Pulmonology
Pulmonology Providers
Pulmonology Locations
Vancouver, WA Locations
Lung Cancer Screenings
Saving lives in Southwest Washington
Lung cancer has a 90 percent cure rate when it’s caught early. Screening high-risk patients saves lives. For those who worry about their smoking history, clear scans can provide peace of mind.
Vancouver Clinic’s fully accredited lung cancer screening program provides current and former tobacco users with ongoing health monitoring and support.
Patients in the program receive a low-dose CT scan once a year. A program coordinator helps ensure patients get the care they need by calling with appointment reminders, helping navigate insurance issues, and making sure patients get the scans, biopsies, and connections to specialists that they need. Because the program is designed around Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines, screening costs are typically reimbursed by insurers.
Patients must meet the following criteria to be enrolled:
- Age 50 to 80
- 20 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke
- If a former smoker, quit within the past 15 years
The program is open to Vancouver Clinic patients and non-patients. If you have a history of smoking, ask your provider for a referral.
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Information about Pulmonology
Breathe better with expert support
Our pulmonary and critical care providers diagnose and treat diseases of the lungs and airways. We care for patients with a range of respiratory conditions. Endurance athletes see us to manage exercise-induced asthma. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) visit us for support with chronic issues. Sleep medicine specialists consult us when they’re working with sleep apnea patients. By developing treatment plans that match patients’ lifestyles, goals, and needs, we help individuals breathe better.
The Vancouver Clinic Pulmonology Department is honored to offer Southwest Washington’s first fully accredited lung cancer screening program, which is saving the lives of current and former tobacco users. Learn more by clicking the “Lung Cancer Screening” tab above.
Comprehensive, on-site pulmonary function testing:
- Bronchial provocation tests
- Exercise testing with exhaled gas analysis
- Lung volumes and DLCO
- Spirometry
Care for patients with a wide variety of pulmonary disorders:
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- COPD/Emphysema
- Cough
- Lung cancer
- Pleural effusion
- Pneumonia/Lung infections
- Pulmonary embolism
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Pulmonary nodules
- Unexplained shortness of breath (Dyspnea)
Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures:
- Pulmonary function testing
- Point-of-care chest ultrasound
- Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT)
- Tunneled pleural catheters (PleurX)
- Ambulatory oximetry
- Arterial blood gas testing
- Thoracentesis
- Bronchoscopy, including endoscopic ultrasound, 3D navigational bronchoscopy
Do I need a referral to see a pulmonologist?
No, a referral is not required to make an appointment. However, please check with your insurance carrier to confirm whether or not a referral is required for coverage. Should you need a referral, ask your primary care doctor.
What should I bring to my first appointment?
If you are already a patient at Vancouver Clinic, we have your health history and everything we need in our medical records system. If you are a new patient, please contact your doctor’s office and ask them to transfer a copy of your medical records. Also bring a list of your current medications.
What if I need follow-up labs, imaging, or testing?
If your doctor recommends a pulmonary function test, a patient service representative will call you about scheduling.
For biopsies, the clinic’s referral team or a coordinator within the Pulmonology Department will reach out to arrange a date and walk through what to expect. Biopsies that need to be performed in a hospital may be scheduled at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, Legacy Salmon Creek, or other local hospitals in Portland (Providence Portland Medical Center or Oregon Health & Science University).
For imaging, such as x-rays and CT scans, your provider will put in a referral and a scheduler will contact you to arrange an appointment.
You can expect us to meet you where your health is, no matter what you’re dealing with. Issues of the lungs can slow us down, but they shouldn’t stop us. With proper treatment and ongoing care, you can continue to enjoy life even when you suffer from a chronic lung issue. If you’re dealing with an acute situation, we’re the doctors to turn to for tests, treatment, therapies and management.
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