Advanced Illness Management
The VNA Advanced Illness Management (AIM) program focuses on patients who have difficulty leaving the home due to serious chronic illness.
Advanced Illness Management
Community/Home-Based Palliative Care
Our AIM team includes physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers, spiritual counselors and volunteers who are ready to step in to assist patients and their caregiver(s) in getting through this troubling part of life.
The goal of VNA’s AIM program is to ease some of the burden of serious illness by giving outstanding care to patients and families through control of symptoms in the home where “home” is defined as where a person lives. Our service prepares patients and caregivers for transitions related to severe chronic illness whether the outcome is a return to more fully independent living or a transition to end-of-life care. This mirrors VNA’s mission “ provide a coordinated continuum of care, throughout one’s life span, that promotes health, independence and dignity in the home and community without regard to race, color, age, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identification, national origin, socioeconomic status, political beliefs or disability.”
Care is provided by a Co-management Team that works together with a patient’s Primary Care Provider (PCP) as an added layer of support for people diagnosed with serious chronic illness(es) and their caregiver(s). The PCP remains at the center of medical management and is kept informed of a patient’s ongoing condition.
Payment for AIM services is through Traditional Medicare Part B and Commercial and Medicare Advantage Plans through Aetna, Anthem/BCBS, Cigna, Essence, Humana, and United Healthcare/AARP.
For more information about VNA of Greater St. Louis’ Advanced Illness Management program, contact Amy Michaelson, Patient Care Coordinator, 314.918.7171, ext. 1252 or amichaelson@vnastl.org.
Is Advanced Illness Management right for you or a loved one? Consider the following questions:
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Do health problems limit the ability to leave the home?
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Are you or someone else in your life suffering from serious ongoing illness(es) such as lung or heart problems, dementia or cancer?
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Have you or they been to the emergency room or hospital recently due to these illness(es)?
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Are you or your loved one 65 or over or a disabled adult on traditional Medicare?
