Telephone: (850) 476-3131
Infectious Diseases Consultation Services
Outpatient Antibiotic Infusion
Intravenous therapy outside the hospital setting indicates the growth of progress in the delivery of outpatient care. Whether in the home or another outpatient setting, treatment outside the hospital increases the patient's well-being, both mental and physical, and decreases the risk of hospital-acquired illnesses and/or infections.
For any therapy to be successful, the patient must be willing and able to take some responsibility for their treatment program. To be able to do this, the patient must have adequate information about their infection and the proposed treatment.
Our Infusion Center, an outpatient clinic located within the Center for Prevention and Treatment of Infections, is staffed by trained registered nurses under the direction of Dr. Barbara Wade, Dr. Edgardo Li-Espino, and Dr. Issa Ephtimios.
Dr. Wade, Dr. Ephtimios and Dr. Li-Espino, Infectious Disease Specialists with expertise in the treatment of complicated infections and non-healing wounds, are responsible for the prescription and execution of the outpatient intravenous therapy regimen and wound care. Multiple delivery options are available for the infusion treatments including, but not limited to: portable medication pumps, daily office visits or patients self-infusing at home after being taught by the nursing staff. Patients needing wound care are usually treated in conjunction with antibiotic infusion therapy and are seen daily in the office.
Insurance coverage varies with each provider. While some cover costs of in-home therapy, either by a home care company or the patient self-infusing, other insurances, require the patient to receive therapy in the physician's office.
Patients requiring these services are usually referred by their primary care physician for consultation with Dr. Wade, Dr. Ephtimios or Dr. Li-Espino.