Home chemotherapy for children with cancer.

A program was established in which the parents of children with cancer were trained to administer intravenous chemotherapy to the children in their homes. The main objectives of this program (Home Intravenous Chemotherapy by Parents [HICP]) were to improve the quality of life for children with cancer and their parents and to decrease the cost of medical care for these children by decreasing the number of clinic visits and hospital stays intended solely for the administration of chemotherapy. Twenty-four months of experience with this program indicates that with a close communication network and a good working relationship among a home care organization (HCO), the parents of the patient, a pediatric oncology nurse, and an attending pediatric oncologist, many chemotherapeutic agents can be safely administered to these children by their parents in their homes. The patients and their parents are enthusiastic about this program because of the valuable time saved and the increased participation in care. In addition, this program greatly decreased the cost of medical care for these children.