June 02, 2026
Asthma care is becoming increasingly complex, driven by a growing recognition of heterogeneous disease phenotypes, an expanding array of advanced diagnostics and a rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape that includes multiple targeted biologic agents. To continue to meet patients' evolving needs, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, has redefined the way it cares for patients with asthma. A multidisciplinary asthma clinic, co-staffed by pulmonologists and allergists, was established to provide accessible, seamless, high-quality care for these patients through personalized treatment plans, access to routine and advanced diagnostics and tailored education sessions.
The rationale for this integrated model is straightforward: Patients with asthma that's moderate to severe or difficult to control often require expertise that spans both Pulmonary Medicine and Allergic Diseases. Fragmented evaluation can lead to duplicated testing, inconsistent messaging and delays in optimizing therapy. Care delivered within siloed and isolated subspecialties lacks the comprehensive interdisciplinary integration necessary for effectively managing complex asthma. By aligning expertise within a shared infrastructure, the clinic aims to streamline care pathways and reduce fragmentation for patients with complex respiratory and immune conditions.
"While there is strong consensus and alignment between allergists and pulmonologists in the management of asthma, the most exceptional outcomes are achieved when best practices from both specialties are seamlessly integrated," says Rohit D. Divekar, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., an allergist and co-lead of the multidisciplinary asthma clinic at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "This collaborative approach not only leverages the unique strengths and perspectives of each discipline but also elevates the standard of care, ensuring that patients receive the most comprehensive, evidence-based and personalized treatment possible."
Within this model, patients are primarily evaluated by either a pulmonologist or an allergist, depending on referral needs and clinical presentation. Care is then delivered within a unified structure supported by cross-trained allied health staff and updated systems.
A key feature of the clinic is a dedicated touchpoint between Pulmonary Medicine and Allergic Diseases physicians, built into its structure to discuss complex asthma cases. These huddles enhance interdisciplinary collaboration, promote shared decision-making and ensure that evolving care plans reflect input from both specialties.
As asthma phenotyping becomes more nuanced and biologic selection increasingly tailored to inflammatory endotypes, this real-time collaboration supports more precise and individualized treatment strategies. In these select cases, complex concerns are reviewed and discussed by both specialties without requiring a separate second consultation, reducing patient burden while preserving multidisciplinary input. This shared infrastructure facilitates coordinated diagnostics, standardized documentation and efficient communication.
"This is an exciting time to care for patients with asthma, as there are a multitude of novel targeted therapies available and under investigation," explains Joseph H. Skalski, M.D., a pulmonologist and co-lead of the multidisciplinary asthma clinic at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "Selecting the optimal treatment requires an individualized patient evaluation to define what type of inflammation is present, what is driving the inflammation, and how to exclude conditions that can mimic asthma. Our multidisciplinary clinic is designed to perform this evaluation efficiently for every patient."
The clinic is designed to provide longitudinal care for local patients while also offering consultative opinions for national patients whose ongoing asthma management remains with their local care teams. This dual model expands access to subspecialty expertise while respecting established patient-physician relationships in the community. "Although our clinic is designed to manage patients with asthma of any severity, it is particularly well-suited to care for patients with severe asthma," Dr. Skalski says.
Beyond clinical care: Advancing education and research
The multidisciplinary asthma clinic is designed to advance education and research. Integration efforts include attention to fellow education at the intersection of Pulmonary Medicine and Allergic Diseases, fostering the next generation of clinicians trained in multispecialty team-based, phenotype-driven asthma management. Research initiatives also are being planned within the clinic framework, creating opportunities to study outcomes associated with integrated care models and novel therapeutics.
Ultimately, the multidisciplinary asthma clinic serves as a model for thoughtful collaboration across specialties, demonstrating how integrated, team-based care can translate complexity into coordinated action. By centering care on shared expertise, streamlined processes and personalized treatment plans, the clinic seeks to make seamless, high-quality asthma care a reality for patients with even the most complex disease presentations.
For more information
Refer a patient to Mayo Clinic.