Patients with allergic and inflammatory diseases rarely experience them in neat, separate categories. A child with severe eczema may also have food allergies, or a patient with gastrointestinal symptoms may also need an allergist.
USF Health has launched one of the nation's first clinics designed for patients with overlapping allergic, skin and gastrointestinal disorders
In practice, this means patients and their families can find themselves moving between multiple specialists and treatment plans that are connected medically but not always synchronized.
is working to change that through a pioneering new multidisciplinary clinic that brings physicians and providers from across specialties together in a single setting to care for patients with complex atopic conditions.
Known as the Center for Allergic Diseases, or CAD, the clinic is designed for patients with overlapping allergic, skin and gastrointestinal disorders who would benefit from a coordinated care plan developed by multiple specialists at the same time.
The clinic, the first of its kind in Florida and believed to be among the first in the nation, unites experts from the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine鈥檚 , and .
[From top, left to right]: Nishit Patel, Racha Khalaf; Sharon Albers, Amber Pepper & Nicole Misner
鈥淭his clinic was created for patients who do not fit neatly into one specialty,鈥 said , associate professor of medicine and pediatrics in the . 鈥淲hen allergic disease affects the skin, the gastrointestinal system and nutrition, patients can really benefit from a care team that looks at the full picture together.鈥
Held once a month at the Morsani Center for Advanced Healthcare, the clinic is currently focused on existing USF Health patients. Potential candidates are being identified from participating specialties, where physicians can determine whether their symptoms and needs would benefit from multidisciplinary care. Leadership expects referral pathways to evolve as the clinic grows.
Before and after each clinic session, providers discuss patient cases together and align on next steps. During the visit, families have access to multiple specialists in the same setting rather than scheduling separate visits across different departments.
鈥淎cademic health systems are built to care for complex patients, but even in an integrated system, care can sometimes still feel fragmented,鈥 said , professor and Neil Alan Fenske, MD Endowed Chair of the USF Health Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery. 鈥淭he goal of this clinic is to take some of that complexity out of the process by putting the right specialists in conversation with each other before, during and after the visit.鈥
The clinical model is designed to better mirror the way allergic and inflammatory diseases can affect more than one part of the body. It also creates a more intentional way for physicians to coordinate care in real time, especially for patients whose symptoms cross traditional specialty boundaries.
Patients and parents benefit from such coordination by needing fewer appointments and receiving a clearer understanding of how each part of the care plan fits together. And for physicians, it creates a shared space to compare recommendations and develop a unified plan.
鈥淥ne of the most important parts of this clinic is the conversation that happens among the specialists,鈥 said , associate professor of pediatrics and division chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. 鈥淲hen we are all looking at the same patient together, we can better understand how the skin, allergic and GI symptoms are connected and build a plan that makes sense for the whole child.鈥
In some cases, patients also need support for the emotional and mental health challenges that can come with chronic or disruptive conditions. While psychiatry is not currently part of the clinic鈥檚 on-site model, the team is building pathways to connect patients with additional support when needed.
As the clinic grows, USF Health leaders hope it will build on its patient care mission to also support interdisciplinary translational research through clinical trials and future industry partnerships.
鈥淭his is about making complex care easier to understand and easier to navigate,鈥 said , professor and director of the USF Health Division of Pediatric Dermatology. 鈥淲hen families come to this clinic, they are not carrying the burden of connecting every piece on their own. They have a team doing that with them.鈥
For an appointment with USF Health, call (813) 821-8038.
The USF Health Center for Allergic Diseases multidisciplinary team:
- Dr. Amber Pepper: Allergy and Immunology
- Dr. Sharon Albers: Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery
- Dr. Racha Khalaf and Nicole Misner: Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition