College of Medicine and Mariposa Community Health Center Initiate Monthly Pediatric Pulmonary Clinic
Children in Nogales with chronic lung disease now will be better served because of collaboration between Mariposa Community Health Center and the University of Arizona. The Mariposa Community Health Center, together with the UA College of Medicine's Department of Pediatrics and Arizona Respiratory Center are initiating a monthly clinic in Nogales for children with chronic lung disease.
John Mark, M.D., a pediatric pulmonologist, will lead the clinic's team. "I am so pleased to work with the Mariposa Community Health Center to offer this monthly clinic. We are able to start this clinic because of the interest UA College of Medicine, the Pediatric Pulmonary Center and the Mariposa Community Health Center have in helping children with respiratory problems. While we see many patients from Nogales at our Tucson Clinics, it is important to reach out to the Nogales Community and offer this service for kids with persistent and hard to treat lung problems." Dr. Mark also expects to offer medical education to Nogales practitioners, coinciding with the clinic.
Eladio Pereira, M.D., Chief of Medical Staff and Clinical Services at Mariposa Community Health Center says: "This pulmonary clinic is a tremendous opportunity to use our new facilities to provide care to the Nogales community. It will be a terrific service for these children and their families to be seen right here in Nogales."
Patients interested in attending the clinic will need a referral from their primary care physician. The Mariposa Community Health Center has on-site lab and radiology facilities.
The University of Arizona is one of seven federally funded Pediatric Pulmonary Centers (PPC) in the United States. The PPC serves as a regional and national resource center for training and education of the next generation of leaders in the care of children with chronic pulmonary disorders.
In addition to Dr. Mark, the team will include a respiratory therapist, a nurse, dietician, social worker, medical resident, and pediatric pulmonary fellow. Along with these health care professionals, University of Arizona students from each of the respective specialties will also attend as part of their education through the Pediatric Pulmonary Center (PPC).
Dr. Mark completed the first National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored Pediatric Complementary and Alternative Medicine research fellowship at the University of Arizona. Dr. Mark has been utilizing complementary and alternative health care practices in his patients with chronic illnesses such as asthma and cystic fibrosis.
The Arizona Respiratory Center was established in 1971 as an interdisciplinary Center of Excellence at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. The Respiratory Center is dedicated to research, teaching and clinical care in adult and pediatric pulmonary disease and is internationally known for its research into the causes and modes of development of asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease and sleep apnea. |
