Respirology
Unity Health’s Respirology program diagnoses and treats those with respiratory disease and provides education in the management of their care. The team consists of respirologists, respiratory therapists, pulmonary function technologists, polysomnographers, nurses and allied health who provide respiratory diagnostic procedures and therapeutic interventions.
Respirology at St. Joseph's Health Centre
Our Respiratory Therapy Service consists of respirologists, respiratory therapists, pulmonary function technologists, educators and polysomnographers who provide respiratory diagnostic procedures and therapeutic interventions. Our team diagnoses and treats those with respiratory disease and provides education in the management of their care.
An appointment is required for all tests. To make an appointment for a test or to see a respirologist, a referral is required from a physician or nurse practitioner.
The Asthma Clinic provides information to patients living with asthma so they can better manage their condition and decrease the likelihood of admission to the Emergency Department. The team includes respirologists, registered nurses, registered dietitians, registered pharmacists and pulmonary technologists.
During your initial visit you will meet with the members of our team who will perform several diagnostic tests such as blood work, chest X-ray and pulmonary function tests. Please note your initial appointment will take approximately two hours.
1st Floor Gilgan Family Wing
Phone: 416-530-6043
Fax: 416-530-6050
Thursday, 8 to 11:30 am
Ambulatory Care Centre: Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm
Booking/registration: 7 am to 4:30 pm
Respirologists are doctors specializing in the diagnosis of lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (emphysema) or pneumonia. In the clinic, respirologists perform tests to check how well a person is breathing.
Pulmonary function testing can be performed within the clinic or the respirologist may refer you to the respiratory lab for further testing. You may also see a respirologist for assessment of sleep apnea. Assessment, follow-up and management post-sleep study can be arranged through the Chest Clinic.
1st Floor Gilgan Family Wing
Phone: 416-530-6043
Fax: 416-530-6050
Friday, 8 to 11:30 am
Ambulatory Care Centre: Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm
Booking/registration: 7 am to 4:30 pm
Our Pulmonary Function Laboratory offers a wide range of breathing tests. You will be asked to perform various breathing procedures through a mouthpiece connected to electronic equipment or exercise.
Some of the tests we provide include:
- Pulmonary function test (breathing test)
- Spirometry/flow-volume loop (breathing test)
- Methacholine challenge (asthma test)
- Exercise-induced asthma test
- Exercise testing on a bicycle or treadmill
- Arterial blood gases (blood test)
- Walk test to measure oxygen level and heart rate
- Home oxygen assessment and set-up
1st Floor East Wing, Room 132
Phone: 416-530-6325
Fax: 416-530-6702
Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Select Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Referrals
The Sleep Clinic is supported by the respiratory medicine doctor and educators. It is a consultative appointment to discuss the results of the sleep tests and develop a plan of care.
First Floor East Wing, Room 132
Phone: 416-530-6043
Fax: 416-530-6050
Thursday, 8 to 11:30 am
Ambulatory Care Centre: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Booking/registration: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The team at the Sleep Laboratory performs sleep studies and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including video and sound monitoring equipment.
A sleep study monitors brainwave activity, respiration, oxygen levels, heart rate and any unusual movements during sleep. At St. Joseph’s, our Sleep Laboratory is actively involved in diagnosing sleep disorders including sleep apnea, hypoventilation syndromes, restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy.
1st Floor East Wing, Room 132
Phone: 416-530-6325
Fax: 416-530-6702
Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm (booking hours)
Referrals
Respiratory Syncytical Virus (RSV) is a common virus. RSV spreads easily from person to person by contact or when someone coughs or sneezes, and the virus can live on hands and objects for up to six hours. The first signs of RSV are runny nose, fever and sneezing. The more serious signs are a bad cough, trouble breathing and fast breathing.
Ontario’s RSV Prophylaxis for Infants Program is a ministry-managed program under the Ontario Public Drug Programs (OPDP) Division of the Ministry of Health. For more information about this government-funded drug program and referral forms visit the Ontario Ministry of Health.
