Home intravenous antibiotic therapy using a programmable infusion pump.

Several publications have demonstrated the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of home intravenous antibiotic therapy. The development of a computerized ambulatory infusion drug delivery pump has enabled us to treat patients previously considered ineligible for home intravenous antibiotic therapy. Seventeen patients were treated at home with the infusion pump for a range of 6 to 49 days. Selection of the infusion pump was made for a variety of reasons: the need for frequent intravenous drug administration (9 patients); impaired manual dexterity (5 patients) or cognitive function (3 patients); unwillingness to learn the necessary techniques (3 patients); and lack of support persons at home (3 patients). Of the 17 patients, 15 could not have been discharged from hospital to home without the use of the pump or a similar device.