Pulmonary Care

Stormont Vail Health Pulmonary Care offers personalized treatment, rehabilitation, and support for respiratory and sleep disorders.

Discover how our team, which includes AACVPR-certified respiratory therapists (RRTs), exercise technicians, and Sleep Medicine specialists, can help you breathe easier, sleep sounder, and live better.

Explore Sleep Medicine

You Deserve the Best Pulmonary Care

Living with shortness of breath can feel isolating, but support is available! Together, we can manage your symptoms and enhance your overall well-being.

For appointments, ask your primary care provider for a referral.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program

Get personalized exercises and education to reduce shortness of breath, enhance your quality of life, improve daily activity, performance, and manage your condition.

Sleep Medicine

Our accredited Sleep Center specializes in diagnosing, treating, and managing common and complex sleep disorders such as insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome.

NEW Ion Robotic-Assisted Bronchoscopy

ION Robotic Bronchoscopy_Pulm. Care-Web page

Beginning April 2025, the Stormont Vail Health pulmonary team has been performing procedures using the Ion robotic-assisted bronchoscopy platform from Intuitive. This powerful new screening tool allows our specialists to:

Detect lung cancer earlier by reaching nodules that are too small or located too deeply for traditional bronchoscopy
Minimize risks by avoiding more invasive surgical approaches
Improve precision with advanced three-dimensional navigation, ensuring that biopsies are taken from exactly the right area

Earlier, more accurate diagnoses lead to better outcomes. Ask your doctor if Ion makes sense for your lung health evaluation. Already have a referral? We’ll get you scheduled quickly. Call us at (785) 270-0195, option 9.

Patient Success Stories

Our patients consistently see significant improvements in their quality of life after participating in our programs. See how we have helped many breathe easier and live better.

The staff was the best! The helped me understand everything I asked them. They made me feel I was important to them on improving my quality of life. I just can’t say enough about how GREAT all the therapists are—thank you!

Melanie, Renee, Dusty, Zoe

“I loved pulmonary rehab. When I was there, I felt like they were always helping me meet my goals. They were very friendly and checked on everyone to make blood pressure, pulses, etc. were stable. I am sorry it’s finished. I will miss it…and who misses rehab? Thanks, ladies, for everything.”

B.H.

“I realize that further improvement of my health and the ability to successfully achieve my goals is my responsibility. I am thankful to the staff at the Pulmonary Rehab Center to have jumpstarted my success. Once again, thankful for your extraordinary care and professionalism.”

Debbie

“I enjoyed coming to rehab, all the staff was very pleasant, knowledgeable, thorough, and very nice and very kind. It was a pleasure getting to know them. They did a very caring job. I’m glad I got to know all of them. They really helped me.”

Joyce

“Thank you for everything you have helped me with over the last nine weeks. I can honestly say that I am so glad I did this program and know that I can see the benefits in my own stamina. Each and every one of you have touched my life and helped me gain so much. I am also a patient who has attended another pulmonary rehab. I can tell you that now that I have seen both sides, you all should be very proud of your program.”

Judi

“The videos provided information very helpful to me. The staff was always very attentive of my needs. I am going to continue coming to the facility for exercise. I feel safe in the environment and I am familiar with the machines.”

L.W.

Conditions We Treat

Treatment Options

X-Rays

X-rays allow providers to examine the inside of your chest, including your lungs, heart, and surrounding structures. They are crucial for diagnosing breathing difficulties, chest pain, fever, a persistent cough, or injuries.

Computed Tomography (CT) of the Chest

Advanced scans create a 3D view of your lungs, showing their shape, size, and position in your chest. Providers use CT scans to investigate breathing problems or chest pain and find lung issues like tumors, fluid buildup, or pneumonia.

Bronchoscopy

This procedure uses a thin tube with a camera to examine your lungs. A bronchoscopy can help find out why you have a cough that won't go away, check for infections, or take a closer look at anything unusual seen on an X-ray or CT scan. It can also help remove objects, take small samples for testing, or examine swollen lymph nodes.

Thoracentesis

Providers can use a needle to drain excess fluid or air trapped between your lung and chest wall. This treatment helps diagnose problems like pleurisy and reduces pressure, making it easier to breathe.

Chest Tube Placement

A tube goes into the chest wall and connects to a machine that removes fluid. Depending on the amount of fluid, this treatment can last days or weeks.

Spirometry

During this test, you breathe into a mouthpiece connected to a device that measures the air you exhale in one breath. This test helps diagnose lung issues.

Lung Volume Test

During this test, you breathe into a mouthpiece connected to a device that measures the air you exhale in one breath. This test helps diagnose lung issues.

Lung Diffusion Capacity Test

This test checks how well your lungs pass oxygen into your blood from the air you breathe in.

Pulse Oximetry

This test uses a sensor typically clipped to your finger to measure how effectively oxygen is distributed to body parts far from the heart.

Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) Test

Blood is drawn from an artery to check your blood's pH, oxygen, and carbon dioxide levels. This test helps providers diagnose various health issues, especially in emergencies.

Stormont Vail Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program

Led by our dedicated team of RRTs and exercise technicians, our Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program aims to achieve four goals:

Reducing shortness of breath
Enhancing your quality of life
Improving daily activity performance
Educating you on lung disease management

To learn more about our program, contact:

Melanie Reamer, RRT
(785) 270-4036

[email protected]

What to Expect

Health Evaluation

Before starting our program, our team will assess your health and exercise capacity to create your personalized plan.

Session Schedule

Duration: 9 weeks
Total Sessions: 18
Frequency: 2 sessions per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
Session Length: 1 hour

Topics

Lung anatomy and function
Managing and preventing flare-ups
Understanding advanced directives
Breathing and stress relief techniques
Clearing mucus and secretions from the lungs
How to safely use oxygen and respiratory medications
Healthy living tips (nutrition, tobacco cessation, home exercises)

RINGS: Respiratory Interactive Group Simulation

RINGS at Stormont Vail is a four-day training program designed for newly graduated RTs and new team members.

Realistic Simulations

At the Stormont Vail Health Simulation Center (SVHSC), learners use advanced high-fidelity manikins to mimic lifelike patient responses. This opportunity allows them to practice non-invasive and invasive ventilation techniques with immediate physiological feedback. This training prepares learners to effectively address our community's diverse needs.

Bridging Classroom Training and Clinical Practice

RINGS integrates Stormont Vail-specific policies into practical scenarios, facilitating a smooth transition from classroom learning to clinical application. Learners also encounter high-risk, low-incidence situations that standard orientation may not address, boosting their confidence, skills, and ability to positively impact patient care.