At Home IV Infusions for patient cost savings

Over the past few years, the health care industry has seen massive shifts in the locations in which care is provided. As more hospitals consolidate, the usage of point-of-care clinics and home-based care has increased dramatically, with more and more patients wanting to receive treatment from the comfort of their own homes or a doctor’s office compared to a hospital.

This recent shift can be attributed to several factors, but one of the largest drivers is the steep increase of medical costs in the post-pandemic world. While this trend was visible pre-2020, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the move to home and clinic-based care to reduce costs and save resources.

This shift has been seen in all areas of healthcare and is especially visible in intravenous (IV) infusions. Used to deliver critical and often life-saving medications, fluids, and nutrients directly to the bloodstream, IV infusions are a time intensive and costly medical procedure that is disruptive to both patients’ lives and their pocketbook, which is leading more people to seek these infusions at home.

The data backs up this move to home infusion. A 2017 study published in Healthcare showed that the benefits of receiving IV infusions at home were substantial, with patient savings averaging between $1928 and $2974 per treatment course, when comparing home infusions to other medical settings.*

This increase can be attributed to several variables including decreased travel costs, decreased in-patient admissions, and the reduced risk of hospital acquired infections. A more recent 2023 report released by MagellanRx Management suggests that shifting IV infusions from the hospital to a home care setting could save payers up to 52% on medical and pharmacy costs, particularly on more costly infusions like those for immune deficiencies, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer.

Along with cost savings outlined above, patients are finding more personal advantages to receive infusions at home. In the same 2017 study published in Healthcare, patients reported an overwhelming preference for receiving their infusions at home, reporting significant increase in physical and mental wellbeing and less disruption of family and personal responsibilities.

Home infusions can provide a safe and clinically effective way to improve patient care that increases a patient’s quality of life while reducing overall healthcare costs. As the conversation regarding the location of healthcare continues to evolve, home infusions can provide a way to improve overall patient care.

As the industry leader in home infusion technology, the CURLIN 6000 by Moog provides patients the freedom and flexibility of receiving their infusions at home. Its unique design ensures that the medication is delivered precisely as prescribed, resulting in more effective patient management and better patient care. Learn more about CURLIN’s unique design and how it can benefit patient care.

* Polinski JM, Kowal MK, Gagnon M, Brennan TA, Shrank WH. Home infusion: Safe, clinically effective, patient preferred, and cost saving. Healthc (Amst). 2017 Mar;5(1-2):68-80. doi: 10.1016/j.hjdsi.2016.04.004. Epub 2016 Apr 29. PMID: 28668202.

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