At the Center for Asbestos Related Disease (CARD) there are a variety of services available to address the multiple issues related to asbestos exposure and disease management. CARD utilizes the skills of a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, a clinical social worker, and office/administrative/research support staff who keep operations organized and efficient. The professional team provides a variety of services that support CARD's foundational services, specialty pulmonary care for asbestos related diseases.

To receive services from CARD, either in Libby, Montana or long distance, it is necessary to complete CARD's preadmission paperwork. This will provide the CARD team with essential information about your Libby amphibole asbestos exposure, health history, and current health status. Although the initial paperwork may seem extensive, it is extremely important to fully understand the individual's exposure to asbestos and to assess the multiple ways it can impact a person's health and life.

The professional physicians provide screening, diagnosis, disease management and treatment services at CARD in Libby, Montana. This specialty care is extremely valuable in Libby for the 2,600 patients followed by CARD and the many new patients that continue to present daily at CARD for information, assessment, and care.

The respiratory therapy department at CARD is staffed by credentialed professional staff. They perform pulmonary function tests and specialize in educating patients on disease management. Our pulmonary function testing (PFT) is done by using a Medgraphics Elite Series Plethysmography Box with Breeze PF software. We hope to obtain more diagnostic equipment in the near future which will allow us to observe not only what happens while individuals are at rest, but also during activity.

Many people who have moved away from the Libby community were impacted by the asbestos exposure that occurred for nearly 70 years until the mine closure in 1990. While many of these people travel back to Libby for specialty care, from Alaska to Florida, there are many others who are unable to return to Libby for specialty care related to the Libby amphibole asbestos. Thus there are a variety of ways to coordinate long distance services which can include screening, consultation, and coordination with individual's primary care providers in their own community to develop a personalize healthcare plan . This may involve pulmonary functioning tests, x-rays, and CT scans completed in their local communities. By providing access to health consultation, education, advocacy, and opportunities to participate in research, CARD is committed to all individuals living with Libby amphibole asbestos exposure and disease. If you think this service would benefit you, please contact us.

Assessment and consultation services are available for patients who reside in Libby and across the nation. CARD physicians often provide assessment and consultation in coordination with primary care providers or other pulmonary specialists from around the country who may be providing the front line care for patients impacted by Libby amphibole asbestos related diseases. This is very important because Libby amphibole asbestos diseases seem to have a different disease presentation than the historically recognized asbestos diseases which were associated with commercial asbestos such as chrysotile. Libby amphibole asbestos disease is often times described as “a new look of an old disease.”

CARD makes education a priority by providing information, resources, and teaching skills for patients and their families to effectively manage their disease as much as possible to maintain health, quality of life, and facilitate adjustment. There is a variety of patient education materials on this site or you can contact CARD so we can specifically customize your educational program to meet your individual needs.

CARD provides case management services as needed for people affected by Libby amphibole asbestos living in the Libby community as well as for those living across the nation. Case management is a program that works with individuals and families by providing problem solving assistance, help with coordination of care, connection to available resources, and emotional support/counseling. We stand ready to assist in the navigation and coordination of services.

Experiencing an environmental and public health disaster such as asbestos exposure, or any other type of slow motion technological disaster, can have multifaceted impacts on individuals, families, and communities. When asbestos exposure occurs for several decades in a community, exposing multiple generations, and the experience is further compounded by the complexities of the exposure, latency, and the disease process, it can be difficult to re-establish a sense of equilibrium for many decades, if ever. The asbestos exposure not only leads to a variety of physical health problems, but also many life altering implications and secondary stressors can result. These include emotional, social, spiritual, financial, daily living, and recreational impacts. Thus, CARD provides support, counseling, and problem solving assistance to assist individuals and families address their complex issues related to asbestos exposure and disease.

CARD provides a wide array of outreach services to the local community as well as across the nation to other communities' healthcare professionals and organizations. It is a goal of CARD to promote understanding of Libby amphibole asbestos exposures and the associated Libby amphibole asbestos related diseases. Outreach also involves helping individuals, families, and communities learn to understand the primary and secondary impacts of asbestos exposure and disease. CARD provides a variety of outreach in this arena to facilitate understanding and skill development to enhance the lives of those impacted.

CARD distributes a quarterly newsletter, utilizes local newspapers and radio stations, offers community presentations, and has special events. In addition, CARD participates in community health fairs, the Lincoln County Adult Protective Team, the Community Advisory Group (CAG), the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), and the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC). At various conferences around the nation, CARD staff members have, and are available to, present on the medical aspects as well as the psychological and social components of Libby amphibole asbestos exposure and disease.