In Cook County – 317,906 adults and 121,610 children have been diagnosed with asthma

Illinois mirrors the national asthma problem and has one of the highest asthma mortality rates in the nation.  The Asthma Clinic, located on the second floor of Fantus Health Center, sees an average of 55-75 patients per week. The majority of patients have moderate to severe asthma, representing the population at greatest risk in Chicago.

The Adult Asthma Clinic Schedule: Tuesday/Thursday mornings and Wednesday afternoons.
The Pediatric/Allergy Clinic also serves patients with asthma, particularly the pediatric population and some adults with asthma as well. This clinic has sessions on Wednesday /Thursday mornings.

Clinic Director Dr. Nancy Quesada Rodriguez says, “We have added 4 exam rooms,
conference room, and a reception area, and are very happy and proud of the asthma expansion
project – a great team effort from everyone involved.”

It’s also important to note that second hand smoke exposure causes children with asthma to experience more frequent and more severe attacks and leads to uncontrolled asthma in adults. With the implementation of the Healthy Lungs Initiative, a CCH program in collaboration with the Respiratory Health Association, the Asthma Clinic is able to provide education on asthma, inhaler technique and counseling on smoking cessation – particularly important when we know that there is no “risk-free” level of second hand smoke exposure.