Concierge COPD Care in Mount Kisco and Chappaqua: Dr. Lisa Youkeles on Listening, Testing, and Treating the Whole Patient

Patients in Chappaqua, Mount Kisco, and the surrounding Northern Westchester communities are increasingly seeking pulmonary care that goes beyond a fifteen-minute appointment. At WestDocs Concierge in Mount Kisco, NY, Dr. Lisa Youkeles offers exactly that. With more than four decades of clinical experience and a research background in the immunology of asthma, Dr. Youkeles brings depth, time, and rigor to every chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma evaluation.

For Dr. Youkeles, pulmonology isn’t just a specialty. It’s a calling rooted in four decades of medicine and a deep-seated belief that patients deserve more than a rushed appointment. A physician who began her career pursuing an advanced degree in biology with a passion for lab research, Dr. Youkeles found her way to clinical medicine because of her love for people. She finds fulfillment in private practice for the time it gives her to truly know her patients, their families, and their full health histories.

Today, Dr. Youkeles’ practice at WestDocs Concierge allows her to bring that same unhurried, comprehensive attention to complex lung conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. A conversation with Dr. Youkeles shed light on what initially drew her to the field, what patients and even physicians often miss, and what it really looks like to help someone breathe better for the long haul.

About Dr. Lisa Youkeles, Pulmonologist Serving Chappaqua and Mount Kisco

Dr. Lisa Youkeles is a pulmonologist at WestDocs Concierge in Mount Kisco, NY, serving patients across Chappaqua, Bedford, Armonk, Pleasantville, Katonah, and the wider Westchester County area. Her clinical focus includes COPD, asthma, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and the connections between metabolic health, sleep, and pulmonary function. She trained in pulmonary medicine in New York and conducted research on the immunology and severity of asthma earlier in her career.

Why Pulmonology: A Field That Keeps Evolving

Q: What specifically interests you about the field of pulmonology?

A: What I really enjoy about pulmonary medicine is the complexity of certain illnesses and the way the field keeps evolving. I’ve done research in asthma, on who gets it, the immunology of asthma, and what makes certain cases so much more severe than others. During my fellowship in New York, I worked with patients from the Bronx which has some of the sickest asthma patients in the entire country. I always felt there had to be a genetic component behind why those patients were so severely affected, and while I wasn’t able to fully explore that through research, I became increasingly aware of the role genetics plays in asthma development.

What’s been really exciting to witness is how much the treatment landscape has expanded. I remember patients in my early training years dying from asthma. That still happens, and it’s a sobering reminder of why early and thorough intervention matters so much. Now, we have so many more tools to help people before it ever reaches that point.

COPD sits on the same spectrum as asthma, as both are obstructive airway diseases. As technology continues to develop, we’re seeing newer treatment modalities for COPD that are really making a difference for patients. Those are the two areas of pulmonary medicine I find the most rewarding to practice.

What Is COPD? Causes, Risk Factors, and Symptoms

Q: What is COPD, and what are some risk factors and symptoms you frequently see in patients?

A: COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and it has two main categories: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. They’re distinct conditions, but both are heavily associated with smoking. Cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke are the number one causes. I’ve had patients who have never smoked a day in their lives who developed COPD and emphysema simply from decades of exposure to a spouse who smoked. We also now recognize causation from vaping and marijuana use, modalities of smoking that have become more popular in recent years. Another at-risk group are firefighters, exposing themselves to various types of smoke as they put their lives on the line to help others out of danger.

The thread through all of these is inhalation of a foreign substance that triggers lasting changes in the airways. As for symptoms, wheezing, coughing, and mucus production are presentations. But not every patient walks in with a textbook picture, which is part of why a thorough evaluation is so important.

A New COPD Diagnosis: First Priorities at WestDocs Concierge

Q: When a patient is newly diagnosed with COPD, what are your first priorities?

A: It really starts with the history and understanding the full clinical picture before anything else. Some patients come in with a history that clearly presents the situation at hand: they’ve been smokers, they’re wheezing, they have a cough, and their primary care physician has already flagged airways disease. Others come in with only a chronic cough or chronic sputum production, and the diagnosis isn’t as obvious yet.

If I hear wheezing on an exam, I’m already thinking about bronchospasm and working to distinguish between asthma and COPD. A breathing test is a key tool for confirming the diagnosis, which can point toward COPD. From there, the workup expands.

Everyone newly diagnosed with COPD should be tested for:

• Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency: A genetic condition where the body lacks a specific protein that supports lung function.
• Eosinophil levels: When elevated, this reveals a more allergic-type inflammatory response and may respond better to certain medications.
• Oxygen levels: I’ll do a walk test in the office to assess this.
• Imaging: A baseline chest X-ray is always part of the picture to check for early signs of emphysema or bronchiectasis. A CT scan may be necessary to determine emphysema that’s undetectable from just a breathing test.

