Mission

The Program for Pulmonary Fibrosis and Interstitial Lung Disease's mission is to provide state of the art evaluation and treatment for patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILD). The University of Alabama at Birmingham ILD program is designated as a Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) Foundation Care Center network site.

Objectives

• To provide exceptional care to all of our patients
• To maintain outstanding collaboration and communication with our colleagues to provide best possible care for our patients
• To lead efforts in scientific discovery that informs the development of new and effective therapies for interstitial lung diseases, particularly idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)
• To better understand disease mechanisms through translational research
• To reach out to the community aiming to enhance ILD awareness and help improve the standards for evaluation, treatment and follow-up of patients

About Our Practice

Pulmonary fibrosis or interstitial lung diseases are chronic, progressive, lung disease characterized by disabling shortness of breath, declining exercise capacity and extensive formation of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the lung. There are several different types/causes of pulmonary fibrosis and are difficult to diagnose and treat. This program exists to better understand such illnesses, train physicians to more completely treat such illnesses, and to drive the creation of superior treatment options.

Our entire team at the ILD clinic is dedicated to improving the lives of our patients with ILD through patient care, education and research. Our multidisciplinary team combines the skills of pulmonologists, thoracic radiologists and thoracic pathologists, all of whom have specific expertise in ILD and meet weekly to discuss new patients evaluated in ILD clinic. The team also works closely with subspecialists, including the rheumatologists and lung transplant team.

Team
Dr. Tejaswini Kulkarni, MD, MPH, Interstitial Lung Disease Program Director
Dr. Tracy Luckhardt, MD
Dr. Maria del Pilar Acosta Lara, MD
Dr. Kevin Dsouza, MD
Dr. Chao He, MD, PhD
Dr. Carla Copeland, MD
Lanier O’Hare, CRNP
Tonja Meadows, Nurse Manager

Pulmonary Fibrosis/Interstitial Lung Disease Program Contact Information

UAB Interstitial Lung Disease Program
THT 422, 1900 University Boulevard
Birmingham, AL 35294-0006
Phone: (205) 934-7557
Fax: (205) 934-6229

Contacting the Program for Pulmonary Fibrosis and Interstitial Lung Disease

To refer a patient to this program, please contact our office administrator at (205) 934-7557 from 8 AM-5 PM, CT, Monday-Friday. 
In order to expedite the scheduling and the evaluation process, please forward the following documents to our office as soon as possible: 

1. Last clinic note or referral letter
2. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs)
3. Chest X-rays and CT scans - upload films to a CD and attach reports
4. Lung biopsy slides and reports, if available. 

After the appointment is scheduled, your patient will receive a package containing a schedule of tests and appointments, along with the "UAB ILD Program New Patient Questionnaire," maps, and information on lodging in the Kirklin Clinic area.  After the clinic visit and once all data has been reviewed, including any prior biopsies, you will receive either a letter from one of our physicians or a copy the patient's clinic visit note.

Clinical Trials

The UAB ILD Center offers clinical trial enrollment for patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and other forms of diffuse parenchymal lung disease as part of a multidisciplinary and integrated approach to treatment. Please call Ms. Melessia Wells at 205- 975-9332 for more information.