Frequently Asked Questions
- A pulmonary function test (PFT) is a series of breathing tests that determine your lung volumes and capacities and lets us know if you have any obstructions or restrictions in your lungs and how well your lungs move oxygen to your blood. These tests are very important in helping diagnosis, evaluate current treatment, and stage various lung diseases.
“What is Bronchial Thermoplasty?”
- Bronchial Thermoplasty (BT) is a safe outpatient bronchoscopy procedure that uses mild heat to reduce excessive smooth muscle in the airways, which helps reduce severe asthma attacks.
“Who works at CPI?”
- We have an amazing staff at CPI that consists of Medical Receptionists, Medical Records Specialists, Medical Assistants, Patient Care Coordinators, Respiratory Therapists, Billing Specialists, Administrative Support and of course our Medical Staff of Nurse Practioners and Doctors.
- Most consultations take between 40 minutes to one hour depending on what you’re being seen for. Follow-up appointments typically range from 20 minutes to 40 minutes. In the event your appointment runs over, it is because our physicians take care of the critically ill at the hospital and some patients require additional time due to the severity of their illnesses.
“Why do I need to bring my CPAP machine and all my supplies?”
- In an effort to give you the best quality care, it is important to retrieve the information off of your CPAP machine to determine if your prescribed pressure is adequately treating your sleep apnea. If you are having problems with your mask or machine, by bringing everything with you, you allow our staff to triage those issues one-on-one and find a solution at your appointment opposed to working over the phone, with your DME company, or a return visit to the office with all equipment.
“What is a DME company?”
- DME stands for “Durable Medical Equipment” and provides equipment such as CPAP’s and oxygen therapy to our patients in need of those types of equipment. They are typically staffed by Respiratory Therapists whom support medical offices and patients requiring those therapies.
“Why do I need to bring my medication list?”
- We ask every patient to bring their list of medications with strength and directions (or all your meds in a bag) to ensure our information is correct. For safety and accurate treatment it is necessary to have the most up-to-date and correct information in our system.
“What is a Pulmonologist?”
- Pulmonologists are board-certified internal medicine physicians with special training in diagnosing and treating pulmonary (lung) and respiratory tract disorders. Among the medical conditions pulmonologists manage are asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (chronic bronchitis and emphysema), cystic fibrosis, pneumonia, pneumothorax, pulmonary embolism, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, sleep apnea, and tuberculosis.
“What is an Intensivist?”
- Intensivists are board-certified physicians with special training in critical care medicine. Their specialization enables them to provide an extremely high level of medical attention to patients who are in the hospital intensive care unit (ICU) or who have just had surgery. They lead the ICU’s multidisciplinary team of nurses, therapists and technicians. Because they are available around the clock, they are able to assess each patient’s condition continuously, intervene rapidly, and communicate regularly with the patient’s family and primary care physician.
Frequently Asked Questions
Colorado Pulmonary Intensivists, PC
15 West Dry Creek Circle, Littleton, CO 80120
Office 303-952-1100 / Fax 303-952-8185 or 303-953-7694
