Respiratory Therapy Offers New Outpatient Services
The Respiratory Therapy Department at BCHC is happy to announce the expansion of outpatient respiratory services.
Overnight oximetry testing is now available to referred patients, monitoring the level of oxygen in the bloodstream as a patient sleeps through the night at home. This testing serves as an initial evaluation to screen for sleep apnea and to determine the urgency for consultation and additional sleep studies.
Beginning August 1st, the Respiratory Therapy Department will introduce pulmonary rehabilitation to patients seeking improvement to chronic and ongoing breathing problems. Patients can expect to receive exercise training, nutritional counseling, breathing strategies and monitoring, and overall education during pulmonary rehab appointments.
“The offering of pulmonary rehabilitation services is an example of BCHC responding to the needs of the community. We have had recent inquiries from primary care providers, specialists and patients about offering this service; this identified need prompted the creation of the new service line. Patients currently traveling out of the county to receive pulmonary rehab will now have the option of convenient and quality care close to home,” commented CNO, Tara McEnany.
Those interested in overnight oximetry and/or pulmonary rehabilitation should contact their primary care provider to see if they are a candidate for respiratory therapy and sleep services. For more information on respiratory therapy and all other services at BCHC, visit www.bchealth.org or follow Buchanan County Health Center on Facebook.