Jody Kew, R.N
416-530-6486 ext. 4406 (press 2)
JKew@stjoestoronto.ca
Referrals
Physician referrals can be e-mailed or faxed directly to JKew@stjoestoronto.ca or 416-530-6294.
The St. Joseph’s site is a Designated Level 1 Thoracic Cancer Surgery Centre for lung and esophageal malignancies. Our surgeons have an interest in minimally invasive surgery, and additionally provide bronchoscopy, EBUS and endoscopy services.
Dr. Michael Ko
michael.ko@unityhealth.to
Phone: 416-530-6805
Fax: 416-530-6247
Dr. Victoria Cheung
victoria.cheung@unityhealth.to
Phone: 416-530-6182
Fax: 416-530-6620
Clinics & Services
Respirology at St. Michael's Hospital
The division of Respirology at St. Michael’s Hospital diagnoses and treats those with respiratory diseases. The program strives for excellence in patient care by staying current with clinical practice guidelines, medical treatment strategies, conducting quality research and promoting staff and student education. The delivery of care is through a collaborative and comprehensive multidisciplinary team approach.
We are equipped to treat obstructive, restrictive, infectious, inflammatory, malignant, occupational and sleep-disordered breathing. Our highly active centre offers specialized services including:
- A 15-bed inpatient ward for patients with unique respiratory problems for intensive investigation and medical care management
- Diagnostic services including shunt studies, a pulmonary function laboratory and sleep disorder laboratory
- Many subspecialty outpatient clinics also equipped to treat respiratory problems
6th Floor Donnelly Wing North, Room 6-052
416-864-5764
Fax: 416-864-5650
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Early Assessment of Symptomatic Effusion (EASE) clinic offers management strategies for patients with pleural or peritoneal effusion (fluid build-up in the chest and abdominal cavity). EASE provides comprehensive outpatient management of patients suffering from malignant (cancer related) pleural effusions (MPE) or refractory effusions due to other medical conditions.
Patients seen in clinic can undergo thoracentesis, pleural biopsy or Pleurx catheter insertion during their clinic visit. We aim to assess patients within one to two weeks of receiving a referral.
6th Floor Donnelly Wing, Room 6-052
Fax: 416-864-5650
Thursday, 10 a.m. to noon
At the St. Michael’s Hospital site we offer comprehensive 24/7 on-call coverage for thoracic emergencies. We have direct and strong affiliations with the respirology, neurosurgery and cardiac surgery divisions.
We also run a bi-weekly outpatient clinic at and weekly clinics at St. Joseph’s Health Centre to ensure rapid and responsive assessments.
Dr. Michael Ko
michael.ko@unityhealth.to
Phone: 416-530-6805
Fax: 416-530-6247
Dr. Victoria Cheung
victoria.cheung@unityhealth.to
Phone: 416-530-6182
Fax: 416-530-6620
Referrals
The team at the St. Michael’s Sleep Laboratory diagnoses and treats a variety of sleep disorders including sleep apnea, hypoventilation syndromes, restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy. The lab is a six-bed facility performing over 1,000 studies per year, during which state-of-the-art equipment monitors brainwave activity, respiration, oxygen levels, heart rate and any unusual movements during sleep. In addition to providing consultation and care for patients with sleep disorders, the lab is actively involved in sleep research, with particular emphasis on the links between sleep apnea and other chronic diseases.
6 Bond North, 6-020
416-864-5235
Fax: 416-864-5417
Weekdays
The Vascular Access Team (VAT) provides 24-7 service to inpatient and outpatients. This service is provided by specialized nurses trained to insert intravenous (IV) catheters on patients with difficult veins.
Sometime ultrasound equipment and/or different types of catheters must be used. The team also trouble shoots central venous catheters (CVC) and inserts non-coring needle for implanted CVC such as port-a-cath.
Hours: 24-7
In collaboration with Interventional Radiology department (IR), VAT provides bedside insertion and management of Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICCs) for inpatients. The program has helped with expediting patient’s access for intravenous therapy, pending discharge and providing venous access for patients with difficult veins in a timely manner.
