The first patient of the new at home program of Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin Therapy (SCIg) infusions has received his supplies and is undergoing training to self-administer his own medical infusions.
This is a huge positive for 28-year-old Callum who can now independently maintain his blood infusions in his own time, around work commitments and even if he chooses, while watching a film in the comfort of his home.
“As a young and active patient, Callum was grateful to have a bit more time back,” Oncology Nurse Kim Dalton said.
“It’s fantastic to see patients have more independence in their treatment. Patients would have previously had to schedule their lives around their infusion appointments. With SCIg Therapy at home they are able to fit their treatment into their own routine, giving them flexibility and fewer hospital visits,” Kim said.
Home Based Cancer Care Coordinator, Trudy Haines, said the Wellbeing Centre nurses are supportive of the new program. “It will open up spaces in the Cancer Centre to be able to treat more patients who are unable to attend to their own infusions at home,” she said.
“This is very exciting because the community have been asking for it and we’ve been waiting a long time.”
Trudy said involving people in decisions about their health and care is empowering. “We will improve wellbeing, improve the quality of care and ensure people make informed use of available healthcare resources,” she said.
Kim agreed. “The big positive is patient outcome satisfaction. Patients no longer need to spend time in hospital for treatment and are supported to confidently complete their own treatments at home.”
Strict criteria on the program must be met in order to maintain patient safety. This is to ensure that all the correct checking procedures and Doctor Reviews have been done and that the patients are compliant.
At this stage, the referral process will be through the patient’s own specialist doctor, or staff enquiries through the infusion clinic in the Cancer Centre.