CVS touts infusion care at home

WOONSOCKET, R.I. - Home infusion care is safe and clinically effective, and improves quality of life, all the while reducing costs, according to a new study by CVS Health Research Institute that has been published in Healthcare: The Journal of Delivery Science and Innovation. “As the U.S. healthcare payment system shifts from volume to value, we are focused on identifying new approaches to health service delivery that provide better care and improve patient outcomes, while lowering costs,” said Troyen Brennan, M.D., study author and chief medical officer for CVS Health. “Our research shows that home infusion care is a promising model that is both cost- and clinically effective, and is overwhelmingly preferred by patients when intravenous therapy is required.” Researchers conducted a systematic review of existing peer-reviewed research, evaluating infusion care for several conditions. They compared measures of quality, safety, clinical outcomes, quality of life and costs of home infusion services to those provided in medical settings. From a cost perspective, they found savings ranging between $1,928 and $2,974 per course of treatment for infusion care provided in the home vs. an institutional setting. CVS provides home infusion services through Coram, which it bought in 2013.