About Us
Colorado Allergy & Asthma Centers, P.C. has evolved over time.
  • 1972 - Colorado Allergy & Asthma Clinic was founded in 1972 by Drs. Avner, Buckley, and Pearlman.
  • 1996 - Dr. Olson joined our Clinic.
  • 1997 - Colorado Allergy and Asthma Clinic merged with Allergy Respiratory Institute (ARI) to create Colorado Allergy and Asthma Centers, P.C. (CAAC). ARI was founded by Dr. John Selner and included his partners, Drs. Koepke and Volz.

We have steadily grown and currently serve over 30,000 allergy & asthma patients.
Today, there are 9 physicians, 10 physician assistants, and 10 locations statewide. All of our physicians are Board Certified Allergists. They actively participate in the American Medical Association, Colorado Allergy Society, Colorado Medical Society, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), and American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI). Some are Clinical Professors at the University of Colorado Health Science Center. Our physicians have given numerous local and national presentations and have published over 325 articles, abstracts, or book chapters.

Local and National Honors have included:
  • 5280 Magazine Top Doc Awards
  • American Thoracic Society 2006 Outstanding Clinician Award
  • AAAAI Distinguished Clinician Award
  • Best Doctors in America
  • Who’s Who in America
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Strive for Excellence in Allergy and Asthma Care

Philosophy of Care
Our philosophy is to provide the highest quality, outcomes-focused, cost-effective medical care for adults and children who experience acute and chronic asthma, allergic diseases, and diseases/symptoms of the respiratory system.

What We Do
Colorado Allergy & Asthma Centers evaluates and treats the following conditions:

Lung Conditions Sinus Conditions
  Asthma   Recurrent or Chronic Infections
  Chronic Cough   Nasal Polyps
  Vocal Cord Dysfunction   Sinus Headaches
  Shortness of Breath  
  Exercise-induced Asthma Skin Disorders
  Hoarseness/Laryngitis   Eczema
  Scuba Diving Evaluations   Hives/Swelling
    Chronic Rashes
Nasal Conditions   Contact Dermatitis
  Allergic Rhinitis (Hayfever)  
  Non-Allergic Rhinitis (reactive/sensitive nose) Food Allergy & Intolerances
  Snoring   Drug Allergy & Intolerances
  Nasal Obstruction   Severe Allergic Reaction (Anaphylaxis)
    Insect Allergy
    Immune Deficiency

To schedule an appointment, please see our locations.

Approach to Patient Care

 Patient-focused care
We provide complete allergy and asthma diagnostic services such as:

  • Pulmonary Function Testing (Spirometry)
  • Prick and Intradermal Skin Testing
  • Medication Allergy Testing / Desensitization
  • Vaccine Testing / Desensitization
  • Food / Preservative Challenge
  • Methacholine Challenge
  • Exercise Challenge
  • Fitness Testing
  • Rhinolarygoscopy

We provide a variety of locations and convenient office hours for allergy injections.

  • Nine clinics – most are open Monday through Friday and three of our offices are also open Saturday morning.
  • Hours are generally 8:00 am to 5:30 pm and are closed for lunch 11:30 am – 1:00 pm.  However, each clinic has varying allergy injection hours so please speak to the specific clinic staff for exact allergy injection office hours at that location.

We develop treatment plans with patient-oriented components:

  • Patient empowerment by putting the patient in control of his/her disease
  • Education – facilitate understanding of the disease and its triggers, treatment options through one-on-one teaching, videos, handouts, and outside references
  • Identification, elimination, or avoidance of triggers
  • Regard for safety, effectiveness, and cost of treatments

Cost-effective care
We strive to reduce the total cost of long-term care of the patient. Our patient care process reduces the need for emergency care and hospital care services.

  • Provide a Step-Care approach to optimize Quality of Life
  • Goal is to use the least amount of medications to control disease/symptoms effectively without compromising quality of care.
  • Try to use over-the-counter (OTC) medications when appropriate (e.g. nasal saline, Claritin, Prilosec)

Access to care in a timely manner
Our practice locations are distributed geographically throughout the Denver metropolitan area to increase our availability to patients, and offer Saturday and extended office hours. We utilize physician extenders including Physician Assistants (PAs) to improve access to same-day care.

Clinical studies and research
Commitment to studying new treatments and improving current treatments for the benefit of our patients and all patients with disorders which we diagnose and treat. See Clinical Studies And Research
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What Makes CAAC Different?
 Specialty Testing and Challenges:

  • Methacholine Challenge is a diagnostic test to determine the underlying nature of respiratory symptoms.
  • Challenges to medications, foods, and vaccines
  • Desensitization to necessary medications and vaccines
  • Nasal endoscopy to determine anatomic causes of symptoms and assess prior surgery
  • Laryngoscopy to identify causes of many disorders (e.g. cough, hoarseness, gastroesophageal reflux)

Asthma & Exercise Clinic provides diagnostic testing to identify the cause of respiratory symptoms during exercise/physical activity.

  • Exercise Challenge – assessment to rule-out or confirm exercise-induced asthma and/or vocal cord dysfunction
  • Free run or treadmill
  • Differential diagnosis (e.g. level of exertion, aerobic capacity, exercise-induced reflux, post nasal drainage (PND) etc.)
  • Assesses effectiveness of pretreatment medications
  • Fitness Evaluation – assessment to measure aerobic capacity
  • Goal is to encourage exercise/physical activity as a healthy life style and increase ones’ quality of life.
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