Pulmonary Technology Dependence Program
Pediatric home ventilation offers important medical, developmental, and emotional benefits for children with chronic respiratory conditions. The Pulmonary Technology Dependence Program (PTDP) at Children’s of Alabama (COA) provides safe, compassionate, family-centered care for children requiring long-term invasive ventilation at home. Our mission is to improve quality of life through coordinated, multidisciplinary care, structured caregiver training, and ongoing clinical oversight—supporting long-term medical stability, developmental progress, family-community integration, and independence at home.
How do I prepare for the Technology Dependence Clinic?
Plan your transportation in advance. If transportation is a problem, please notify us as soon as possible. We may be able to help.
- Bring your child’s ventilator, Go-bag with tracheostomy tubes & ambu-bag, portable pulse oximeter, and portable suction machine.
- Make sure your child has plenty of oxygen available for travel to and from their appointment if needed.
- Bring any medications or feedings your child may need while away from home.
- Bring your child’s insurance/Medicaid card.
- Complete your child’s medication review in MyChart prior to clinic. If you do not have MyChart access, please bring a list of your child’s medication with strength and dosage.
What happens at a Technology Dependence Clinic visit?
Getting Here
Please plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment. The traffic and parking in the Birmingham Medical District can sometimes be difficult and take longer than expected. Please consider this as you prepare to leave for your visit. Parking is available in the Children’s Hospital 7th Avenue Parking Garage – be sure to bring your parking ticket to clinic with you to be validated.
Check-in
When you arrive to Clinic 6 in the McWane Building of Children’s of Alabama, you will first need to check in at the front desk. If your child is on oxygen, you may connect his/her oxygen to the oxygen supply on the wall of the waiting room and save oxygen in your portable tanks. One of our staff will then gather your personal information and collect any necessary information or co-payment for your visit. You will be directed to the laboratory or radiology suites for additional testing if required for your visit.
Your Child’s Exam
When you are called into clinic, the clinical assistant will take your child’s weight, height, temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate. You will then be taken to an exam room where your child be evaluated by a multi-disciplinary team of health professionals. This team includes a physician, nurse, respiratory therapist, social worker, and nutritionist. The goal of this team is to meet the many specialized needs of your child in one setting. These visits are often lengthy, lasting approximately 2 hours due to the complex needs of our patient population.
Parking is provided in the 7th Avenue parking deck located across the street from the hospital. Please bring your parking ticket to clinic for validation.
Clinic Location
1600 7th Ave. S.
McWane Building, Clinic 6
Birmingham, AL 35233
Mailing Address
1600 7th Ave. S.
Lowder Building, Suite 620
Birmingham, AL 35233
Phone: 205-638-9583, option 7
Fax: 205-638-2850
After hours (Emergency only): 205-638-9100, ask for Pulmonologist On-Call
