Community intravenous therapy provision.

ABSTRACT

Many healthcare services that were once only available in acute settings are now common in the community. Intravenous (IV) therapy is increasingly available as a community service. Given the option, most patients would choose to receive their treatment in a community setting, rather than in hospital. This article describes several outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy services, including their advantages and disadvantages. It explores the ways one community NHS trust has developed its community IV therapy service over the past ten years and examines issues pertinent to effective service delivery.