title: Developing an Interventional Pulmonary Service in a Community-Based Private Practice: A Case Study.
abstract: Interventional pulmonology (IP) is a field that uses minimally invasive techniques to diagnose, treat, and palliate advanced lung disease. Technology, formal training, and reimbursement for IP procedures have been slow to catch up with other interventional subspecialty areas. A byproduct of this pattern has been limited IP integration in private practice settings. We describe the key aspects and programmatic challenges of building an IP program in a community-based setting. A philosophical and financial buy-in by stakeholders and a regionalization of services, within and external to a larger practice, are crucial to success. Our experience demonstrates that a successful launch of an IP program increases overall visits as well as procedural volume without cannibalizing existing practice volume. We hope this might encourage others to provide this valuable service to their own communities.
authors.affiliation: Suburban Lung Associates, Elk Grove Village, IL; Chicago Chest Center, Elk Grove Village, IL.
authors.forename: Kim D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: French
authors.affiliation: Suburban Lung Associates, Elk Grove Village, IL; Chicago Chest Center, Elk Grove Village, IL. Electronic address: desai@chestcenter.com.
authors.forename: Neeraj R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.affiliation: Suburban Lung Associates, Elk Grove Village, IL; Chicago Chest Center, Elk Grove Village, IL.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Diamond
authors.affiliation: Suburban Lung Associates, Elk Grove Village, IL; Chicago Chest Center, Elk Grove Village, IL; Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Kevin L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Kovitz
mesh_terms: D000288:Administrative Personnel; D057179:Advanced Practice Nursing; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D061765:Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration; D019160:Endosonography; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010823:Physician Assistants; D011216:Practice Management, Medical; D011331:Private Practice / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015272:Pulmonary Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013038:Specialization; D013906:Thoracoscopy; D014139:Tracheostomy
keywords: community-based practice; interventional pulmonology; practice management