“Dr. Khokar and his team personally reach out to their patients to follow up about their imaging, doctors and test results.”
The average person breathes in the equivalent of 13 pints of air every minute. At Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine of North Florida Regional Medical Center (NFRMC), Interventional Pulmonologist Dr. Abid Khokar and his experienced team believe that every breath counts. The newly introduced practice offers a comprehensive range of services to the patients of Gainesville and its surrounding areas. These include the diagnosis and treatment of complex pulmonary conditions such as chronic cough, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, pleural effusions and pneumonia. Other specialties include the management of asthma and post-lung transplant complications and the screening, diagnosis, ablative techniques and stenting for lung cancer.
Treatment for the variety of pulmonary conditions that Dr. Khokar handles are both invasive and non-invasive. Less invasive treatments include inhalers and medication to help manage asthma or COPD, while more invasive options include minimally invasive laser treatment, tumor burning and pleural techniques; including pleural catheter placements, which is the placement of a tube to help drain fluid around the lungs. Many of these procedures are being newly hosted by NFRMC, introducing technology that only strengthens the hospital’s pulmonary program.
Patients who visit Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine of North Florida Regional Medical Center tend to range anywhere from asthma to lung cancer victims. This includes smokers, people with COPD or individuals who suffer from a chronic cough that just does not seem to reside. Symptoms also tend to include shortness of breath, coughing or difficulty performing common household chores like doing laundry, putting the dishes away or keeping up with friends on an evening walk.
“We have seen very sick patients in the past that were not candidates for treatment due to endobronchial obstruction and their physicians thought they weren’t candidates for chemotherapy,” relates Khokar. “We were able to go in, stent their airway to open it up, get them off the ventilator and then provide them with the chemotherapy they needed. It has been an honor to be able to offer these different types of treatments that lead patients to a better quality of life.”
Dr. Khokar examines his patients in clinic for signs of pulmonary disease and other breathing deficiencies.
Dr. Abid Khokar is a board certified Internal Medicine and Pulmonary Medicine physician specializing in advanced diagnostic pleural and bronchoscopic procedures. His past fellowships include Interventional Pulmonary as well as a year of clinical research at Winthrop NYU Hospital. In addition, Dr. Khokar has professional affiliations with American Thoracic Society, CHEST and AABIP. Although an expert in many conditions surrounding the lungs, Dr. Khokar has a peak interest in the diagnosing and treatment of lung cancer and looks forward to introducing a more comprehensive lung cancer program to North Florida Regional Medical Center.
The fact that the Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine practice is located right next to the NRFMC Cancer Center is nothing short of convenient for patients. This allows lung cancer patients to more effortlessly commute from their appointments with their hematologists or oncologists, and visit Dr. Khokar easily. This has also developed a more personalized experience for patients, as Dr. Khokar and his team work closely with their Cancer Center physicians, and are able to relay information with ease.
One factor that the Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine practice takes a lot of pride in is its level of personalized care. Dr. Khokar and his team personally reach out to their patients to follow up about their imaging, doctors and test results. Because many times scans that are taken months prior are more advanced, time is of the essence and the team believes getting diagnoses and treatment in a timely manner is paramount to the health of their patients, therefore, taking matters personally is second nature to them. In situations like these, “every breath counts.” As a part of North Florida Regional Healthcare, Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine, from where
Dr. Khokar is now operating, is located on the campus of North Florida Regional Medical Center, at 1121 NW 64th Terrace, in Gainesville. For more information on how Dr. Khokar can assist you, visit nfpulmonary.com or call 352-331-5026.
ANYA MAYR is North Florida Regional Medical Center’s Marketing Coordinator, and a University of South Florida St. Petersburg graduate specializing in Marketing. She is currently pursuing her graduate degree in Public Relations. Originally from Honduras, a big fan of mac and cheese, and an avid traveler, she has a strong desire to discover the world – one coffee shop at a time.