Currently we are not doing so. I have heard some insurances are not paying for this in the hospital or hospital based Ambulatory Infusion Centers so it maybe coming in the not to distant future.
Ann Marie
I am skeptical about doing Remicade in the home since a fellow employee was on it and each dose caused issues even when premedicated. His infusion went from the minimum of 2 hours to over 8 hours. The side effects are why I feel this is safer in a clinical environment. Just my feelings. Valorie
I'd definitely bring that particular patient back into the infusion room setting, but I feel like any opportunity to get patients back out in to the home infusion setting should be exhausted prior to resorting to a hospital or outpatient infusion setting. Infection prevention. Even with Remicade, you are modulating people's immune systems and the hospitals (sadly) are the worst places for them to be! My oncology clinic ends up absorbing our Rheumatology clinic's Remicade infusions and frankly, it's a burden. If it can be given safely in the home setting, there are so many reasons why I would advocate for it!
Keith W. Gilchrist, MSN, RN, PHN, OCN, CRNI, VA-BC
Oncology Nurse Navigator, David Grant Medical Center
Travis AFB, CA
Currently we are not doing so. I have heard some insurances are not paying for this in the hospital or hospital based Ambulatory Infusion Centers so it maybe coming in the not to distant future.
Ann Marie
Ann Marie Parry, RN, CRNI, VA-BC
[email protected]
I am skeptical about doing Remicade in the home since a fellow employee was on it and each dose caused issues even when premedicated. His infusion went from the minimum of 2 hours to over 8 hours. The side effects are why I feel this is safer in a clinical environment. Just my feelings. Valorie
Valorie Dunn,BSN, RN, CRNI, PLNC
I'd definitely bring that particular patient back into the infusion room setting, but I feel like any opportunity to get patients back out in to the home infusion setting should be exhausted prior to resorting to a hospital or outpatient infusion setting. Infection prevention. Even with Remicade, you are modulating people's immune systems and the hospitals (sadly) are the worst places for them to be! My oncology clinic ends up absorbing our Rheumatology clinic's Remicade infusions and frankly, it's a burden. If it can be given safely in the home setting, there are so many reasons why I would advocate for it!
Keith W. Gilchrist, MSN, RN, PHN, OCN, CRNI, VA-BC
Oncology Nurse Navigator, David Grant Medical Center
Travis AFB, CA
Thank you for your comments. That was the decision we made as well, an infusion center.
Karen Charnigo, MSN, RN, CRNI
IV Nurse Specialist
University Hospitals Home Care
Cleveland, OH 44128