There are three ways to make an appointment:

By Fax

Have your doctor, either your general pulmonologist or primary care provider, fax the materials listed below to our clinic at (415) 353–2568, ATTN: ILD New Patient Coordinator:

• UCSF Referral Form, completed by your doctor
• Medical history and physical
• Report of your most recent (within about three months) high resolution chest CT scan. The person performing the scan should use our clinic protocol for high-resolution chest CT scans.
• Report of your most recent (within about three months) full pulmonary function test, including spirometry, lung volumes and diffusion capacity.
• Your contact information

By Mail

Mail the above materials to us at:

UCSF Interstitial Lung Disease Program
ATTN: ILD New Patient Coordinator
400 Parnassus Ave.
Room 591, Box 0359
San Francisco, CA 94143

By Phone

Call the ILD new patient coordinator at (415) 353–8764, or call the ILD program nurse at (415) 353–2577 to discuss a referral to our clinic.

We will review these materials, determine if further testing or records are needed prior to your appointment and then call you to make an appointment. Our goal is to ensure a comprehensive ILD clinic visit.

What to Bring to Your First Appointment

Once an appointment has been scheduled, a new patient packet will be mailed to you. This packet includes an ILD initial questionnaire and instructions for you to hand carry certain important materials and tests with you to the visit. The questionnaire should be completed prior to your visit. Your referring doctor's office can help you gather the requested materials. These materials are important for your diagnosis and ensure a productive visit:

• Completed ILD initial questionnaire.
• Copies of recent (within about three months) high resolution chest CT scan, using ILD clinic protocols for CT scanning. This is required in addition to the copy your doctor mailed or faxed to us before your appointment. The ILD doctor will need electronic (CD) or film copies of the CT images to review. Chest X-rays also should be brought. Please hand-carry these items rather than mail them. You can request them through the radiology department of the facility where the scans were performed. The new patient packet includes a radiology release form for your convenience. Please bring copies, not originals, for us to keep.
• Recent (within about three months) full pulmonary function tests that include spirometry, lung volumes and diffusion capacity measurements. This is required in addition to the test report your doctor mailed or faxed to us before your appointment. If there are older pulmonary function tests available for comparison, please bring them as well.
• Lung biopsy slides and report, if done. Glass slides and tissue block are needed for the pathologist to review, in addition to the written pathology report. You can request these through the pathology department of the facility where the biopsy was performed. The new patient packet includes a pathology release form for your convenience. Please hand-carry these items. If this isn't possible, please contact us for further instructions.
• Other clinical records. These include any previous hospitalizations, laboratory tests, bronchoscopy report if done, echocardiogram if done, and other records your doctor feels are pertinent to your case.

What to Expect From Your Appointment

Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your appointment. If you need to reschedule your appointment, please contact the ILD new patient coordinator at (415) 353–8764 as soon as possible.

Your visit will take about two to three hours. A brief description of your visit is below. The order may vary slightly, but the content will be unchanged.

• On arrival, you will check in, and then undergo a brief walk test and review of your medications (15 minutes).
• You will meet with your ILD doctor, who will review your records, take your history, perform a physical exam and discuss your diagnosis and treatment options (one to 1–1/2 hours).
• You will meet with the ILD nurse who will review the management plan, assist with any necessary scheduling, provide additional education about your diagnosis and specific recommendations from your doctor and answer any questions you may have (15 minutes).
• You will meet with a member of our ILD research team, who will talk to you about potential research studies for which you may be eligible (5 minutes).

Your case will be reviewed in the afternoon at the ILD Multidisciplinary Conference by the entire ILD team — pulmonologists, a radiologist and a pathologist. Based on all data and conference discussion, your final diagnosis will be determined.

The ILD doctors will provide recommendations directly to your referring doctor who will continue to be your primary treating doctor. We will speak with your referring doctor within a few days of your visit. A detailed consultation letter will be mailed to your doctor within one to three weeks of your appointment.

Billing

Please bring your current insurance card to your appointment. Check with your insurance company to make sure it will cover the cost of your visit. If your insurance company does not cover any of the charges incurred, you will be responsible for payment at the time of the visit. Lack of authorization from your insurance company or a referral from your doctor will result in either the need to reschedule your appointment, or for you to pay for the appointment at the time of service.

Potential costs include fees for the visit with the doctor, facility charges and any diagnostic testing such as lung function tests, X-rays or blood tests we deem necessary to complete your evaluation. In addition, there will be a charge for the review of your radiographs, pathologic specimens or both by our specialists.

Please contact our ILD new patient coordinator at (415) 353–8764 if you have questions. We look forward to meeting you.