An In-Depth Look Into Infusion Therapy

What is Infusion Therapy?

Infusion therapy is an exciting new branch of medicine that enables multiple conditions that previously required hospitalization or intensive courses of therapy to be treated on an outpatient basis with intravenous medicines that can quickly and safely be administered in an outpatient infusion center. These medicines are available to treat a wide variety of conditions, including ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, autoimmune disorders, iron deficiency, infections and many other conditions. The safe administration of these new medicines in an outpatient setting has revolutionized the treatment of many of these conditions.

What Conditions Can Be Treated With Infusion Therapy?

These treatments have great effectiveness in treating disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Many advances over the last five to 10 years have enabled us to much more effectively treat these conditions with the use of infusible medications. These medicines administered intravenously are not available in oral pill form and can be life changing in the effect that they can provide to people with these conditions.

What are the Benefits of Infusion Therapy and Infusion Centers?

Infusion centers are specially equipped to handle the administration of many medications that can rapidly control or eradicate the diseases they are designed to treat. These medicines are sometimes infused on a one-time basis or as a series of infusions required at specific intervals to control or eliminate the disease process they are intended to treat. Some of the medications require special accommodation—such as intensive nursing care—to ensure that they are administered safely. This support—as well as physician supervision—is available for the safety of the patients. Intravenous antibiotics and medications—such as specially-formulated iron—are also available to treat conditions that previously required administration of these medications in a hospital. The convenient, safe and comfortable environment for the infusions has served to make patients comfortable and helps relieve the anxiety that is often associated with infusion therapy. The infusion centers help ensure that all infusion patients have an optimal experience.

Dr. Cory Vergilio is a partner and gastroenterologist at Digestive Healthcare Center (DHC). DHC offers a comprehensive infusion therapy center to effectively treat patients living with gastrointestinal conditions where oral medication isn’t an option. The infusion therapy center has specialty-trained nurses and friendly staff to ensure that all infusion patients have an optimal experience.