Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States. Our mission is to provide comprehensive services of the highest quality to CF patients, while containing costs and advancing knowledge through education and research. As part of Rush University Medical Center, our team is backed by a renowned medical school and hospital that offer a complete spectrum of services.
The Rush University CF team is led by experienced physicians who have made significant contributions to the treatment and study of pulmonary disease and CF. Both the pediatric and adult clinics are accredited by the CF Foundation.
We provide comprehensive care in an unusually collaborative way. The pediatric and adult teams meet together weekly to discuss patient care, improve treatment options and take part in educational opportunities.
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Services and care are tailored to each patient and focus on prevention and management of symptoms and disease progression. We offer both inpatient and outpatient care, provided according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation guidelines, which recommend outpatient visits at least every three months. We encourage preventive care, with an emphasis on optimizing nutrition and providing adequate airway clearance. At the same time, we make every effort to minimize disruptions in patients' lives.
Services are wide-ranging and include:
- Diagnosis
- Outpatient clinics
- Administration of IV antibiotics, in the hospital or at home
- Aggressive treatment of pulmonary exacerbations and other acute illnesses
Adult patients are seen at Rush University Adult CF Center in Suite 054 of the Professional Building. Pediatric patients' outpatient visits are at the Pediatric Clinic, Suite 710, of the Professional Building.
The staff of the Rush Cystic Fibrosis Center is a multidisciplinary team composed of a physician, nurse, social worker, dietitian and respiratory therapist who work together to manage all aspects of the illness and coordinate care. The team consists of both pediatric and adult specialists, who make every effort to coordinate with patients' primary care physicians and insurance providers. We assure continuity of care regardless of age by meeting together as a team at least once each week. Get more information about the cystic fibrosis team at Rush.