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Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD

Accepting New Patients

(Alan D. Betensley, MD)

(24 Ratings)

Specializes in: Pulmonology (Lung & Respiratory Disease), General Practice and Critical Care (Intensive Care Medicine)

University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago (1996)

Professional interests include: neuromuscular disorders (nerve & muscle diseases), lung transplant, bronchoscopy, and more.

676 N St Clair Street Arkes Pavilion, Suite 2100
Chicago, IL 60611

(312) 695-5864

Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD is a pulmonologist in Chicago, IL specializing in pulmonology (lung & respiratory disease), general practice and critical care (intensive care medicine). He graduated from University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago in 1996 and has 30 years of experience. Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD is affiliated with Northwestern Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Northwestern Medicine Lung Transplant.

Office Locations

676 N St Clair Street Arkes Pavilion, Suite 2100
Chicago, IL 60611

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1000 N Westmoreland Road Pavilion B, Level 1
Lake Forest, IL 60045

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Some issues Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD can help you with:

Bronchoscopy

Bronchoscopy is a procedure in which a thin tube with a camera, called a bronchoscope, is inserted in the mouth or nose and slowly advanced to the lungs. This allows doctors to see the respiratory tract, which includes the throat, larynx (voice box), trachea (windpipe), bronchi (airways), and lungs. Doctors may recommend those who have or show signs of lung problems - for example, lung cancer or difficulty breathing - to undergo a bronchoscopy.

In performing a diagnostic bronchoscopy, doctors may only wish to visualize the respiratory tract, or doctors may also collect samples of tissue or fluid. The samples can help diagnose patients' conditions or, if patients have cancer, they can be used for staging purposes. One method for sample collection is bronchoalveolar lavage. In a bronchoalveolar lavage, doctors inject saline (salt water) through the bronchoscope and then suction it out of the airways. The washout collected is tested for lung disorders. Doctors can also insert a biopsy tool to collect tissue or mucus samples. The following are biopsies that can be performed by bronchoscopy:

Brush biopsy, which uses a brush to collect samples.
Endobronchial biopsy, which uses the bronchoscope to guide forceps to sample lung tissue.
Transbronchial biopsy, which uses forceps and image guidance - such as X-rays, CT scans, or fluoroscopy - to sample lung tissue.
Transbronchial fine needle aspiration (TBNA), which uses a small needle to take samples of the lymph nodes or lungs.

For visualization, bronchoscopy can be done alone, or it can be combined with ultrasound. Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) allows real-time imaging of the airway and is used for diagnosing and staging lung cancer, as well as for determining where the cancer has spread. EBUS can be performed with TBNA, a procedure known as endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA).

Doctors can also use bronchoscopy as a treatment for lung problems. For example, if a foreign body is trapped in the airway, doctors can insert forceps through the bronchoscope to remove it. If the airway has become narrowed - which may occur if patients have an infection, cancer, or some other inflammatory issue - bronchoscopy can be used to place a device called a stent in the area of constriction. The stent will keep the airway open, allowing the patient to breathe properly.

During a bronchoscopy, patients will be given medication (sedative) to help them relax. If it is only a diagnostic bronchoscopy, patients will be kept awake, but if the bronchoscopy is for therapeutic purposes, patients will be put to sleep by general anesthesia. After the procedure, patients will need to stay in the hospital for a few hours. They will not be able to eat or drink for about 2 hours. Some patients may experience discomfort, such as a sore throat or pain while swallowing. Throat lozenges and gargling may help alleviate these symptoms, which should go away after a few days. Patients will need to have someone drive them home once their doctor determines that they are ready.

Lung Transplant

Patients who have very severe lung disease may need a lung transplant. The diseased lung is entirely removed and replaced with a healthy lung, usually donated by a person who died. Either one or both lungs can be transplanted.

Contrary to popular belief, lung transplant is rarely used to treat lung cancer. It is a more common treatment for patients with other advanced lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, sarcoidosis, pulmonary fibrosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Lung transplant is a serious operation and is generally used as a last resort for patients who have only a short time to live without surgery.

During a transplant, an incision is made on the side of the chest (for a single lung) or in the middle (for both lungs). Patients may be hooked up to a heart-lung bypass machine, which will do the work of moving blood and oxygen through the body during the procedure. After the diseased lung is cut away from the main airway and blood vessels, the donor lung is stitched into place. Surgery may take as long as twelve hours, and a hospital stay of two to three weeks after surgery is not uncommon. For the first hours or day after surgery, patients use a ventilator, or a machine to help them breathe. Tubes will be inserted into the chest to help drain excess air and fluid. During recovery, physical therapy and breathing exercises are used to help the new lung work as well as possible.

