INFUSION TREATMENT SUPPORT PROGRAM: CARE COORDINATION FOR A MEDICAL SUBSPECIALTY POPULATION.
Significance & Background: In response to growing demand for infusion therapy among non-oncology patients, our organization launched the Infusion Treatment Support Program (ITSP) in March 2025. This initiative aimed to improve care coordination for a complex medical subspecialty population by introd...
| Publicado en: | Oncology Nursing Forum Vol. 53; no. 2; pp. 105 - 107 |
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| Autores principales: | , , |
| Formato: | Journal Article |
| Publicado: |
Oncology Nursing Society
Mar2026
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| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=194211301&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 194211301 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 0190535X 4F0 jtl: Oncology Nursing Forum issn: 0190535X maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Mar2026 vid: 53 iid: 2 pid: 12496 pub: Oncology Nursing Society place: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania artinfo: ui: 194211301 10.1188/26.ONF.e26535271 194211301 ppf: 105 ppct: 2 formats: fmt: @attributes: type: P tig: atl: INFUSION TREATMENT SUPPORT PROGRAM: CARE COORDINATION FOR A MEDICAL SUBSPECIALTY POPULATION. aug: au: Fitzgerald, Amanda McCauley, Rachel Clements, Amanda affil: BSN RN, UVA Health, Charlottesville, VA sug: ab: Significance & Background: In response to growing demand for infusion therapy among non-oncology patients, our organization launched the Infusion Treatment Support Program (ITSP) in March 2025. This initiative aimed to improve care coordination for a complex medical subspecialty population by introducing the health system's first dedicated infusion support team. The program was further supported by the opening of the specialty ambulatory infusion center in April 2025, offering expanded access in a centralized facility. Purpose: The primary goals of this quality improvement initiative were to increase access to specialized infusion services, facilitate communication among patients, RN Care Coordinators (RNCCs), and providers, reduce treatment delays, and offload capacity from existing infusion centers by managing complex chronic cases in a dedicated setting. Key interventions included hiring two RNCCs and a scheduler, implementing structured workflows, standardizing referral and pre-assessment processes, developing patient education tools, and holding monthly collaborative meetings with subspecialty teams such as Rheumatology, Digestive Health, Neurology, and Obstetrics. Interventions: The Infusion Treatment Support Program introduced several operational changes to enhance care delivery. RNCCs and a scheduler were trained to oversee patient navigation and infusion readiness. Monthly interdisciplinary meetings supported coordinated care planning. A standardized pre-assessment process improved clinical readiness prior to infusion scheduling. A patient education card was developed to enhance engagement and understanding. Structured workflows were implemented across key areas to enhance efficiency and patient-centered care. These included aligning referral intake with patient preferences, preparing charts to ensure laboratory order accuracy, enabling same- day infusions for urgent needs such as antibiotics and transfusions, and improving scheduling through enhanced tools for timing and pre-authorization management. Results: Comparing data from January-February 2025 to March-July 2025, the average time from referral to first appointment has improved by 3 days. Additionally, the number of Day 1 new treatment starts has increased by 125%. We also observed a reduction in reschedules and same-day cancellations, from 5.9% to 5.5%, while the average number of visits per month increased from 630 to 647. Discussion: The ITSP model addresses critical gaps in care for a growing, high-need patient population. By integrating RNCCs and optimized workflows, the program improved operational efficiency and streamlined the patient experience. Future plans include evaluating long-term outcomes, refining referral processes, and expanding ITSP services to additional populations. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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