Clinic Visits - CF Care Team - Palo Alto

If this is your first visit here at the Center, you probably have lots of questions...

  • What will happen?
  • Who will I see?
  • Where do I go?
  • Why are they doing that?
  • How will I ever remember all of this?

Hopefully, this guide will help you to understand some of what has to be done.

Pediatric Palo Alto Clinic Information

Location: Map to Palo Alto Clinic
770 Welch Rd, Suite 380, Palo Alto, CA  94304
Parking: Behind the building at 770 Welch Rd.

Information to Bring to Each Clinic Visit

  1. Insurance card
  2. Authorization from your HMO or PPO
  3. Name and phone number of at least one contact person
  4. List of current medications
  5. List of treatments currently done; respiratory treatments, feeding information
  6. Health history since last visit: include any illnesses (current or since last clinic visit), pediatrician visits, new medications or allergies
  7. Your list of questions or concerns
  8. Don't forget your PASSPORT
  • The receptionist will sign you in and let clinic staff know you are here. Don't forget to bring your insurance information.
  • The medical assistant will call you in and check vital signs: height, weight, temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation.
  • The nurse coordinator/CF clinic nurse will review medications and take a brief medical history.  Your doctor/nurse practitioner will do a physical exam and further review your medical history and go over any recent illnesses, testing done at visit or prior to visit.  If testing was done at an outside facility, please bring records/DVD with you to visit. 
  • The dietician will help you with your diet, meal planning, food behaviors, enzyme dosing, and stooling issues.
  • The respiratory therapist will do spirometry tests, if you are old enough, that show how your lungs are functioning.  In addition, the RT will explain and review airway clearance choices, (CPT, Vest, Aeorbika), review cleaning of your respiratory equipment, which nebulizers go with certain medications, and sequence of nebulized medicaitons
  • The social worker will help you get connected to various resources, support groups, school documents, disability for college students, setting up 504 plans and/or accomodations for school, can refer for financial support.
  • The pharmacist reviews current medication plan, discusses new treatment options and can help navigate the healthcare system to ensure access to medications.
  • The office assistant assists with scheduling, prior authorizations and insurance verification.
  • Additional Information
  • A sputum culture is done at every visit, if you are sick, additional testing will be ordered at visit.
  • Please let your CF team know if you need any refills on your medications. 
  • CF Action plan will be given and discussed with you prior to leaving.
  • You will be told when you should come back to clinic.
  • And the last step... the receptionist will make an appointment for your next clinic visit.

Some tests that are usually done:

  • Sweat chloride: a laboratory test used to assist with diagnosing Cystic Fibrosis
  • Spirometry: lung function tests
  • Chest x-ray: done annually to detect subtle changes in the lungs
  • Sputum culture: a test of the matter that is coughed up from the lungs
  • CF Annual studies: click here
  • Palo Alto Office
  • Pediatric CF Coordinator (Wendy) CF Clinic Nurse (Liz) 650-736-1359 -Office hours phone line: 8-4pm
  • CF Clinic Office Assistant (Laura) 650-498-2655, Office hours 8:00-4:30pm
  • Appointments 650-724-4788
  • After Hours and Weekend (URGENT Pulmonary Problems) 650-497-8000 (ask for Pulmonary Physician on call).
  • Dietician (Julie) 650-736-2128
  • Respiratory Therapist (Samuil) 650-724-0206
  • Pediatric Pharmacist (Jake) 650-505-9419
  • Social Services (Debbie) 650-796-5304, Office hours 8:30-5 Monday-Friday
  • Radiology (Liver Ultrasound) 650-497-8376
  • 730 Welch Outpatient Lab/xray 650-725-9302
  • Bone Density (Dexa) For your first DEXA call 650-497-8376, Previously done call 650-723-6855
  • Pulmonary Function Lab(Full PFT's) 650-497-8655 PFT lab; Care Team
  • Short Stay Unit Scheduling 650-497-8953
  • Outpatient Pharmacy 650-497-8289
  • Audiogram scheduling 650-498-4327

Pediatric News

CF  Passport

Make sure you bring your CF Passport with you to use around the hospital wherever you have an appointment, test or procedure.  Parents/caregivers: Remember to carry your child's CF PASSPORT in your wallet.  If for some reason you do not have one or you tossed it, please ask for one when you come to your next clinic appointment.  We now have them in English and Spanish.

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Physicians

David Cornfield, MD
Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor in Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine and Professor, by courtesy, of Surgery
Chief-Pulmonary, Asthma, and Medical Director Respiratory Therapy

Carlos Milla, MD
Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Pulmonary Division
CF Center Director, Pediatrics.
Specialty: Pulmonary Medicine
and Transplant

Carol Conrad, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Pulmonary Division, Assistant Center Director,
Pediatric Lung Transplant

John Mark, MD
Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Pulmonary Division

Sumit Bhargava, MD
Clinical Associate Professor,
Department of Pediatrics,
Pulmonary Division

Christin Kuo, MD
Assistant Professor,
Department of Pediatrics,
Pulmonary Division

Esmeralda Morales, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Pulmonary Division

Michael Tracy, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Pulmonary Division

MyMy Buu, MD
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Pulmonary Division
Program Director for Pediatric Pulmonary Fellowship Program

Nicholas Avdimiretz, MD
Clinical Associate Professor,
Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Pulmonary Division

Caroline Okorie, MD, MPH
Clinical Assistant Professor, Pediatrics-Pulmonary Medicine, Pulmonary Division
Associate Program Director for Pediatric Pulmonary Fellowship Program

Lea Steffes, MD
Instructor
Pediatics-Pulmonary Medicine,
Pulmonary Division

Cissy Si, MD
Clinical Instructor
Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine,
Pulmonary Division

Lori Lee, MD, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Pulmonary Division

Nurse Practioners

Jackie (Zirbes) Spano, DNP, RN, CNP, CCRC
Pediatric Clinical Research Practitioner
Cystic Fibrosis Newborn Screening Coordinator

Biographical Sketch

Nurse Coordinator

Wendy Chin, RN
Pediatric CF Coordinator

Biographical Sketch

 

Nurses

Elizabeth Beken, RN
Pediatric CF Clinic Nurse

Biographical Sketch

Dietician

Julie Matel, MS, RD
Pediatric Dietician

Respiratory Therapist

Samuil Kovalchuk, RT
Pediatric Respiratory Therapist

 

Social Work

Debbie Menet, LCSW
Pediatric Social Worker

Biographical Sketch

Pharmacy

Jake Brockmeyer, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Cystic Fibrosis & Lung Transplant
 

Specialists

Zachary M. Sellers, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Pediatric Gastroenterology

Diana Naranjo, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

 

Shannon Sullivan, MD
Clinical Professor
Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine

Holly Cooper, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Pediatric Endocrinology
and Diabetes

Office Assistant

Laura Banuelos
Pediatric Office Assistant