The Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University is one of the most historically prestigious respiratory disease specialties in China. As a National Advanced Group of Medical and Healthcare System and one of the inaugural National Clinical Key Specialties, it serves as a jointly constructed National Respiratory Regional Medical Center both by the state and province, and has been recognized as a National Women’s Civilization Post, and National Advanced Health Collective. The department boasts 16 National and Provincial Medical Diagnostic and Treatment Centers and training bases, leading several national major scientific and technological projects. It is among the few departments in the country to comprehensively cover all respiratory and tuberculosis-related diseases, with the unique capability to provide full-spectrum prevention and treatment, ranging from the earliest stages of respiratory diseases to end-stage ECMO treatment. The department’s 5D respiratory intervention is at the forefront in China, with substantial global influence. Its patient base spans over 20 provinces and municipalities nationwide.
The department is staffed by 210 medical professionals and has 234 hospital beds (including 40 critical care beds across the hospital’s three campuses). It handles an annual outpatient volume exceeding 160,000 visits, with more than 7,000 admissions and discharges. The department is regarded as the leading respiratory specialty in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, driving the development of medical care, teaching, research, prevention, management, and treatment systems for respiratory diseases in the region. According to the Fudan Ranking and China Hospital Science and Technology Evaluation Metrics (STEM), it has consistently ranked first in Chongqing, first in the upper Yangtze River region, and second in Southwest China, trailing only West China Hospital. It is one of the rare specialties in China that encompasses the entire spectrum of respiratory and tuberculosis diseases, providing both early-stage respiratory disease prevention and advanced end-stage ECMO care. It leads nationally in 5D respiratory interventions, pulmonary vascular interventions, tuberculosis and intervention, transbronchial cryobiopsy, and respiratory therapies, with significant international impact. The department is home to nationally recognized experts who have received prestigious awards, including Nationally Outstanding Physicians, the National Health and Family Planning Commission’s Outstanding Contribution Experts, State Council Special Allowance recipients, Chongqing Talent Program, and Chongqing’s High-End Young and Mid-Aged Medical Talents. These experts hold key positions in major national academic bodies, such as the vice-chairperson of the Tuberculosis Branch of the Chinese Medical Association. Additionally, the department maintains guest professor appointments at the Chest Hospital of Heidelberg University and Florence University. The department has led over 40 national and provincial-level major scientific research projects, including national key initiatives, and the course Respiratory System Diseases has been recognized as a national first-class course. Furthermore, it has edited multiple textbooks for higher education. Publications from the department appear in leading international SCI journals in the field of respiratory medicine, such as LANCET INFECT DIS, ERJ and CHEST, etc. In 2022, the total impact factor of SCI papers from the department ranked 6th globally in respiratory diseases, according to Healsan Consulting LLC (USA). The department has led or participated in the creation of over 30 clinical guidelines, consensus documents, and industry standards and was awarded the second prize at the 2022 Chongqing Science and Technology Progress Award.
The department was the first in China - and globally - to propose the concept of a 3D, 4D (via the airway, pulmonary vasculature, percutaneous transthoracic, and esophageal approaches) and 5D (4D with surgical treatment) comprehensive respiratory intervention system, which has since become a new model for the development of respiratory intervention systems nationwide. As the leading institution of the National Respiratory Disease Vascular Intervention Working Group, the department has, over the past decade, expanded vascular intervention for respiratory diseases nationwide, establishing a nationwide network for bronchial artery, pulmonary vein, and superior vena cava intervention diagnostics and treatments. Furthermore, it has founded the first provincial-level Hemoptysis Center in China, dramatically enhancing the national diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities for pulmonary vascular diseases. As the National Chair of the Tuberculosis Intervention Committee, the department has spearheaded the development and standardization of tuberculosis intervention practices across the country. The department has performed groundbreaking procedures, including the first global and national combined thoracic surgery and interventional bronchoscopy procedure for bronchial obstruction reopening, the first Hybrid Knife for airway tumor resection, the first percutaneous bronchial cryobiopsy in China, the first Onyx embolization for bronchial artery treatment of refractory massive hemoptysis in China, and the first spring coil occlusion for bronchopleural fistula in China. The department has also maintained a rare “zero death” rate in respiratory intervention surgeries, a remarkable achievement in both domestic and international respiratory intervention centers, ensuring patient safety while effectively alleviating their suffering.
The department has demonstrated remarkable capacity for emergency response to major respiratory-related public health emergencies. Since 2003, it has served as the leader of the Clinical Expert Group for major respiratory public health crises in Chongqing. Notably, in 2020, the department led the Chinese government’s medical expert group to Algeria and Sudan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contact Information:
Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Division 1 (Yuanjiagang Campus)
Address: NO.1, Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing
Consultation Phone:
89012220 (Outpatient)
89012017 (Inpatient, 17th Floor, Building 2)
89012356 (Third Ward)
89012016 (Inpatient, 16th Floor, Building 2)
Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Division 2 (Jinshan Campus)
Address: NO.50, Jinyu Avenue, Liangjiang New Area, Yubei District, Chongqing
Phone: 88955814
Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Division 3 (Hutouyan Campus)
Address: NO.191, Renmin Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing
Phone: 86528950
Website: http://www.hospital-cqmu.com/k/hxk/