Many Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients need ongoing treatment with immunotherapy medications given by infusion at regualr intervals. Traditionally these infusions have only been given in hospital.
However, ground-breaking research presented at the Gastroenterological Society of Australia’s Annual meeting on the Gold Coast in August has highlighted the beneifts and safety of chemo@home for patients with IBD.
The team from the Centre for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research in Western Australia studied patients with IBD treated with immunotherapy at home. They found that patients treated at home reported LESS:
– disruption to family life;
– parking hassles;
– time lost from work or study; and
– overall time taken for infusion (2 hours vs 4 hours)
Treatment at home was SAFE
Treatment at home cost the same or less than treatment in hospital
The abstract can be read in full here