Pulmonologist in Knoxville

June 14, 2026

A pulmonologist is a physician, holding an M.D. or D.O. degree, who specializes in diseases of the lungs and respiratory system. For Knoxville patients, working with a local pulmonologist provides in-person evaluation, on-site diagnostic testing, and a physician who coordinates care with East Tennessee’s hospitals and intensive care units. Knoxville has a population of roughly 195,185 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau) and serves as the medical hub for a large swath of East Tennessee, southeastern Kentucky, western North Carolina, and northern Georgia, which gives its pulmonary practices an unusually broad regional reach. Knoxville pulmonologists treat conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sleep apnea, interstitial lung disease, lung nodules and lung cancer, and they often manage ventilator and critical care for hospitalized patients. This article is informational and is not medical advice.

The training required to become a pulmonologist is lengthy. After medical school, a physician completes a residency in internal medicine and then a fellowship in pulmonary disease, frequently combined as pulmonary and critical care medicine, and many practices add sleep medicine as well. Board certification in pulmonary disease is granted by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) after this training, and many Knoxville pulmonologists also carry the FCCP credential, indicating Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians. Because pulmonary and critical care medicine are so closely tied, a large share of the area’s pulmonologists also work in hospital intensive care units, which is one reason many practices are affiliated with hospital systems such as The University of Tennessee Medical Center, Covenant Health, and Tennova Healthcare.

In Tennessee, physicians are licensed by the state. Medical doctors (M.D.) are licensed by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners and doctors of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) by the Tennessee Board of Osteopathic Examination, both within the Division of Health Related Boards under the Tennessee Department of Health (statutes at TCA Title 63, with medicine and surgery under Chapter 6 and osteopathy under Chapter 9). Patients can confirm that a physician holds an active, unrestricted license, and review any public disciplinary actions, through the Department of Health license verification system at tn.gov. Because many East Tennessee practices draw patients from neighboring states, a physician who also sees patients across a state line must hold the appropriate license in each state.

The services a Knoxville pulmonology practice offers usually go well beyond the office visit. Standard diagnostic tools include pulmonary function testing (PFT) to measure airflow and lung volumes, bronchoscopy to examine the airways and obtain tissue samples, and sleep studies for patients with suspected sleep apnea. Several practices also offer endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and other advanced bronchoscopic techniques used in the workup of lung nodules and lung cancer staging. Ongoing management covers asthma, COPD, oxygen therapy, and follow-up of nodules found on imaging. Patients should ask which hospital a practice admits to and how after-hours and emergency care is handled. For billing and contract concerns, Tennessee’s consumer protection framework, administered by the Division of Consumer Affairs under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), handles complaints about deceptive business practices, while clinical or licensure concerns about a specific physician go to the Tennessee Department of Health.

Top Pulmonologist Providers in Knoxville

1. University Pulmonary and Critical Care

Address: 1940 Alcoa Highway, Building E, Suite 210, Knoxville, TN 37920
Phone: (865) 524-7471
Website: https://www.utmedical.org/locations/university-pulmonary-critical-care
Services: pulmonary disease diagnosis and management, critical care medicine, inpatient and outpatient care, evaluation of respiratory and sleep disorders, lung nodule evaluation, asthma and COPD care
Description: University Pulmonary and Critical Care (UPCC) has provided care for respiratory and sleep disorders since 1972 and is affiliated with The University of Tennessee Medical Center on the Alcoa Highway campus in south Knoxville. The practice has long served patients across eastern Tennessee, southeastern Kentucky, western North Carolina, and northern Georgia, drawing on a large group of physicians and nurse practitioners who diagnose and treat critically ill hospitalized patients and manage pulmonary conditions in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Its physicians include Philip H. Hanneman, MD, who is board certified in pulmonary diseases and critical care medicine and whose focus areas include asthma, COPD and emphysema, exercise pulmonology, and the investigation of suspicious pulmonary nodules. The practice maintains additional offices in the greater Knoxville area, including a Northshore Town Center location, supporting its role as a regional referral center within the academic medical center.

