Care Centers

This nationwide network of more than 130 centers has dedicated health care professionals who partner with people living with CF and their families to provide expert cystic fibrosis care and specialized disease management so that people living with the disease can live longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives.

The Highest Quality of Care 

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation funds and accredits care centers located at teaching and community hospitals across the country. These centers offer comprehensive, high-quality care. This elevated level of specialized care has led to longer, more fulfilling lives for people living with CF.

Care centers also participate in clinical research. And they help educate doctors, nurses, and health care teams about CF and the care required to help achieve and maintain the best possible health. To maintain CF Foundation accreditation, each center undergoes a review every year and periodic re-accreditation peer site visits to make sure each care center provides a consistently high standard of care.

The CF Foundation's care center network combines clinical research with medical care best practices, and has been cited by the National Institutes of Health as a model of effective and efficient health care delivery for a chronic disease.

Regular Care Center Visits 

Visiting your care center at least four times a year is a very important part of managing your health with CF. During these visits, your CF care team will work with you to develop and revise your treatment plan and monitor your health.

Care centers use pulmonary function tests (PFTs), sputum or throat cultures, and blood tests, among others to monitor your health status. These tests can detect small decreases in lung function or a germ growing in the lungs before you feel them. This can help your CF care team take steps to prevent these issues from getting worse and causing bigger problems. You should contact your care center any time you're unsure about whether or not you should seek care.

Sweat tests, the most reliable way to diagnose CF, are also done at Foundation-accredited care centers.

The CF Foundation is committed to creating and promoting a model of medical care that improves the health and extends the lives of people with cystic fibrosis. To ensure that people with CF continue to experience steady gains in length and quality of life, the Foundation helps its accredited care centers provide a standard of CF care with guidelines based on the latest research, medical evidence, and consultation with experts on best practices. Learn more about the Foundation's clinical care guidelines.

Since cystic fibrosis is a complex disease, it requires a team approach with you or your child at the center. Your care team includes a group of CF health professionals who partner with you to provide specialized, comprehensive CF care. Learn more about your CF care team.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation provides funding for and accredits CF care centers and more than 50 affiliate programs at teaching and community hospitals across the country. These care centers offer comprehensive, high-quality care for those living with CF.

Information on the health status of people with CF who agree to share their information and receive care at Foundation-accredited care centers is tracked by the Foundation's Patient Registry. This information is used to improve CF care at the care centers and is available to the CF community.

We encourage you to partner with your care team and find ways to make your or your child's health, and the quality of your care, the best it can be. Learn about or find a care center near you.