Pulmonary Service Line

The Pulmonary Service Line at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center is a clinical and academic program with a strong affiliation with Wayne State University. We put the patient first and provide timely and high quality care to our patients. The Pulmonary Program also trains future pulmonary specialists. The pulmonary service line contains six centers of excellence to optimally diagnose and treat all pulmonary diseases and to appropriately accommodate the specific needs of every patient. Centers of Excellence are multidisciplinary programs and teams dedicated to specific pulmonary diseases. These programs create more efficient care and improve patient outcomes. They also provide exceptional state-of-the-art services to our Veterans.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Center of Excellence

COPD is a preventable and treatable disorder characterized by airflow limitation that is usually progressive and primarily caused by cigarette smoking,

At the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, we run 60 outpatient pulmonary clinics a month to accommodate general pulmonary diseases and pulmonary diseases that require specialized physicians. The pulmonary outpatient clinics are staffed by highly qualified teams of pulmonary specialists, nurses, respiratory therapists, smoking cessation psychologists and pharmacists who provide care for all stages of COPD. We have a comprehensive multidisciplinary COPD center that convenes once a week to provide special care to patients with advanced stages of the disease. In addition to accurately diagnosing and treating COPD, the COPD center evaluates the need for any non-invasive ventilation, referral for pulmonary rehabilitation therapy program and/or evaluation for any other needed services such as surgery or palliative care referrals. The COPD center also provides the patient with disease education and close monitoring.

Comprehensive Lung Nodule Program

The Detroit VAMC has a comprehensive program to evaluate, diagnose, treat and track lung nodules. All the new pulmonary (lung) nodule patients diagnosed at the Detroit medical center are discussed in an interdisciplinary fashion during our weekly lung nodule board meeting. The lung nodule board consists of pulmonary specialists, thoracic surgeons, interventional radiologists, oncologists, respiratory therapists, primary care providers, pulmonary nurse navigator and pulmonary trainees (fellows). This weekly meeting was awarded Continuing Medical Education (CME) credit from Wayne State University for its high educational value and high quality care value.

Pulmonary Hypertension Program

Our specialized pulmonary hypertension clinic convenes every Wednesday afternoon to care for patients with pulmonary hypertension and arranges for all their needed services.

Respiratory Care Center

The Respiratory Care Center at the Detroit VAMC has 21 highly trained respiratory therapy staff available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide patients with all aspects of respiratory care.

Our Respiratory Care Center provides the following services:

• Nebulized Mist Treatment (NMT)
• Metered-Dose Inhaler (MDI)
• Chest percussion
• Oxygen therapy
• Oxygen setup for home and travel
• Annual Spo2 evaluations
• 6-minute walk testing
• CPAP setup and training
• Ventilator management
• CPAP and BIPAP management & Education
• Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) collection
• Pulmonary Function Testing that includes:
  • Spirometry
  • Lung Volumes
  • Lung Diffusing Capacity
  • Respiratory mechanics
  • Body Plethysmography

Center of Interventional Pulmonology

Our specialists provide a wide variety of diagnostic and therapeutic pulmonary interventions along with consultations for all aspects of pulmonary and pleural disease. Currently at our center we perform:

• Pleuroscopy and Pleural Biopsy
• Flexible Bronchoscopy with Endobronchial Biopsy, brushing, washing, Broncho-alveolar Lavage and Transbronchial Biopsy
• Bed-side Tracheostomy
• EBUS
• Thoracentesis
• Tunneled catheter placement
• Ultrasound and CT guided biopsies

We also work very closely with our thoracic surgery colleagues to optimize patient care and provide optimal coordinated care for pulmonary patients who require thoracic surgery intervention.

Sleep-Wake Disorder Center

The Sleep Disorders Center at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center is a VA regional center accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). The center has strong clinical, research and academic programs and trains future sleep physicians.

Our state-of-the-art outpatient sleep facilities provide all types of sleep testing (home based and laboratory based testing) for the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of sleep disorders including snoring, obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, insomnia, periodic leg movements in sleep and all other sleep disorders.

A Program of Distinction status was awarded by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) to the Wayne State University Sleep Program, of which the John D. Dingell VAMC Sleep Disorders Center is an integral part.

Location of Service in Medical Center

The Pulmonary and Respiratory Centers are located on the second floor of the blue and yellow buildings of the Detroit VAMC and the Sleep Center is located on the third floor of the yellow building of the Detroit VAMC.

Contact information

Dr. Patricia D. Brown, ACOS of Medicine Services.

(313)576-1000 ext. 63319

Dr. Anan Salloum, Chief, Pulmonary and Critical Care Section.

(313) 576-1000 ext. 65338

Pulmonary Clinics/ Firm B: (313) 576-1000 ext. 65710

Respiratory Care Services: (313) 576-1000 ext. 63209

Hours of Operation

Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.