Since its inception, the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Hyperbaric and Sleep Medicine has participated in a number of landmark research initiatives that have resulted in major changes in patient care, such as:

  • Outcome of COPD patients treated with bronchodilators delivered by metered dose inhaler vs. intermittent positive pressure breathing (IPPB).
  • Safety and efficacy of high frequency oscillatory ventilation, leading to FDA approval of a high frequency ventilator.
  • Efficacy of anti-TNF alpha and human recombinant activated protein C, leading to FDA approval of drotrecogin alfa (activated) (Xigris) for the management of severe sepsis prior to 2012.
  • Outcome effectiveness of the sepsis bundle, leading to CMS approval of the sepsis measures.
  • Accuracy of cell-cycle arrest biomarkers, leading to FDA approval of NephroCheck® for the diagnosis of acute kidney injury.
  • Longstanding active research programs in the area high altitude medicine, exercise physiology, COPD and pulmonary rehabilitation, mechanical ventilation and weaning, sleep and hyperbaric medicine.

Our division is the regional referral center for complex pulmonary and critical care cases, including interventional pulmonology, pulmonary vascular diseases, thoracic oncology, sleep medicine and hyperbaric medicine.