What Concierge Pulmonary Care Looks Like for Chappaqua and Mount Kisco Patients

Q: What differentiates your approach to pulmonology from a more traditional model of care?

A: Time, really. In a traditional practice model, appointments are short. There isn’t always the opportunity to dig into why someone may have developed a condition in the first place, or to complete a comprehensive workup during a single visit.

In my concierge practice, I have the time to really investigate. I can perform testing right in my office. If I’m weighing asthma versus COPD, I can explore that distinction thoroughly rather than making a quick judgment and moving on. I can sit with a patient and walk through their full history of exposures and risk factors in detail, which directly shapes what further testing I’ll order and how I’ll approach treatment.

That depth of evaluation makes a meaningful difference, not just at diagnosis, but in building the kind of ongoing relationship where patients feel genuinely heard.

What Standard COPD Care Often Overlooks

Q: What do you think is most often overlooked in COPD management?

A: I think eosinophil levels on a blood test don’t get checked as often as they should. In a traditional practice, it’s difficult to get through every element of a comprehensive workup in a time efficient manner. Crucial steps can be overlooked when busyness is at the forefront of care. Formal pulmonary function studies and alpha-1 antitrypsin testing can fall through the cracks for the same reason.

Because I have the time and in-office capabilities, I can usually accomplish all of those and more in a single appointment. I review what’s been done before, order what hasn’t, and perform testing on the spot.

I’d also add that vaccinations are something I feel strongly about. For patients with COPD, staying current on immunizations such as flu, pneumonia, RSV, and pertussis is a real and important part of lung health management. If I can reduce the likelihood of a patient getting sick from one of those illnesses, I’m protecting their lungs from unnecessary stress and reducing the risk of exacerbations.

How Sleep, Weight, and Metabolic Health Affect COPD

Q: How do sleep, weight, and metabolic health factor into your pulmonary treatment plans?

A: Metabolic health is definitely something I factor in. Patients with emphysema are particularly prone to sarcopenia, or the gradual loss of muscle mass, so maintaining adequate protein intake becomes an important part of the conversation. On the other end of the spectrum, patients who are overweight face added strain on their breathing that directly impacts pulmonary function.

Weight and sleep are also closely connected in this population. An overweight COPD patient has a much higher likelihood of developing sleep apnea, which compounds their breathing challenges considerably. I always ask about their sleeping patterns, addressing snoring, sleepwalking, and trouble staying asleep, because you can’t manage one condition well if the other’s being ignored.

Daily Habits That Protect Lung Health

Q: What are some personal lifestyle habits you employ to maintain optimal pulmonary health?

A: I’ve never been a smoker, which is a good starting point, but I’m also very consistent with my exercise. I do a lot of cardio and resistance training, I try to eat cleanly and healthily, and I make sleep a priority. These aren’t pulmonology-specific habits so much as general pillars of good health, and I try to bring that perspective into conversations with my patients.

Long-Term Success: Stability, Slower Decline, and Staying Out of the Hospital

Q: What does a patient’s long-term success look like for you when managing COPD?

A: My goal with every COPD patient is helping them achieve stability and the slowest possible rate of decline. The reality is that lung function naturally begins to decrease after age 35 to 40 regardless of health status. My role is to make sure my patients are on the right medications, refer them to pulmonary rehabilitation when appropriate, and encourage them to do both cardio and resistance training.

Equally important is preventing exacerbations. Even a single significant exacerbation can cause a noticeable and lasting drop in lung function. I want to establish trust and credibility so that my patients call me first, before they end up in urgent care or an emergency room. Long-term success to me means my patients stay out of the hospital, stay active, and stay engaged in their own care.

Care That Lasts: Concierge Pulmonology in Chappaqua and Mount Kisco

COPD is a serious, progressive condition. As Dr. Youkeles makes clear, it is also one that can be managed with real intention and impact. From the thoroughness of an initial workup to the ongoing work of preventing exacerbations and preserving lung function, the difference between adequate care and exceptional care often comes down to time, attention, and a genuine investment in the whole patient.

For patients in Chappaqua, Mount Kisco, and across Northern Westchester seeking a pulmonologist who will listen carefully, test thoroughly, and stay engaged for the long term, Dr. Lisa Youkeles and the team at WestDocs Concierge offer a different model of care.

Schedule a consultation with Dr. Lisa Youkeles at WestDocs Concierge in Mount Kisco.

Visit westdocsconcierge.com or call the practice directly to learn more about concierge pulmonology serving Chappaqua, Mount Kisco, and Northern Westchester.