Home intravenous antibiotic therapy

Concern regarding the soaring costs of in-hospital treatment has stimulated interest in providing alternatives when patients no longer need careful observation and daily nursing care. To facilitate ongoing intravenous antibiotic therapy for selected patients, home or outpatient intravenous therapy programs have been developed. Such therapies require a team approach with an emphasis on patient selection criteria, and educational strategies, as well as careful follow-up. It is likely that in the near future more intravenous anti-infective programs will be tailored to the infectious complications of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome than for the conditions. The increasing number of effective new oral drugs will undoubtedly reduce the need for intravenous therapy for specific infections such as septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, urinary tract infections and pneumonia.