Development of a Home Chemotherapy Program for Pediatric Oncology Patients

Abstract

Provision of home chemotherapy to pediatric oncology patients offers substantial advantages to children and their families, including improved scheduling and continuity of care and decreased disruption of the family unit. These advantages may positively impact upon both parental anxiety and quality of life for these children and their families. Establishing and maintaining a successful home chemotherapy program is a complex task, requiring a detailed orientation program along with an interdisciplinary team approach, a successful communication network, and close patient follow-up. Home chemotherapy delivery offers a unique practice setting with many professional growth opportunities for clinicians. A home chemotherapy program may also result in substantial monetary savings to patients and third-party payors, especially for protocols that require several days of inpatient admission to deliver.