Lung capacity is carefully monitored for several months after surgery. Patients who have had a transplant will also have to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of their lives. These drugs stop the body's immune system from attacking the new lung. The main risks after a transplant are infection and rejection (when the immune system attacks the 'foreign' lung). A healthy lifestyle, including maintaining a diet high in vegetables and lean protein, not smoking, and getting enough exercise, is important to keeping the lungs functioning as well as possible. With proper care, many patients can live ten or even twenty years after a lung transplant.

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD treated as a pulmonologist in Chicago, IL during 2012 were hospital care, inpatient care and pulmonary testing.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	156
hospital care	331
inpatient care	331
pulmonary testing	170

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD treated as a pulmonologist in Chicago, IL during 2013 were hospital care, inpatient care and pulmonary testing.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	177
hospital care	156
inpatient care	156
pulmonary testing	47

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD.

**Gender**
Male	81
Female	115

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	125
Black	54
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	87
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	80

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD in 2013

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	44
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	52
Depression	31
Chronic Kidney Disease	47
Asthma	14
Osteoperosis	18
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	48
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	63
Diabetes	51
Dementia	10
Cancer	14

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD treated as a pulmonologist in Chicago, IL during 2014 were hospital care, inpatient care and pulmonary testing.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	518
hospital care	316
inpatient care	316
pulmonary testing	93

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD.

**Gender**
Male	106
Female	157

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	219
Black	17
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	15

**Age**
From 65 to 74	126
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	112

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD in 2014

Hypertension	73
High Cholesterol	45
Stroke	4
Ischemic Heart Disease	46
Depression	37
Chronic Kidney Disease	48
Asthma	14
Osteoperosis	20
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	43
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	62
Diabetes	47
Dementia	0
Cancer	13

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD treated as a pulmonologist in Chicago, IL during 2015 were hospital care, inpatient care, pulmonary testing and bronchoscopy.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD for Medicare patients.

bronchoscopy	19
diagnostic procedures	19
doctor visit	475
hospital care	526
inpatient care	526
minimally invasive procedures	19
pulmonary testing	82

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD.

**Gender**
Male	220
Female	278

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	428
Black	34
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	230
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	194

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD in 2015

Hypertension	71
High Cholesterol	47
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	49
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	53
Asthma	32
Osteoperosis	20
Atrial Fibrilation	19
Heart Failure	51
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	60
Diabetes	48
Dementia	0
Cancer	12

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD treated as a pulmonologist in Chicago, IL during 2016 were hospital care, inpatient care, pulmonary testing and bronchoscopy.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD for Medicare patients.

bronchoscopy	49
diagnostic procedures	27
doctor visit	596
hospital care	646
inpatient care	646
minimally invasive procedures	27
pulmonary testing	137

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD.

**Gender**
Male	123
Female	144

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	226
Black	12
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	12

**Age**
From 65 to 74	124
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	109

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD in 2016

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	45
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	42
Depression	37
Chronic Kidney Disease	54
Asthma	63
Osteoperosis	18
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	45
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	69
Diabetes	51
Dementia	8
Cancer	10

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD treated as a pulmonologist in Chicago, IL during 2017 were hospital care, inpatient care, bronchoscopy and pulmonary testing.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD for Medicare patients.

bronchoscopy	111
diagnostic procedures	49
doctor visit	481
hospital care	559
inpatient care	559
minimally invasive procedures	49
pulmonary testing	66

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD.

**Gender**
Male	101
Female	74

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	152
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	91
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	69

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD in 2017

Hypertension	74
High Cholesterol	45
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	36
Depression	36
Chronic Kidney Disease	49
Asthma	12
Osteoperosis	34
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	34
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	69
Diabetes	46
Dementia	11
Cancer	8

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD treated as a pulmonologist in Chicago, IL during 2018 were hospital care, inpatient care, bronchoscopy and minimally invasive procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD for Medicare patients.

bronchoscopy	94
diagnostic procedures	41
doctor visit	268
hospital care	494
inpatient care	494
minimally invasive procedures	41

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD.

