The Infectious Diseases division at Henry Ford is one of the busiest in the state. Thousands of patients are helped each year both in the hospital and in physicians' offices when they acquire an infectious disease.
In 2006, nine highly-trained physicians tended to more than 1,700 patients in the hospital. Nearly 5,000 patients were seen in outpatient facilities by Henry Ford physicians for help and treatment with their infections.
Inpatient Service Patients at Henry Ford Hospital who have an infectious disease are cared for in a 28-bed medical unit. There in this dedicated unit, patients are given proper treatment by staff that are trained to treat and stop the spread of infectious diseases. The physicians provide treatment and diagnostic options for a range of patients, from those with opportunistic infections in immune compromised patients (e.g. transplant patients) to hospital-acquired infections resulting from treatments.
Outpatient Service The Outpatient Infectious Diseases Clinic had nearly 5,000 patient visits in 2006. The outpatient clinical team includes staff physicians, post-doctoral fellow physicians, resident physicians, research and clinical nurses, social workers, pharmacists, medical assistants and front desk staff to support patient care. Referrals to the ID clinic represent a broad spectrum of infectious diseases.
Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy The Division of Infectious Diseases plays an integral role in managing parenteral antimicrobial therapy patients. In 2006, approximately 70 patients per month receive outpatient parenteral antimicrobial agents upon discharge from Henry Ford Hospital, meaning patients are managed from home. Patients are sometimes given intravenous medicines that are administered in the home setting. A staff physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases evaluates and follows each patient who receives outpatient infusion antimicrobial therapy. This is an important patient safety process, assuring that the antimicrobial treatment is appropriate for the infection and facilitates follow-up and review of care by an infectious diseases clinician after the patient is discharged. The department is currently involved in an improvement project to have greater than 80 percent of home infusion patients complete therapy without need for re-admission to the hospital. Getting treatment at home requires a team. Homecare nurses, discharge coordinators, pharmacists, and clinical nurses at the hospital monitor home patients to ensure they are getting well.
Subspecialty Clinics Henry Ford's infectious disease doctors also operate Subspecialty clinics. Besides the general infectious diseases, physicians also provide care to patients whose immune system is compromised, like patients who have had an organ transplant or have cancer.
HIV / AIDS Almost 10 percent of the approximately 11,550 HIV-infected patients in southeastern Michigan received care at the Henry Ford. The Infectious Diseases Division has strengthened its ties with the community by establishing relationships with more than 90 community and public health organizations including a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases funded Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS (CPCRA) community advisory board, community case conference (Detroit Health Department), Project Hope Advisory Board, AIDS partnership of Michigan, Friends Alliance, Community Health Awareness, Wellness Network and Michigan Department of Human Services. The Infectious Diseases Division AIDS/HIV effort continues to be supported by Ryan White Title I Assistance to enhance support services for patients living with HIV/AIDS, who are uninsured or under-insured in Michigan. New therapies are available through a variety of clinical trials.
Infection Control in the Henry Ford Hospital Henry Ford Hospital has enjoyed unprecedented success in the last three years. Patient safety and the risk of nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infection is a national issue. Members of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Henry Ford play key roles in influencing, supporting and improving the quality of healthcare. We accomplish this through the practice and management of infection control, education, and the application of epidemiology and research. We are committed to improving patient care, preventing adverse outcomes, and minimizing occupational hazards associated with the delivery of healthcare.
es staff physicians, post-doctoral fellow physicians, resident physicians, research and clinical nurses, social workers, pharmacists, medical assistants and front desk staff to support patient care. Referrals to the ID clinic represent a broad spectrum of infectious diseases. 
