Why Is Comprehensive Care Important From an Infusion Provider?
When a parent hears that their child will require infusion therapy, they might have lot of questions and initial anxiety. What does this means for their child’s future? How will it impact the rest of the family? How can all the cares be managed while trying to maintain some sense of normalcy? On top of that, digesting the decisions and options available can be overwhelming. For most parents, an entirely new universe has just been opened to them – one they didn’t particularly want or anticipate needing.
We have been bringing kiddos home since 1990, offering answers to these questions and helping families create their new normal. We continue to guide them through their journey today, whether they’ve been on with us for years now, or are just getting starting. By providing not only a wide range of medical services a child may need beyond infusion therapy, but also taking care of the details that accompany the process, comprehensive care isn’t the exception here – it’s the rule. There are a few reasons we think this type of care is crucial for a child’s health, and you might too.
A team of specialists under one roof
When a patient requires a number of therapies to thrive at home, coordinated care is essential to ensure all providers are up to date on the needs of a child. With one company able to provide all of these services, a team of specialists works together each day to understand all aspects of their patient’s health – a benefit that leads to a comprehensive understanding of each patient beyond one therapy’s primary focus.
An entire team backs each nurse coming out to the home when a child receives infusion therapy from Pediatric Home Service. Our in-house pharmacy prepares the medication and is available to answer any questions that may arise from the family or the nurse. Dietitians provide valuable insights into the nutritional aspect of a patient’s care, and our clinical social worker is available to support families during this challenging time and to suggest resources our nurses can share.
A clinician dedicated to you
Infusions can be scary for a child when they know it involves someone coming over to poked them with a needle – even if it’s only for a brief moment. When comprehensive care sets up its model in a way that a patient sees the same primary clinician for each appointment, trust can be built with the child as they come to know who, and what, to expect (just ask infusion patient Joe and his nurse Kate).
Nurses and respiratory therapists also gain the benefit of knowing the extensive history of a patient as they follow him or her long-term, and get to know the families well. They start to feel more like family than just a health care professional, and can bring a depth of knowledge from the home to the office when working alongside other members of the child’s care team – other clinicians who also follow this patient as their primary provider.
Receive round-the-clock support
Medical needs don’t stop at 5 p.m. – so why does would an infusion provider? Comprehensive care means being there whenever a patient needs support, day or night. Parents can rest easy knowing there is always an infusion nurse, pharmacist, respiratory therapist, and more available 24/7 to answer questions or troubleshoot.
Leave the insurance to us
There are so many steps to remember when coordinating your child’s care – checking on coverage with your insurance company shouldn’t have to be one of them. As our customer service representatives and billing specialists help set patients up to receive the therapies and supplies needed, they work with insurance to determine coverage and settle claims with agencies – keeping you in the loop of their status and letting you know of any concerns.
And that’s something you can breathe a sigh of relief about.
The best training tailored to your child
Knowing you have highly trained caregivers coming into your home to provide life-sustaining therapies for your child is a great relief – but being empowered to provide many of their cares yourself on a day to day basis is a momentous and necessary step for caregivers as well.
Our staff educators are experts in their field, and are well versed in training family members and other caregivers on equipment and cares specific to the needs of their child. Clinicians also provide in-home training on your child’s equipment and supplies, ensuring you are completely confident in responding to the needs of your child.
Caring for the whole child (and family)
When a child has a complex medical condition that requires consistent care like infusion interventions to keep them healthy at home, it can be hard to remember the importance of caring for not only physical needs, but the family’s emotional wellbeing as well.
Our on-site clinical social worker Monica Handlos is here to help parents and guardians navigate the sometimes stressful world of financial assistance, community resources and more, as well as individual therapy as adults work through the mental impact a child’s diagnosis can have.
We know patients and siblings are processing their own feelings and concerns throughout this medical journey, which is why Monica also provides play therapy for patients and a sibling support program for brothers and sisters of medically complex children.
Getting started
Are you ready to see the difference comprehensive care can make? Take the first step with this page created specifically for families just starting the process. We’re here to support you for the entire journey – fill out the form and we’ll do the rest!
Originally published: February 3, 2017