Oswego Health’s pulmonary function testing lab reopens

Oswego Health on April 3 formally reopened its pulmonary function testing lab after it closed in 2020 due to the pandemic. Pictured from left to right are: Marquand Brown, Oswego Health VP of human resources and chief people officer; Ciara Murphy, respiratory therapist; Stephanie Alnutt, director of respiratory therapy; Todd Davison, respiratory therapist; and Michael Backus, president and CEO of Oswego Health. (Photo credit: Oswego Health)

OSWEGO, N.Y. — Oswego Health announced that its pulmonary function testing lab (PFT) has reopened following its closure in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

PFTs are noninvasive tests that show how well the lungs are working. The tests measure lung volume, capacity, rates of flow, and gas exchange.

The health system held a formal reopening ceremony on Wednesday, April 3, per the Oswego Health announcement.

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Medical staff may use PFTs to check lung function before surgery or other procedures in patients who have lung or heart problems, who are smokers, or who have other health conditions. Another use of PFTs is to assess treatment for asthma, emphysema, and other chronic lung problems, Oswego Health noted.

Respiratory therapist Todd Davison will be managing the PFT lab at Oswego Health and conducting tests that include basic spirometry, pre– and post–spirometry, and complete pulmonary function testing with or without a bronchodilator.

The tests also include industrial screening, plethysmography (lung volume determination), nitrogen washout, diffusing capacity, methacholine challenge test, simple pulmonary exercise test (6-minute walk test), arterial blood gases, and pre-op pulmonary function testing.