Raymond Yung, M.D. chief of the Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine in the U-M Medical School
“Some people mistakenly believe that palliative care is only for patients who are incurably ill,” says “The goal of palliative care is to provide relief from symptoms, and stress of a serious illness- whatever the diagnosis.
“The new APM Program at the U-M Health System is a pivotal step in our commitment to support these patients through their disease, whether they need new pain remedies, help making difficult medical decisions or emotional guidance. The new program brings disciplines together across the system and the health science schools and will put us on track to become a national center of excellence for clinical care, academic research and education in this increasingly important and growing area of care.”
Margaret Calarco, Ph.D., R.N., chief of nursing services
“Building on the expertise that exists through the health system and the schools, our new palliative care program is devoted to helping patients with serious illness live longer and more satisfying lives.
“This new collaborative program will serve as a major hub of palliative care experts in the Ann Arbor area. It will allow us to increase the number of clinical trials and research opportunities in palliative care, enhance symptom management of patients with chronic illnesses and reduce the burden on caregivers.”
Philip Zazove, M.D. chair of the U-M Medical School’s Department of Family Medicine and chair of the palliative care program’s steering committee
"We are eager to invest in what we believe is the first-of-its-kind palliative medicine program that requires the collaboration of Family Medicine and Internal Medicine, along with the expertise of other departments and the hospital.
“This unique structure allows us to tap into our top palliative care resources at the Health System to most efficiently provide leading educational opportunities and cutting-edge research, in addition to our stellar clinical care, in this critical area of healthcare.”
John Carethers, M.D., chairman of internal medicine and a member of the multidisciplinary working committee that developed the organizational framework for the initiative
“The goal is to provide the most advanced care to our patients through the creation of the premier academic program in the nation for palliative medicine."
Phillip Rodgers, M.D., assistant professor, Family Medicine
“We are building on over a decade of strong, interdisciplinary commitment to high quality palliative care at UMHS. We have seen the difference it has made in the lives of thousands of patients and families we’ve worked with in our hospitals, and a growing number in our clinics.
“Our new APM structure will allow us to strive for excellence across our missions—patient care, education and research—in the service of providing all patients and families the best care possible.”
Adam Marks, M.D., co-director of the Palliative and Supportive Care Clinic at the East Ann Arbor Health and Geriatrics Center
“This program will allow us to train the next generation of palliative care providers. As our population ages and more people are living with chronic disease, the need for effective and timely palliative care interventions will only increase.
“I saw firsthand that for some patients living with severe, life-limiting disease, the intensive care they were receiving was not the care they wanted, nor was it helpful to them in any meaningful way,” Marks says. “I also saw how palliative care providers could help advocate for those patients and families, to improve the quality of life of those living with chronic disease, and when necessary, aid in the transition to end-of-life care. It allows me to have a profound and lasting impact on patients and their families.”
Helen Snow, patient at the Palliative and Supportive Care Clinic at the East Ann Arbor Health and Geriatrics Center
“This illness has completely diminished my quality of life. When I got here, they told me ‘you don’t have to hurt. We are here to help.’"