James O'Connor, MD

Biography

Offering relief for patients with ailing lungs

Dr. James O’Connor is here to help patients with chronic lung disease breathe a bit easier. He specializes in treating patients with lung ailments that sap their health and disrupt their lives.

“I’m part of the VCU Health team caring for patients experiencing any stage of lung disease,” says O’Connor. “I’m here to improve a patient’s symptoms and follow their wishes on the treatment options they want to pursue.”

As one VCU Health’s Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine providers, O’Connor collaborates every day with specialists from a range of disciplines, including other pulmonologists, radiologists, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, physical therapists, nurses, surgeons and others. It’s the kind of comprehensive and high-quality care that “treats the entire patient,” he says.

He cares for people living with advanced lung illnesses, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that can lead to coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath as well as sudden hospitalizations when symptoms rapidly worsen. He also sees patients with pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension, and he’s part of the lung transplant team at the Hume-Lee Transplant Center.

As the medical director of pulmonary rehabilitation at VCU Health, he provides care to improve lung function and lessen the impact that a patient’s symptoms have on their quality of life.

He also started a clinic at VCU Health to help people with COPD, including new patients as well as those who have left the hospital following a flare-up episode. He offers a range of treatment options for those COPD patients, including smoking cessation care, lung rehabilitation, inhalers, supplemental oxygen, surgery and other options.

O’Connor didn’t choose the field at random. His father was a respiratory therapist, and the son says he ultimately chose the field of pulmonary care after helping critically ill lung disease patients live better with their condition following a stay in intensive care.

In addition to taking part in a fellowship treating critically ill lung disease patients at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical Center, O’Connor held another fellowship here at VCU Health that focused on hospice and palliative care.

“I’m here to help patients improve their quality while undergoing treatment for their disease,” he says. “I also am there to help them and their families transition to a comfort-focused care plan when treating their disease is no longer helping.”

O’Connor sees patients at VCU Medical Center. When he’s not there, he enjoys spending time with his wife, their two kids, and they’re beloved dog — a corgi named “Wallace.” He also likes playing and watching soccer and listening to U2, his favorite band that he’s seen 15 times in concert.

Research Interests:

Advanced care for COPD patients, palliative care for people with chronic lung disease