**Gender**
Male	84
Female	59

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	128
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	81
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	43

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD in 2018

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	57
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	36
Depression	47
Chronic Kidney Disease	60
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	41
Atrial Fibrilation	12
Heart Failure	33
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	65
Diabetes	54
Dementia	13
Cancer	10

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD treated as a pulmonologist in Chicago, IL during 2019 were hospital care, inpatient care, bronchoscopy and minimally invasive procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD for Medicare patients.

bronchoscopy	82
diagnostic procedures	34
doctor visit	339
hospital care	453
inpatient care	453
minimally invasive procedures	34
pulmonary testing	26

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD.

**Gender**
Male	104
Female	64

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	154
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	104
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	43

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD in 2019

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	63
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	45
Depression	35
Chronic Kidney Disease	60
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	38
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	31
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	65
Diabetes	52
Dementia	9
Cancer	11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD treated as a pulmonologist in Chicago, IL during 2020 were hospital care, inpatient care, pulmonary testing and bronchoscopy.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD for Medicare patients.

bronchoscopy	69
diagnostic procedures	32
doctor visit	320
hospital care	489
inpatient care	489
minimally invasive procedures	32
pulmonary testing	81

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD.

**Gender**
Male	110
Female	93

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	177
Black	14
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	109
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	56

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD in 2020

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	54
Depression	34
Chronic Kidney Disease	60
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	28
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	38
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	61
Diabetes	50
Dementia	7
Cancer	7

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD treated as a pulmonologist in Chicago, IL during 2021 were hospital care, inpatient care, bronchoscopy and pulmonary testing.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD for Medicare patients.

bronchoscopy	32
diagnostic procedures	13
doctor visit	176
hospital care	265
inpatient care	265
minimally invasive procedures	13
pulmonary testing	28

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD.

**Gender**
Male	87
Female	59

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	129
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	76
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	45

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD in 2021

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	70
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	49
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	61
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	34
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	32
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	59
Diabetes	52
Dementia	10
Cancer	8

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	54

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD.

**Gender**
Male	22
Female	19

**Age**
From 65 to 74	24
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD in 2022

Hypertension	63
High Cholesterol	61
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	39
Depression	44
Chronic Kidney Disease	46
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	41
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	59
Diabetes	41
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD treated as a pulmonologist in Chicago, IL were hospital care, inpatient care, pulmonary testing and bronchoscopy.

bronchoscopy	65
diagnostic procedures	30
doctor visit	323
hospital care	423
inpatient care	423
minimally invasive procedures	30
pulmonary testing	81

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD.

**Gender**
Female	96
Male	94

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	11
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	158
Native American / Alaskan Native	2
Hispanic	0
Other	0

**Age**
85 and over	0
75 to 84	0
Less than 65	68
65 to 74	95

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD From 2012 - 2022

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD treated were hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, high cholesterol and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	66
High Cholesterol	49
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	40
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	48
Asthma	13
Osteoporosis	22
Heart Failure	36
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	57
Diabetes	44
Atrial Fibrillation	11
Dementia	6
Cancer	8

Education & Training

Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD graduated from University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago in 1996. He completed residency at Tulane University Affiliated Hospitals. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine - Internal Medicine (Certified) and has a state license in Illinois.

Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago (1996)

Residency: Tulane University Affiliated Hospitals (1999)

Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine - Internal Medicine (Certified)

Licensed In: Illinois

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Northwestern Medicine

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Northwestern Medicine Lung Transplant

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 24 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Chicago, IL.

Overall Rating

(24 Ratings)

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Alan D. Betensley, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Pulmonx Corporation	$1,492 Pulmonx Endobronchial Valve EBV $1,492
Gilead Sciences Inc	$114 $114
Genentech USA, Inc.	$108 Esbriet $108
Insmed, Inc.	$49 Arikayce $49
Eurofins Viracor, Inc.	$25 $25
Other	$77 GIAPREZA $22	UPTRAVI $15	JARDIANCE $15	Xerava $13	ORENITRAM $12

**Types of Payments**
Travel and Lodging	$1,291
Food and Beverage	$547
Entertainment	$25

Biography

Dr. Alan Betensley's areas of specialization are general practice, pulmonology (lung & respiratory disease), and critical care (intensive care medicine). He is especially interested in lung transplant, neuromuscular disorders (nerve & muscle diseases), and bronchoscopy. His professional affiliations include Northwestern Medical Group (NMG), Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Dr. Betensley's education and training includes medical school at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago and residency at a hospital affiliated with Tulane University. Patient ratings for Dr. Betensley average 5.0 stars (out of 5). According to Yext, new patients are welcome to contact Dr. Betensley's office in Chicago, IL.