American journal of health-system pharmacy : AJHP : official journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
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Intravenous infusion devices commonly used in home care and ambulatory care settings are reviewed and factors to consider in selecting a device are suggested. The type of therapy to be administered, the patient or caregiver's ability to understand and carry out instructions, staff time required for patient teaching and drug and device preparation, drug stability, frequency of doses, reservoir volume, control of flow rate, type of venous access, cost and availability of devices and supplies, and reimbursement should be considered. Cost-effectiveness of a device can be evaluated only by analyzing all of the costs associated with administering a medication. ⋯ Before an agency decides on a pump, it can investigate current users' and rental firms' experiences with the device. Also, all relevant personnel should try programming the device. Determining which devices to use requires a comparison of features that are pertinent to the particular agency or institution and a cost analysis that considers acquisition, reimbursement, patient training time, and the cost of disposable supplies.