Five things to know about home infusion
People with acute and chronic conditions, such as certain types of cancer, Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and more health conditions might get infusion therapy to help manage their condition. Infusion therapy means that the medication is given intravenously. It could take 30 minutes to get the medication or up to 10 hours.
Fairview Health Services offers another option: Home infusion therapy. The medication is delivered to a patient’s home and a nurse arrives to administer the infusion. For over 30 years, we have offered a range of medications, including routine antibiotics, biologics, chemotherapy, and more. In addition to providing infusion therapy in the patient's home, we have easily accessible infusion suites at our Minneapolis, Elk River, and Duluth locations.
Christine Moore, nursing director of home infusion, and Susan Chhen, director of home infusion pharmacy services, share five things to know about home infusion.
Home Infusion may be more convenient
Some people will need infusion treatments to manage lifelong health conditions. Many find it more comfortable and convenient to receive their therapies at home than to go to an infusion center. “For example, teenagers can sit on their own couch and play their video games,” Moore said. “Home infusion is less disruptive when they don’t have to miss school.”
They’ve also had adult patients who work while receiving infusion therapy. People with limited mobility appreciate not having to go out, particularly when it’s raining or snowing.
“And you’re not having to add on additional time for travel going from the site or from your home to the infusion center,” Chhen said. “For people who are having long infusions, it’s more advantageous for them to receive that in a home setting.”
With home infusion, some people can leave the hospital sooner
Home infusion can mean you can get discharged from the hospital sooner. Some people need 10 days of intravenous antibiotics. Others need a feeding tube. Home infusion allows people to get those services from home. That can reduce costs and reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infection.
Your home infusion nurse works with your health system
Fairview Home Infusion employs nurses who go to patients’ homes rather than subcontracting. Patients get used to seeing a familiar face.
“They usually do establish a really good relationship because we try to send the same nurse out for those patients and they build that rapport,” Chhen said.
The nurses also work closely with the patient’s care team.
“Our home infusion pharmacists and nurses are very skilled to think outside of the box in terms of how to care for a patient. They take all aspects of the patient’s care and their home setting into consideration when they’re providing the therapy,” Chhen said.
That means if they notice that part of the bigger treatment plan isn’t working for a patient, they might be able to explain the issue to the patient’s healthcare team. The team works together to find the best solution for the patient. Having a nurse in the patient’s home can be invaluable to patient care.
Home infusion is safe
Studies have shown that home infusion is at least as safe and effective as receiving treatments in an infusion center. People are less likely to miss infusion when the care comes to them. Risk of infection is also reduced in home settings.
In home, patients also have a nurse right there in case something goes wrong.
“They’re one-on-one with the patient, so they are going to see if a reaction is starting,” Moore said. “If the patient starts to feel a little tingly or lips feel kind of funny. In the infusion center, the nurse might be managing four patients, so they might not be as aware.”
You don’t have to be an M Health Fairview patient
Fairview Health Services provides home infusion to patients in 13 states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Arizona, Florida, Colorado, Utah, Nebraska, Washington, Idaho, and Indiana. We work with all healthcare systems.
