Lung and respiratory care
Turn to Montage Health for excellent, comprehensive respiratory care near you on the Monterey Peninsula. You’ll be the focus of pulmonary experts who offer specialized treatments and compassionate support to relieve symptoms and help you breathe better.
What’s the respiratory system?
Your respiratory tract includes:
- Airways (nose and mouth) – Take in and breathe out air
- Throat – Brings air from the nose and mouth to the trachea (windpipe)
- Trachea – Connects the throat and lungs
- Bronchial tubes – Connect the trachea to the lungs
- Lungs – Bring oxygen to the blood and remove waste (carbon dioxide)
When to seek care
Talk to your primary care provider or make an appointment with a Montage Health pulmonary specialist if you experience:
- Cough that lasts for eight weeks or longer
- Lung infections like pneumonia frequently
- Shortness of breath
- Problems controlling symptoms of a chronic (long-term) lung disease, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or pulmonary fibrosis
Pulmonary conditions
Get care for common and complex respiratory conditions, including:
- Asthma
- Bronchiectasis (damaged bronchial tubes)
- COPD
- COVID-19
- Coughing up blood
- Hypoxemia (low blood oxygen levels)
- Interstitial lung diseases, which cause lung scarring (fibrosis)
- Lung nodules, lumps that may be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous)
- Pleural effusion, the buildup of fluid in the layers of tissue (pleura) that line the lungs
- Pneumonia, swelling of the lungs with fluid due to an infection
- Respiratory failure, when the body’s oxygen levels are too low or carbon dioxide levels are too high
- Reduced lung capacity, the decreased ability of the lungs to hold air
- Sleep apnea, when breathing is too shallow or pauses during sleep
Settings for care
Access respiratory care in the environment that’s right for you, based on your symptoms and other factors.
Outpatient services
Outpatient means you visit the healthcare facility and go home afterward. You may have:
How to prepare for your outpatient consultation
If you schedule an outpatient appointment with a pulmonologist:
- You’ll receive a pre-visit questionnaire by mail. Complete and return it before your appointment so we can best prepare for your care
- Bring all the medications you take, including inhalers, to your appointment
- Bring any respiratory medical devices you use, such as your continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine
- Expect to discuss your complete medical history and receive a pulmonary examination
Inpatient (overnight) services
Feel confident we’re equipped to care for all levels of pulmonary problems under one roof, so you can stay close to home. To address more severe symptoms or monitor your recovery after a procedure, you may stay overnight at Community Hospital. If needed, we offer advanced pulmonary support and 24/7 critical care in our Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Hospital services recognized for quality
Community Hospital holds Quality Respiratory Care Recognition from the American Association for Respiratory Care. This means you’ll benefit from:
- Quality and safety of care and an overall patient experience that meets national standards for hospitals
- Expertise of a multidisciplinary team
- Specialized, evidence-based treatments
- Patient education to manage your condition at home and improve your health
Diagnostic and screening tests
Gain insight into your respiratory health through diagnostic and screening services, including tests that use advanced technology to deliver accurate results without invasive techniques.
Customized care plan
Your physician will tailor your care to your condition, goals, and preferences. Explore the broad range of treatments we offer, including special programs for lung nodules and complex respiratory illnesses like COVID-19.
Your care team
The types of medical professionals you work with depend on your needs and the setting where you receive care. You may get care from:
- Pulmonologist – Physician who diagnoses and treats respiratory system conditions
- Respiratory Care Practitioner– Professional trained in various breathing treatments and services, including critical respiratory care
Coordinated approach
Count on us to work closely with your primary care provider and other members of your healthcare team. Depending on your diagnosis, you may receive referrals to:
- Cardiologist (heart doctor)
- Immunologist for specialized asthma or allergy care
- Oncologist (cancer doctor)
- Otolaryngologist, an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor
- Physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor, also known as a physiatrist
- Sleep medicine physician
