The Knoxville Hospital & Clinics (KHC) has announced the expansion of the pulmonary program with the addition of pulmonologist, Dr. Neil Horning and Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Angela Beckel, to their specialty clinics. With 12 years of pulmonary experience working with Dr. Horning, Nurse Beckel obtained her doctorate of nursing from the University of Iowa and sees patients weekly in Knoxville in addition to her Des Moines clinic. As a pulmonary disease specialist, she possesses specialized knowledge and skill in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary (lung) conditions and diseases, including asthma, chest infections, chronic cough, chronic shortness of breath, COPD, emphysema, lung cancer screening/treatment, pneumonia, and smoking cessation.

With the addition of the pulmonology team, KHC now provides pulmonary function tests to patients of all ages, both inpatient and outpatient. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are non-invasive and painless diagnostic tests designed to measure the amount of air in the lungs, and how the lungs function by moving air in and out. All tests are performed by licensed respiratory therapists who are registered or certified in pulmonary function testing. PFTs are commonly used to help diagnose and treat patients with asthma, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, shortness of breath and other lung diseases.