Symptom Management and Support for Long term Illness

What is Advanced Illness Management (AIM)?

The Advanced Illness Management team works with your physician to relieve symptoms, such as pain, treatment side effects, anxiety and other symptoms of long-term (chronic) illness. Its purpose is to ensure comfort and achieve the best possible quality of life for individuals at any stage of conditions such as heart, lung or kidney disease, diabetes, neuromuscular disease, dementia and cancer.

Henry Ford Jackson Hospital's AIM program specializes in providing this care at home, in a clinic or at the hospital—through a team of skilled and compassionate physicians, advanced practice nurses, social workers and other health care professionals. The team also offers emotional and spiritual support for patients and their families.

Why is Advanced Illness Management Helpful?

Individuals with advanced complex illness typically deal with multiple health issues at the same time. Their care often involves a number of different doctors, numerous medications and frequent trips to the hospital. The Henry Ford Jackson Hospital AIM team works with the patient’s current doctors to streamline the care process, eliminate confusion and avoid unnecessary hospital visits.

While the AIM program does not attempt to cure an illness, it can be provided along with curative care, including chemotherapy, radiation and other forms of active treatment. Combining the two allows the patient to remain as alert and active as possible.

• Take time to know the patient and his/her health goals.
• Improve the symptoms of advanced illness for more comfort and a better quality of life.
• Provide home visits for patients unable to attend outpatient visits.
• Help coordinate care to reduce emergency visits, decrease hospital admissions and assist in cases of admissions.
• Assist with advanced care planning.
• Provide guidance regarding difficult treatment choices.
• Offer emotional and spiritual support.
• Involve family members in the patient’s plan of care.
• Collaborate with the patient’s current doctors.

Inpatient Advanced Illness Management

Patients admitted to Henry Ford Jackson Hospital can request AIM services in the hospital by asking their doctor or a member of the nursing team for an AIM consultation referral. AIM team physicians and advanced practice nurses will collaborate with the hospital care team and let them know your care preferences.

Clinic-based advanced illness management

Patients receiving care from Henry Ford Jackson Hospital physicians can request to receive advanced illness management services in a clinic setting. AIM team physicians and advanced practice nurses provide AIM services to support the needs of our oncology patients.

Home-Based Advanced Illness Management

Henry Ford Jackson Hospital patients can request to receive advanced illness management services in the comfort of their own home. AIM team physicians and advanced practice nurses provide AIM services in community settings, including patient homes, skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities.

Learn more

In hospital:

To receive Advanced Illness Management (AIM) services at the hospital, ask your doctor or nurse to make a referral, or call (517) 205–7289.

Outpatient clinics:

For outpatient clinic-based AIM services at Henry Ford Jackson Hospital Medical Oncology or Henry Ford Jackson Hospital Radiation oncology, ask your primary care provider for a referral.

At home:

For symptom management of chronic illness in the comfort of your home ask your physician to make a referral or call (517) 205–6982.