History of the Division

Frank Sladen, M.D., Physician-in-Chief of Henry Ford Hospital in 1915, studied under Sir William Osler at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Sladen appointed his former student, F. Janney Smith, M.D., as chief of the Cardio-respiratory Department which combined cardiac and pulmonary care until the Pulmonary Division was officially formed in 1949.

Division leaders

Ben E. Goodrich, M.D., 1949-1953
J. Lewis Yates, M.D., 1953
E. Osborne Coates, M.D., 1954-1977
Paul A. Kvale, M.D., 1977-1989
John Popovich, Jr., M.D., 1989-1999
Michael Eichenhorn, M.D., 1999-2012
Bruce DiGiovine, M.D., 2012-2018
Michael Eichenhorn, M.D., 2018-2020
John (Jack) Buckley, M.D., 2020-2023
Daniel Ouellette, M.D., effective July 2023

Research

The Division has participated in many critical research studies funded by the NIH and other sources. Several examples include:

• Nocturnal Oxygen Therapy Trial (NOTT)
• Lung Health I, II and III trials
• Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial
• Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis (PIOPED)
• PIOPED II
• Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis trials for the Specialized Center of Research (SCOR)
• Pulmonary Artery Catheters (PACS) trial
• National Lung Screening Trial (NLST)
• A Case Control Etiologic Study of Sarcoidosis (ACCESS)
• Long-term Oxygen Treatment Trial (LOTT)

Growth and expansion

In the late 1990s the Interventional Pulmonology (IP) Program was established. This program is among the few in the country to offer comprehensive IP services and among the first nationwide to offer non-surgical lung reduction, interventional diagnosis and treatment of lung and airways cancer, and new treatment for refractory asthma.

• Pulmonary Hypertension
• Lung Transplantation
• Interstitial Lung Disease
• Sarcoidosis

Each subspecialty program is nationally recognized and accredited by their respective medical societies.  They offer cutting-edge treatment for complex medical conditions and provide tertiary and quaternary care to patients from across the country and globe.  The Division’s clinical presence within Henry Ford Health expanded to four hospitals, leading the intensive care units at Henry Ford Detroit, Henry Ford West Bloomfield, Henry Ford Macomb, and Henry Ford Wyandotte.   In addition to this large inpatient presence, faculty provide ambulatory care at multiple clinics across metropolitan Detroit.

By 2021, the division had grown to include over 50 physicians plus a large cohort of advanced practice providers and trainees.  Recognizing the value of cross-disciplinary training and expertise, the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care has been a leader in hosting faculty with dual appointments.  In addition to being board certified in Pulmonary and/or Critical Care, these dual appointment faculty also maintain board certification in areas including:

• Emergency Medicine
• Sleep Medicine
• Nephrology
• Cardiology

Most of the faculty hold faculty appointments with the medical schools or Wayne State University and/or Michigan State University.

Education

The Division’s medical education program is renowned, hosting medical students from several schools, residents, and fellowship training.   The division hosts three fellowship programs:  Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, and Interventional Pulmonary.  These are some of the largest training programs of their kind in the United States, and offer top tier clinical training with graduates taking faculty positions at premier health centers across the country.