Welcome to Home Infusion Continuum

Home infusion is an important and growing component of the alternate site healthcare field. Approximately 500,000 patients are now receiving home infusion therapy, and another 500,000 are expected to require this service over the next few years. However, providing safe and effective home infusion therapy is multifaceted and complex with patients receiving care from a myriad of providers in a range of environments. The situation promotes gaps in communication and coordination along the continuum of care. It is important for home infusion providers to develop strategies and employ technology to address the gaps in the continuity of care.

It is with this purpose, we welcome you to the inaugural issue of Home Infusion Continuum: Approaches in Care Management for Home Infusion Professionals. This serial publication and continuing education (CE) program will provide home infusion professionals (nurses, pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians) with practical, clinically relevant articles and case studies or discussions that will emphasize the unique interdisciplinary approach to home infusion and the collective goal of improving outcomes.

Improving the continuity of care:
New infusion pump technologies
by Jack Saladow and Barbara Prosser RPh

Technology has always been the cornerstone of major advancements in the delivery of healthcare. The ability to provide safe and convenient infusion therapy outside the hospital has had an enormous impact on the continuity of care for patients. Infusion technology now provides patients the ability to seamlessly move from one level or setting of care to another without interrupting their infusion therapy. Providing stable and consistent care to patients as they move through the healthcare continuum has become safer and easier because of new infusion pump technologies. Patients now have the ability to leave the hospital while still undergoing complex infusion therapies, to experience no disruption in therapy, to receive infusion therapy in their setting of choice, and to be closely monitored by their healthcare professionals throughout their care. This article provides an overview of current pump technology, how it evolved from its beginnings, and the regulatory forces that affect it.

Managing vascular access devices
across the continuum of care
Lisa A. Gorski, MS, APRN, BC, CRNI, FAAN

Since the 1980s, home infusion therapy has become a well-accepted practice. Many infusion therapies such as antimicrobial drugs, parenteral nutrition, antineoplastics, and analgesics are safely administered at home. Safe home infusion therapy is ensured when discharge planning and preparation for home care address a variety of factors such as the patient’s clinical condition and stability, caregiver needs, and home environmental issues.1 Selection of the most appropriate vascular access device (VAD), in relation to both the type of infusion therapy to be administered and the patient’s needs, is an essential step in planning for home infusion therapy. This article addresses factors in appropriate VAD selection, care and maintenance, and potential complications and their management. The Infusion Nursing Standards of Practice2 and current research guiding practice will be highlighted. The importance of communication and collaboration between the home care nurse and the home care pharmacist will be emphasized throughout the article.

Click here to download current issue and receive FREE CE