Cover Feature

Expanded pulmonary services come to Hillsdale

By Melissa McCance

When was the last time you thought about the essential function that is breathing? Unless you have a breathing issue such as asthma or COPD, you probably don’t. Only when something like an upper respiratory infection or hot, muggy weather makes it difficult to breathe do generally healthy people think about breathing. But, for those who struggle with pulmonary illness, having skilled care nearby is important. Hillsdale Hospital has recently expanded their pulmonary services, making even more top-flight, specialized care available locally.

After several years without it, Hillsdale Hospital once again has inpatient pulmonology care available, allowing more patients to remain in Hillsdale instead of being transferred to hospitals outside the county. This has been especially valuable for COVID-19 patients who often experience severe cardiopulmonary symptoms through the course of their illness. The pulmonologists are available Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for inpatient consultation and care. The hospitalists at Hillsdale Hospital can reach one of the pulmonology team members 24 hours a day when they need a specialist’s advice for an inpatient with breathing issues.

Along with the inpatient care, the pulmonology clinic offers outpatient services as well. The clinic opened at Hillsdale Hospital on a limited basis in 2015 with services available just one half-day per week. Now, the practice hours have expanded to Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the office is located in the Three Meadows Medical Building. The physician group includes eight M.D.s: Dr. Gregg Patten, Dr. Robert Albertson, Dr. Usama Assaad, Dr. Rami Alzebdeh, Dr. Deane Franso, Dr. Samih Mawari, Dr. Yasser Moussa Aleech, and Dr. Anish Wadhwa. All of the

doctors are certified in pulmonary critical care, and Drs. Patten, Albertson, Assaad, Franso, and Moussa-Aleech are also certified in sleep medicine.

Complete pulmonary care is available through the office, including but not limited to treatment for asthma, COPD, and ILD (interstitial lung disease) which includes a large number of disorders that cause scarring of the lungs. This scarring eventually stiffens the lungs making it more difficult to breathe and get adequate oxygen into the system.

With the development of high-resolution CT scans approximately 25 years ago, it became possible to detect small nodules in the lungs which alerts physicians to investigate further and determine if the nodules are benign or malignant. “Most are benign,” explains Dr. Patten. “We can now screen those in the high-risk population for lung issues. Screening is available between ages 50 and 80, depending on the patient’s insurance guidelines. As with most medical conditions, early diagnosis increases survivorship. And, fortunately, we can provide a lot of individualization in the treatment as not everyone requires surgery and some are not candidates for surgery. Radiation can be a good option in those situations.”

If a radiology study of the chest reveals nodules, the pulmonary team reviews the test results to determine the next course of action. After meeting with the patient, a treatment plan is developed which can include a three- or one-month follow-up, PET scan, biopsy, or other intervention. “Patients shouldn’t immediately think they have lung cancer,” cautions Dr. Patten. “What we see can also be a bacterial infection, a fungal infection, or something else.”

The physicians in the pulmonology clinic also facilitate communication within the healthcare system. By working in consultation with the radiologists, they can get back to the primary care providers with a more complete picture of the patient’s situation than is offered by the radiology studies alone.

When asked about the sleep medicine portion of the practice, Dr. Patten responded, “It has exploded. Part of it is because of increased awareness. Almost everyone at least knows about sleep apnea now, and the technology for diagnosing and treating sleep conditions is vastly improved over what it used to be. The nighttime devices are much more easily tolerated than they used to be and are more effective.” Because sleep issues can impact someone’s health in a variety of ways, specialists such as cardiologists and anesthesiologists are also on the alert for symptoms of sleep disorders in their patients. In-lab or at-home sleep studies are offered for patients as young as five years of age.

Besides obstructive sleep apnea, the doctors who work in the sleep medicine department also work with central sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition in which someone repeatedly stops and starts breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea—the more common variety—is caused by upper airway obstruction. Central sleep apnea happens when the brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing. daytime sleepiness and sudden attacks of sleep. Narcolepsy can be very disruptive to a person’s daily routine. While not curable, the symptoms can be managed with medication and lifestyle changes.

Our community can breathe more easily knowing that this group of highly-trained pulmonologists are ready to help with a wide range of lung issues.

The Three Meadows Medical Building is located at 451 Hidden Meadows Drive in Hillsdale, and the pulmonology clinic is in Suite 230. You can reach them by phone at 517-437-8366.