Cystic Fibrosis Center Adult Program

(732) 235-7840

At the Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Center, our program for adults provides comprehensive treatment and management, helping people with CF live full and productive lives.

CF is a progressive, genetic disorder that primarily causes lung infections and can make it difficult to breathe. Our team helps patients and their families navigate the medical, psychosocial and financial challenges posed by the disease. We also offer access to community resources and advocacy services to ensure you get the best care, close to home.

Our center provides lifelong, patient- and family-centered care, individualized to the patient’s age and stage. Read more about our pediatric and adolescent CF program.

Why Choose Us?

A product of the powerhouse partnership between Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, The CF Center combines the resources of these leading institutions to provide state‐of‐the‐art care. We offer superior medical treatment across a spectrum of specialties and access to the latest in cystic fibrosis research and clinical trials. We also offer a holistic approach to living with CF with support from our multidisciplinary team, led by medical director Dr. Sabiha Hussain.

The CF Center is fully accredited by the national Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF), and ranks among the top U.S. centers for patient outcomes.

We received Quality Care Awards from the CFF in 2012 and 2017. These awards are based on a five-year site visit cycle.

Established by internationally renowned medical director, Thomas F. Scanlin, MD, the CF Center emphasizes nutrition, education and family involvement. We promote wellness to slow disease progression and improve the quality of our patients’ lives.

Our Multidisciplinary Team Approach

To live well with a chronic disease like CF, you need a team of experts on your side. Our multidisciplinary team approach aims to address every aspect of patient care. The CF team includes:

• Physicians
• Psychologists
• Nurse practitioners
• Registered nurses
• Respiratory therapists
• Physical therapists
• Nutritionists
• Social workers
• Pharmacists

We collaborate with an array of physicians and specialists from areas throughout the hospital including gastroenterology, endocrinology, disease medicine, interventional radiology, physical therapy, and pharmacology.

Services We Provide

• Clinical management
• Nutritional education and management
• Counseling, case management, and advocacy
• Comprehensive ambulatory and inpatient care
• Comprehensive education programs for families, community providers, and other health care professionals on the care of CF patients
• Lifelong follow-up care

Common Medical Tests

• Sweat testing
• Pulmonary function testing
• Pancreatic function testing
• Diagnostic imaging, including x-ray, MRI, ultrasound and CT scans
• Bone density scans
• Routine and annual bloodwork
• Oral glucose tolerance testing
• Sputum culture
• Bronchoscopy

Some of these tests are recommended annually, others as needed.

Learn more about these common outpatient medical tests for people with CF.

Transitioning to the Adult Program

The CF Center at RWJUH provides care for people of all ages. We diagnose and treat patients from infancy through adolescence in our pediatric and adolescent program, but as children with CF become adults, their care needs change. Medical conditions may become more complicated over time. Social concerns may grow to include employment, dating, marriage, care of a family, financial independence.

To address these unique issues, we developed a program tailored for adults. At about 22 years of age, individuals with CF transition from our pediatric program into the adult program.

Family-Centered Care

CF is a lifelong genetic disease that affects families of patients throughout the course of the patient’s lifetime. We educate and support families throughout the patient’s journey.

Our Family Advisory Council is a vital part of the center, and is made up of family members from both the pediatric and adult programs. The Council offers observations, insights, and recommendations for program quality improvement. To learn about joining the council, contact Erin McElroy Barker at mcelroer@rwjms.rutgers.edu.

Research

The CF Center is a designated center for the largest cystic fibrosis clinical trials network in the world -- the Cystic Fibrosis Therapeutics Development Network (TDN). The TDN brings together experts from across the United States to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of new CF therapies. As part of the TDN, we are involved in multiple clinical trials to develop new drugs. Learn more about these clinical trials.

Learn More

• Meet our team
• Outpatient testing for CF diagnosis and monitoring
• Cystic fibrosis clinical trials
• Frequently Asked Questions about hospital stays at RWJUH for people with CF