Brianna Matias
Research Mentor: Jason Chen
Mentor Department: VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Medicine
Author(s): Brianna Matias, Jason Chen
Session: Session 4 (1:00 PM – 1:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 66
Abstract
The delivery of cancer therapies have traditionally been centered in hospital-based outpatient departments, particularly those that are administered intravenously and subcutaneously. Advances in cancer treatment have improved safety and efficacy, leading to extended patient survival. However, as a result, there are growing financial, logistical, and time-related burdens for long-term cancer survivors. As the population of patients requiring ongoing infusion therapy increases, there is a critical need to explore alternative sites of care that may reduce strain on both patients and healthcare systems, including home-based treatments. We conducted a structured literature review of current research addressing alternative sites of care for cancer-related infusion therapies, using the Covidence web-based tool (Covidence, Melbourne, Australia). Sources were identified from NLM Pubmed and Google Scholar, using the following terms: home-based infusions, cancer care, and satisfaction. We only included English-language, peer-reviewed publications, with a focus on patient self-administration of therapies at home. Studies from the United States and select international healthcare systems were analyzed to assess trends in utilization, reported outcomes, economic impact, and patient satisfaction. The review found that alternative infusion sites are associated with comparable safety outcomes to hospital-based care for appropriately selected patients, while offering potential reductions in cost and improvements in convenience and quality of life. Home-based infusion models and independent outpatient centers demonstrated particular promise in decreasing travel time, reducing healthcare expenditures, and improving patient satisfaction. However, variability in regulatory frameworks, reimbursement policies, and infrastructure availability were identified as barriers to widespread adoption. By reducing systemic burden and enhancing patient-centered care, alternative infusion sites offer a valuable opportunity to address current gaps in oncology treatment delivery. Further research and policy development are needed to support safe, equitable, and scalable implementation of these care models.
