Home IVIG Infusions May Reduce Costs and Improve Outcomes

Living with an immune deficiency, or immunodeficiency disorder, may require specialized treatment and lifestyle changes to avoid exposure to infection. Immunodeficiency disorders impair the body’s ability to fend off infection, or cancer in some cases. Causes of immunodeficiency can be genetic or hereditary or result from long-term use of medication that suppresses the immune system or the presence of another immune-mediated condition, such as lupus or multiple sclerosis.

Immunoglobulins as an infused therapy
Immunoglobulins, also known as antibodies, are protein cells made in plasma. For some people, their body doesn’t make enough of these antibodies so treatment may include a therapy such as supplemental immunoglobulin, a biologic agent created from the plasma of blood donors. Immunoglobulins can be administered intravenously, more commonly known as intravenous immunoglobulin or IVIG, or injections under the skin.

Depending upon dose, IVIG infusions can take up to five hours. Infusions are often administered in an outpatient hospital (OPH) setting or home setting, in which an infusion nurse comes to the home to deliver and monitor the infusion treatment. Convenience, cost-savings, accessibility and reduced exposure to infection are reasons that both patient and provider might prefer home-based infusion care.

Home IVIG infusions and reduced risk of hospitalization
Healthcare delivered in the home is convenient and becoming more common, a trend driven by demographic factors, patient preference and the increase of chronic disease burden in the U.S. population.

To examine the relationship between home or outpatient hospital IVIG infusions and subsequent utilization of healthcare services, including hospitalization or emergency department (ED) visits, Humana Healthcare Research (HHR) conducted a retrospective claims-based study and found that patients who had received IVIG infusion in the home were 44% less likely to experience an inpatient hospital stay and 38% less likely to experience an emergency department visit compared with patients who had received treatment in the OPH setting. This translated to 30% reduced medical costs for patients receiving IVIG home infusion.

Home infusion and increased patient satisfaction
A 2017 systematic review of home infusion benefits revealed that patients preferred home infusion and reported significantly better physical and mental well-being and less disruption of family and personal responsibilities than receiving infusions in a medical setting. The review also documented lower infusion costs in the home than the medical setting.

Key takeaway
Study results suggest that IVIG home infusion may support improved health outcomes, decreased healthcare utilization, increased cost savings and increased patient satisfaction. Consequently, study findings support potential value in increasing patient awareness of, and referrals for, IVIG home infusion, especially for individuals who are already receiving other home health services. Further research can help inform health policy designed to maximize the benefits of IVIG home infusion while minimizing potential risks.

The HHR study referenced above: Rastegar et al. (2023). Home versus outpatient hospital intravenous immunoglobulin infusion and health care resource utilization. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 63(5) P1566-1573.E1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.japh.2023.06.021

To explore additional studies conducted by Humana Healthcare Research, visit research.humana.com.