From The Philadelphia Inquirer
Chemotherapy at home is a rising trend, driven by patient convenience and the widespread fear of hospitals during the pandemic. But as much as patients love it, antiquated health-care billing systems, especially in Medicare, remain a formidable obstacle to the practice.
Penn’s shift of some chemotherapy treatments to home started on a small scale before the pandemic, but then took off, according to Justin Bekelman, the radiation oncologist who directs the Penn Center for Cancer Care Innovation
Under the at-home process, Penn nurses drive to patients’ residences to set up the complex lines and do the injections involved in the cancer treatment. After that, the backpack-wearing patients are free to go about their lives.