disease/cognitive disorders Epilepsy and neurophysiology General neurology, headache, pain Multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunology Neurodegenerative disorders Neurocritical care Neurological infections Neuro-oncology Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders Stroke and vascular neurology

The brain is a direct target for certain infections, and may also be indirectly affected by systemic bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections and their treatment. We provide expert care for patients with infections directly or indirectly involving the nervous system. Certain pathogens, such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), syphilis, West Nile Virus, Borrelia burgdorferi (resulting in Lyme disease), and other viral brain infections occur in otherwise healthy people. Other infections, such as fungal infections or more rare parasites, tend to more commonly affect people with immune systems compromised by cancer, chemotherapy, immunosuppressive therapy, or transplantation. Some infections that affect the nervous system are more common in tropical areas or in resource-limited settings than they are in the U.S. At other times, neurologic conditions may not be primarily infectious, but may disproportionately affect persons in certain regions of the globe where neurologic expertise and treatment options have historically been limited. Our faculty has particular expertise in the assessment and management of central nervous system and peripheral nervous system complications of HIV/AIDS. One of our main goals is to optimize the overall cognitive and neurological health of people with HIV.

The Yale Multiple Sclerosis Center is a multidisciplinary service that evaluates and treats patients with suspected or diagnosed multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a chronic central nervous system disease that causes symptoms ranging from numbness to weakness. Up to 10% of MS patients are diagnosed before the age of 18. The disease has different effects in these younger patients whose brains are still developing. The Yale Multiple Sclerosis Center offers streamlined resources including sophisticated brain imaging, pharmacy, an infusion center, and phlebotomy. A specialized nurse is available to answer questions about disease-modifying therapies. Social work and nutrition consultants are available. In addition, there are opportunities to participate in MS clinical trials, research studies, and regularly scheduled clinical care conferences. Pediatric neurologist, Naila Makhani, MD, MPH, evaluates and treats these younger patients. She has significant experience in MS, receives funding from Race to Erase MS and participates in clinical trials for MS therapies in children. Dr. Makhani sees children under 12 years of age at the Long Wharf Medical Center (1 Long Wharf Drive, New Haven) and children 13 and older at the Yale Multiple Schlerosis Center (6 Devine St. in North Haven)—a 10-minute drive from the main Yale Medical Center campus.

The Yale Bronchiectasis and NTM Infections Program, led by Ashley Losier, MD, specializes in treating patients with chronic respiratory tract infections, including one of the most common, caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). NTM are organisms that can be found in soil and water sources, such as reservoirs. Most NTM infections in the U.S. are caused by Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), a slow-growing group of bacteria that is underdiagnosed. Everyone is exposed to NTM, but the bacteria usually causes disease in people with underlying conditions. Symptoms of the infection include chronic cough, fatigue, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. NTM infections can be hard to diagnose due to the symptoms, which can vary from person to person and are similar to those of other conditions. Working closely with microbiology, infectious disease, thoracic surgery, pharmacy, and other colleagues at Yale, Dr. Losier uses a streamlined approach to acquire diagnoses and develop optimal treatment regimens, which often require extended periods of complex antibiotic regimens with multiple antibiotics. Dr. Losier and her colleagues counsel patients regarding multi-tiered approaches to addressing NTM infections. In addition to taking antibiotics, patients can focus on enhancing airway clearance, nutrition, and other aspects that minimize their cough. Dr. Losier’s team also addresses patients’ reactions to antibiotics, or side effects. These facets combined help to increase the chances of successful treatment. The goal of Dr. Losier and her team is to help patients with NTM infections gain access to new diagnostic techniques, therapies, and education that improve day-to-day living and quality of life.