In the era of rapidly rising health care costs, health plans as well as patients are actively seeking ways to reduce costs while maintaining quality of care. At the same time, we are experiencing a “decentralization” of health care delivery, with increasing numbers of health services being delivered at sites distant from the hospital, including the patient’s home.

For most of the modern history of medicine, a principle reason for hospitalization was the need for intravenous medication. However, advances in infusion technology, coupled with the emergence of skilled nursing have made home infusion a reality. It is a reality that carries with it a number of advantages worth considering, and certain barriers yet to be breached.

The Infusion Market

According to Grand View Research, the market size of home infusion therapy worldwide was $13.0 billion in 20151. The market has been expanding rapidly in recent years for a number of reasons, including increasing numbers of elderly, and the existence of large underserved populations.

In addition, in recent years we have witnessed rapid growth in the number of infused specialty drugs2, along with an increase in the number of expensive “orphan drugs”, many of which are infused3.

The healthcare reimbursement model has been shifting from the fee-for-service model to a more value-based global payment model. The emergence of safe and effective “smart pump” technology has further expanded access to home infusion to a wider segment of the American population4. In this context, home infusion is likely to become an even more desirable treatment modality.

Safety

Market forces aside, there are a number of practical benefits that make home infusion an attractive option for patients requiring intravenous medication. A 2016 systematic review of 13 published home infusion studies revealed equivalent safety of home infusion compared with hospital infusion with respect to adverse events such as allergic reactions and other side effects5. A study published in early 2017 showed that home infusion of a specialized drug for the treatment of Gaucher disease was just as safe as infusion in hospital or a clinic6.

Reduced Hospital Stays

The longer a patient stays in a hospital, the greater the risk of hospital-acquired infection. This is especially the case for patients with compromised immune systems, many of whom require infusion therapy with IVIG to alleviate their symptoms7. Home infusion allows patients to receive some or all of their therapy at home, while reducing the harms associated with hospitalization.

Better Outcomes

The 2016 review cited above also assessed outcomes of home infusion versus hospital-based therapy. In all cases, the outcomes were at least equivalent. In some cases, the outcomes were better with home infusion. For example, patients with hemophilia receiving intravenous clotting factor at home showed a 40% reduced likelihood of hospitalization for bleeding complications.

Cost Savings

Several recent studies have examined the cost savings associated with home infusion. In a July 2016 study of patients treated with infusions at home for cellulitis, 97% of patients were able to avoid costly hospitalization8. Another study, published in 2016 by a Dutch group, showed that patients with Crohn’s disease could be successfully treated at home with a cost savings of $58 per infusion9.

Barriers to Home Infusion

The advantages of home infusion with respect to safety and efficacy are becoming clear and convincing. However substantial barriers to widespread adoption remain to be addressed.

Reimbursement

The major barrier is Medicare reimbursement. Although Part D reimburses for the cost of most infused drugs, the costs of pumps and services needed to deliver those drugs are not covered. As a result, patients are required to pay out of pocket, driving many to receive therapy in outpatient hospital centers or skilled nursing facilities. The good news is that the 21st Century Cures Act, signed by outgoing President Barack Obama, may provide cost relief10. The new law includes a home infusion therapy benefit beginning in 2021.

Inertia

In areas that are geographically close to major tertiary care medical centers, the tendency is to deliver care at the hospital, or at least at a location affiliated with the hospital. The resistance to adoption of home infusion here is not so much based on cost or safety, but on the force of habit. In underserved areas, the advantages of home infusion are likely to appear more immediately obvious. With time, financial and other pressures are likely to creep in to the over-served areas as well.

Putting Patients First

Home infusion therapy is likely to succeed in the long run because most patients prefer being cared for at home. It is well known that people recover more quickly and more completely in familiar surroundings. The movement toward home and away from hospitals is likely to be driven as much by patient preference as by the emergence of smart pumps and skilled nursing services.

References

  1. Home Infusion Therapy Market Size To Reach USD 28.3 Billion By 2024 | Grand View Research
  2. Infused Therapies: Cost Savings Benefits Through Home Infusion | Express Scripts
  3. Orphan Drug Pricing and Payer Management in the United States: Are We Approaching the Tipping Point?  America Health & Drug Benefits
  4. “smart pump” technolog”Smart Pump” Technology Reduces Errors | Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation
  5. Home infusion: Safe, clinically effective, patient preferred, and cost saving | Healthcare
  6. Home infusion of intravenous velaglucerase alfa: Experience from pooled clinical studies in 104 patients with type 1 Gaucher disease | Healthcare
  7. Hospital-Acquired Infections | Medscape
  8. Intravenous Home Infusion Therapy Instituted From a 24-Hour Clinical Decision Unit For Patients With Cellulitis | The American Journal of Emergency Medicine
  9. Remicade infusions at home an alternative setting of infliximab therapy for patients with Crohn’s disease | European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology
  10. 21st Century Cures Act | Congress.gov