Effects of an Ocrevus Rapid Infusion Protocol: A Literature Review and Quality Improvement Project

Abstract

The administration of Ocrevus, an infusion therapy for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, is time and labor intensive, leading to poor patient adherence, treatment delays due to scheduling issues, and significant staff workload. This problem worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, which created scheduling difficulties due to space restrictions. A US Food and Drug Administration-approved rapid infusion protocol for Ocrevus decreases the infusion time by 1.5 hours per patient. The purpose of this project was to complete a literature review on rapid infusion protocols and analyze the effects of the Ocrevus rapid infusion protocol on 2 outcomes of interest: total visit time and infusion reaction rates. Data were collected using retrospective chart review and analyzed by comparing the results of each outcome to the same data points prior to the implementation of the project. Results found a statistically significant decrease in visit time, with no increase in infusion reaction rates. These findings support the implementation of this rapid Ocrevus infusion protocol in the outpatient setting with the potential to improve patient scheduling, patient satisfaction, and nursing workload, while maintaining patient safety.