Infusion therapy at home
Home infusion therapy means you get medicine or fluids through an IV line at home, not in a hospital or clinic. Your doctor orders it. An infusion pharmacy supplies the medicine. Our nurses visit to give care, look after your line, and teach you.
Updated
What home infusion is
An infusion puts medicine or fluid straight into your vein. It goes through a thin tube called an IV line. Some lines stay in for weeks, so you can get many doses at home.
- PICC line: a long, thin tube put in a vein in your arm
- Port: a small device under the skin of your chest
- Midline or short IV: a shorter tube in your arm or hand
The medicine may run from a bag, a small pump you can carry, or a syringe. Your doctor and pharmacy decide which one.
Common home infusions
- IV antibiotics to treat an infection
- IV fluids (hydration) when you cannot drink enough
- Other IV medicines your doctor orders
Your doctor decides if a medicine is safe to give at home.
Who does what
- Your doctor orders the medicine, the dose, the schedule, and any lab tests.
- The infusion pharmacy mixes the medicine. It delivers the medicine, supplies, and pump to your home.
- Our nurses visit to start and check your infusions, care for your line, draw blood if ordered, and teach you. They keep your doctor updated.
- You and your family may learn to give some doses between visits, if that is part of your plan.
What nurse visits look like
At the first visit, the nurse goes over your orders, your medicines, and your supplies. The nurse checks your line and your health.
If you will give doses yourself, the nurse teaches you step by step. You practice while the nurse watches. You get the steps in writing.
At later visits, the nurse changes the dressing over your line on the schedule in your orders. The nurse may draw blood, check how the medicine is working, and answer questions.
Caring for your line
- Wash your hands before you touch the line or your supplies.
- Keep the dressing clean, dry, and sealed.
- Cover the line before you shower, the way the nurse shows you. Do not swim or soak in a bath.
- Keep scissors and sharp things away from the line.
- Use the line only the way the nurse taught you.
When to call
Call your care team if…
- Fever or chills
- Redness, swelling, pain, or fluid where the line goes in
- The dressing is loose, wet, or dirty
- The line leaks, cracks, moves, or will not flush
- The pump alarms and you cannot fix it
- Swelling in the arm, neck, or face on the side of the line
- A new rash or itching after a dose
- You missed a dose or are running low on medicine
Use the number your care team gave you, or call us at 214-440-1394 (Texas), 303-597-0505 (Colorado), 248-607-6698 (Michigan), or 702-450-1855 (Nevada).
Call 911 if…
- Trouble breathing or chest pain
- Swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat
- Fainting or sudden confusion
- Bleeding from the line that does not stop when you press on it
Do not wait to call your care team first.
What it costs
Two parts of home infusion are paid in different ways. Ask about both before you start.
- Nurse visits. With Original Medicare, you pay $0 for covered home health visits if you qualify. IV therapy is part of covered home health nursing. Source: Medicare.gov.
- The medicine, pump, and supplies. These come from the infusion pharmacy and are billed on their own. Depending on the drug, Medicare Part B, Part D, or another plan may pay part of the cost. Some drugs are not covered at home. Sources: Medicare.gov on infusion pumps and drugs covered under Part B.
Ask the infusion pharmacy and your plan what you will pay for the medicine. Medicare Advantage and other plans may need to approve the care first.
We check coverage for our nurse visits before care starts. See the plans we accept.
When infusion therapy ends
Infusions end when you finish the course your doctor ordered. Your doctor decides when the line comes out. If you still need other care, like wound care or therapy, home health can go on.
How to start
- Ask your doctor if home health is right for you. In the hospital, ask the discharge planner.
- Tell them you want Adaptive Home Health. The choice of agency is yours.
- Your doctor sends us an order. We check your coverage and call you to set up the first visit.
We offer this care in Texas (Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and Central Texas), Colorado (Denver), and Michigan (Detroit). Questions? Call us at 214-440-1394 (Texas), 303-597-0505 (Colorado), 248-607-6698 (Michigan), or 702-450-1855 (Nevada).
Doctors and discharge planners: send the drug, dose, and schedule, the type of IV line, and the infusion pharmacy. See what’s in a complete referral.
Related pages
Questions? Call us.
We can answer questions about home health, Medicare, and your insurance, before or during care.
General information, not medical advice. Follow your care team’s instructions. How we write and review.