Cystic Fibrosis Center

 

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation accredits more than 115 CF care centers, 95 adult care programs and 50 affiliate programs nationwide. The vast majority of the almost 30,000 children and adults with CF in this country receive their health care in these centers. Not only do these centers provide excellent, multidisciplinary health care, they also have formed a network for: conducting large multicenter clinical trials in CF; acting as advocates for CF patients within the community and at the federal level; and rapidly communicating new concepts on the pathophysiology and treatment of CF. Finally, the Centers provide clinical and research educational opportunities relevant to CF for health care trainees and professionals.

The Emory University CF Center is one of the oldest and largest CF Centers in the US, caring for over 450 children and adults. The Center is located at 1547 Clifton Road, Atlanta, Georgia, in a 14,000 square-foot, free-standing building on the medical center campus and houses both the outpatient clinic and a 10 bed inpatient Cooperative Care Unit. This Center was developed while CF was a pediatric disease. That is no longer true: currently about 40% of all people living with CF are over the age of 18. Appropriate care requires participation by all subspecialties in internal medicine as well as surgical, obstetric and other specialty care. The changing demographics and consequent increased complexity of the disease require an expanded concept of delivering health care to this special patient population.

The Adult CF Program is an accredited CF program that cares for approximately 200 patients. The Adult CF Program delivers multi-disciplinary care in concordance with the CFF guidelines. Members of the adult team include two pulmonologists (Dr. Lindy Wolfenden and Dr. Arlene Stecenko), two nurse practitioners, a CF-specialist nutritionist, a social worker and a respiratory therapist. In addition, our adults with CF are also seen by physicians in the Emory Clinic in Endocrinology, Otolaryngology as well as many other specialties.

Patient Care

The Adult CF Program sees outpatients in both the Emory CF Center as well as at The Emory Clinic. For inpatient care, patients are hospitalized at either the CF Center Cooperative Care Unit or at Emory University Hospital.

Research

Members of the Adult CF Program are engaged in a wide variety of research projects. Currently we are studying CF related diabetes (CFRD) as well as vitamin D and bone health, both in collaboration with Dr. Vin Tangpricha of the Endocrinology Division at Emory University.  In addition we are examining the metabolic profile and cardiovascular risk factors of our adults with CF in collaboration with faculty of the Division of Cardiology. Finally, we are part of several ongoing clinical trials examining new medications for the treatment of CF.

Teaching

All faculty members at the Emory CF Center, both pediatric and adult, are actively involved in teaching within the School of Medicine. Drs. Wolfenden and Stecenko deliver lectures to the fellows and to the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine annually at their respective conferences.  Emory fellows see adult CF patients in the outpatient setting at least one half day per week during their outpatient rotations. In addition, fellows care for adults with CF who are admitted to the Emory University Hospital.

 

Contact Information for the Adult CF Center:

1547 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta, Ga 30322
Telephone: 404 727 5728
FAX: 404 727 4828