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Clinics & Services
St. Michael’s houses Ontario’s only Bronchiectasis Clinic, which sees patients from across the province. This multidisciplinary clinic accepts referrals for consultations to address the cause of bronchiectasis and create treatment plans.
View Bronchiectasis ClinicSt. Michael’s is home to the largest adult cystic fibrosis (CF) program in Canada. In addition to providing multidisciplinary care to over 600 adults with CF, we are an active site for clinical research and training of health professionals. We collaborate with SickKids to facilitate the transition of 15 to 20 adolescents with CF to our adult program each year and the Toronto Lung Transplant Program at University Health Network.
View Cystic Fibrosis ClinicAt our General Respirology Clinic, we diagnose and treat many common lung diseases such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis, lung infection and inflammation. We also investigate and diagnose many abnormalities which may be noted on chest X-rays and CT scans of the lungs like pulmonary nodules (benign and malignant). At this clinic, we are also able to diagnose and treat some non-specific symptoms, even if there is no underlying lung disease, such as cough.
View General Respirology ClinicHepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a rare complication of liver disease. When the liver is not functioning properly, blood vessels in the lungs may dilate as a result. If this is severe enough, the lungs can lose their ability to effectively transfer oxygen to the blood, which leaves patients with a low oxygen level and feeling short of breath.
Founded in 2005, the Hepatopulmonary Syndrome Clinic is part of the Rare Lung Disease research program at St. Michael’s. Since then, we have seen hundreds of patients at the clinic as well as our satellite location in Montreal. Our clinic specializes in the diagnosis and care of patients with HPS, as well as cutting-edge research in this field. Through our research initiatives, we aim to improve our understanding of HPS and maximize the quality of care we provide our patients.
View Hepatopulmonary Syndrome (HPS) ClinicThe Toronto Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) Centre at St. Michael’s provides comprehensive care to approximately 1,500 people with HHT. Established in 1997, the centre is the largest of its kind in Canada.
Our multidisciplinary centre provides state-of-the art diagnosis and treatment for all aspects of HHT. The team has led the International HHT Guidelines for clinical care. We are also an active site in clinical and basic HHT research, as well as HHT training. The centre’s medical director is Dr. M. Faughnan, who leads a team of 20 physicians and health professionals with HHT expertise.
View Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) ClinicThe Adult Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) clinic at St. Michael’s provides comprehensive care to adults with PCD. PCD is a rare genetic disorder. Roughly half of patients with ciliary dyskinesia have situs inversus, a condition where organs, like the heart, are on the opposite side of their body.
In PCD the cilia, which are tiny hair like structures that line the surfaces of many parts of the body, either do not move properly or are absent. PCD patients may have bronchiectasis, sinus disease, middle ear disease, and fertility issues. We have access advanced diagnostic modalities for PCD including nasal nitric oxide testing. A genetic counsellor is also available on site.
View Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) ClinicOur Pulmonary Function Laboratory offers a wide range of breathing tests. You will be asked to perform various breathing procedures through a mouthpiece connected to electronic equipment or exercise.
Some of the tests we provide include:
- Pulmonary function test (breathing test)
- Spirometry/flow-volume loop (breathing test)
- Methacholine challenge (asthma test)
- Exercise-induced asthma test
- Exercise testing on a bicycle or treadmill
- Arterial blood gases (blood test)
- Walk test to measure oxygen level and heart rate
- Home oxygen assessment and set-up
Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide and when left untreated, kills approximately 1.2 million people each year. In Canada about 2,000 people are diagnosed with active Tuberculosis annually, and 1.3 million are estimated to have latent TB infection (LTBI).
One of the largest clinics of its kind in Canada, the St. Michael’s TB clinic is a specialized clinic caring exclusively for individuals with suspected or diagnosed active TB and LTBI. The multidisciplinary team sees approximately 2,200 patients each year, while assessing and developing a diagnostic and management plan for up to 800 new patients each year.
View Tuberculosis ClinicLast updated October 11, 2024