How did you develop your Care Team?

@wangling Ears, Nose and Throat doctor, technically known as otolaryngologist.

Hi, When I search for BE/NTM centers in Connecticut I came up with the following list. I do not see Yale or Brigham on the list. I do see NYU Langone. I trust this list. If it were I, I would choose two locations and make appointments. Expect wait time until you can be seen. Keep calling to see if there's anything sooner. They get cancellations all the time.

Show this list to your PCP tomorrow. Perhaps they know someone at one of these locations. Ask your PCP if it's helpful to have a local pulmonologist. Perhaps the PCP will agree to see/treat you if you have a flare in-between visits to the BE/NTM center, possibly making a local pulmonologist unnecessary. Also, ask this question of the BE/NTM team once you are seen. Sometimes local pulmonologists are willing to work with remote colleagues even though they are in different systems. Another question to ask.

Regarding finding an immunologist, also ask your PCP. All allergists are also trained in immunology but they might not specialize in immunology. Immune disorders are rarer than allergies, so allergists do not see these as much as "regular" allergies. Allergists, however, can order immune panels for screening purposes. Lab work might include IgG levels, Ig subclass levels and pneumococcal titers (6 weeks after getting the vaccine). They may also be willing to order genetic testing to rule out CF or immune deficiencies or autoimmune disorders.

Until then, read up on and start airway clearance, which is the mainstay of bronchiectasis treatment.
https://www.bronchiectasisandntminitiative.org/Find-Care/Care-Center-Network/Find-a-Center

ddoran9233
Hello, I go to the NYU BE/NTM center. They are very very good. I started there with "just" BE but once they sent me for chest (respiratory) therapy I was able to produce sufficient sputum to show I did (do) indeed have MAC.
I will underline if you do go to NYU Langone you must go to the BE/NTM center, not just a random NYU pulmonologist. I ended up eventually with the BE/NTM practice when my (NYU) PCP became concerned that my generic (NYU) pulmonologist was not aggressive enough about my developing chronic cough.
The NYU BE/NTM folks are focused on BE and NTM both. If you go there you will get all the testing mentioned in the helpful posts on this thread for autoimmune and immune deficiencies plus more. If they recruit you into a study you may get even more testing. (I assume this is the same with all the BE/NTM centers of excellence but I don't know for absolutely sure.)
They will also coordinate a lot of care. When needed they got me in to the ear/hearing doc and the asthma doc they work with quickly -- both top of their fields, and trying on my own it would have been weeks or months wait.
They are very responsive on mychart and they return calls.
Having said all this -- we still do much better when we educate ourselves and are proactive. As far as the day to day maintenance and protocols of living with BE/MAC go, I have learned most of that here.
All best to you and to our whole group here!

Scoop said it all! To stay positive sounding, I will say to continue to advocate for your health! Here in MN my cardiologist, ID doc, and pulmonologist all are at UMN which to my knowledge is not a NTM/BE Center, BUT they partner with the Mayo Rochester Clinic and ARUP Lab in SLC to give their NTM/BE/MAC/MAI the most comprehensive and up-to-date care available.

As a retired UMN organic and biochemistry professor, I'm thrilled for the willingness of two separate care teams to avail each their own knowledge to the other for optimal quality patient care. Proof positive that there are some great and caring professionals on our side!