2. StatCare Pulmonary

Address: 10904 Kingston Pike, Suite 102, Knoxville, TN 37934
Phone: (865) 588-8831
Website: https://statcaremed.net
Services: pulmonary medicine, critical care, sleep medicine, internal medicine, sleep studies, treatment of pulmonary hypertension, COPD, asthma, lung nodules, and sleep apnea, hospital-based intensivist and hospitalist services
Description: StatCare is an independent, privately owned pulmonary, critical care, sleep, and hospitalist medical practice serving the East Tennessee region with both inpatient and outpatient care. The group describes a staff of more than 30 physicians and advanced practice providers, including physicians with multiple board certifications across pulmonology, critical care, and sleep medicine. Its Farragut office on Kingston Pike in west Knoxville offers outpatient pulmonary and sleep services, and the practice operates a network of offices across the region, with locations listed in communities including Farragut, Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Athens, Powell, Sweetwater, and Chattanooga. StatCare combines clinic-based pulmonary care with hospital intensivist and hospitalist coverage, which allows the same group to manage patients from the outpatient setting through hospitalization when needed.

3. Pulmonary and Sleep Consultants

Address: 108 Lovell Road, Suite A, Knoxville, TN 37934
Phone: (865) 392-1240
Website: https://pscssi.net
Services: pulmonary function testing, bronchoscopy with endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), sleep studies (in-lab polysomnography and home sleep testing), allergy skin testing, care for pulmonary hypertension, sleep apnea, insomnia, parasomnias, and allergic rhinitis
Description: Pulmonary and Sleep Consultants (PSC), which also operates the Serenity Sleep Institute (SSI), is an independent practice on Lovell Road in west Knoxville led by Hassan Nadrous, MD, FCCP, a board-certified pulmonologist, with Melissa Blair, FNP-BC. The practice combines pulmonary medicine and sleep medicine under one roof, offering pulmonary function testing, bronchoscopy with endobronchial ultrasound for evaluating airways and lung nodules, and a full sleep program that includes in-lab polysomnography and home sleep testing. It also provides allergy skin testing and treats related conditions such as allergic rhinitis and sinusitis. The single-location, physician-led structure positions it as an option for patients seeking combined lung and sleep care in the Farragut and west Knoxville area.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pulmonologist in Knoxville

Q: What does a pulmonologist do, and how is one different from a primary care doctor?

A pulmonologist is a physician (M.D. or D.O.) who, after an internal medicine residency, completes additional fellowship training focused on the lungs and respiratory system. Pulmonologists diagnose and treat conditions such as asthma, COPD, sleep apnea, interstitial lung disease, and lung nodules or cancer, and many also practice critical care medicine in hospital intensive care units. A primary care doctor usually manages mild or stable breathing problems and refers more complex or persistent lung conditions to a pulmonologist for specialized testing and treatment.

Q: How can I verify that a Knoxville pulmonologist is properly licensed?

Tennessee physicians who hold an M.D. are licensed by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners, and those with a D.O. by the Tennessee Board of Osteopathic Examination, both under the Department of Health (TCA Title 63, Chapters 6 and 9). You can confirm a physician’s active license status and review any public disciplinary history through the Department of Health license verification tool at tn.gov. It is also reasonable to ask whether a pulmonologist is board certified in pulmonary disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Q: What tests might a pulmonologist in Knoxville order?

Common pulmonary tests include pulmonary function testing (PFT), which measures lung capacity and airflow, bronchoscopy, which uses a thin scope to examine the airways and collect samples, and sleep studies for suspected sleep apnea. Some Knoxville practices also offer endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) for evaluating lung nodules and staging lung cancer. Chest imaging, including X-rays and CT scans, is frequently used to evaluate nodules, infections, and interstitial lung disease, and the pulmonologist explains the purpose of each test before it is performed.

Q: Are Knoxville pulmonology practices connected to hospitals?

Many are. Because pulmonary medicine overlaps closely with critical care, a large share of pulmonologists also staff hospital intensive care units, and practices are frequently affiliated with systems such as The University of Tennessee Medical Center, Covenant Health, or Tennova Healthcare. Some independent groups provide both clinic-based care and hospital intensivist coverage. Asking which hospital a practice uses, and how procedures and after-hours care are handled, helps patients understand where more advanced care would take place.

Q: How do I file a complaint about a pulmonology practice in Knoxville?

Complaints about a physician’s clinical conduct or licensure are directed to the Tennessee Department of Health, which oversees the Board of Medical Examiners and the Board of Osteopathic Examination. Concerns about billing, advertising, or other business practices can be filed with the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, which enforces the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). Keeping records of appointments, communications, and bills strengthens any complaint.

Q: Do I need a referral to see a pulmonologist in Knoxville?

It depends on your insurance plan. Many health maintenance organization (HMO) plans require a referral from a primary care physician before they will cover a specialist visit, while preferred provider organization (PPO) plans often allow patients to self-refer. Because pulmonary care can involve testing and procedures, confirming referral and prior-authorization requirements with both the practice and your insurer before the first appointment helps avoid unexpected costs.