Infusion Services

Frequently Asked Questions

What is infusion and how does this procedure help with illness?

• We provide infusion and injection services. We mostly give infusions.
  • Infusions are given intravenously through an IV typically placed in the bend of the arm or hand.
  • Injections can be given under the skin (subcutaneous) or in the muscle (intramuscular).
• Infusions allow for a more efficient and effective treatment as it is going directly into the blood stream.
• Infusions can be antibiotics, IVIG, biologics, or specialty medications.
• We treat bacterial or fungal infections, migraines, osteoporosis, autoimmune diseases, hydration therapy, etc. Some conditions that fall under autoimmune disorders include lupus, inflammatory bowel diseases such as crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Why would someone require infusion vs. taking oral medications or a shot?

• Some medications are manufactured in both infusion/injection and oral methods. Some are onlymanufactured in infusion or injection methods. Infusions and injections both are more aggressive than oral medications. There are also some conditions that can only by treated with infusion therapy because that is the format in how the medication is created.

How long can a typical infusion session last?

• Infusion lengths can vary from 30 minutes to 6 hours. Appointments for infusions vary from 1-7 hours. The infusion length is dependent on the type of medication and length of time the provider prescribes it to be given over. On average, most infusions are 1-2 hours. The additional time of the appointment before the infusion is for starting an IV and preparing the medication. The additional time of the appointment after the infusion is for observation. The typical observation time is 15-30 minutes but can be up to 1 hour for some medications. This is to monitor patients for a reaction. Reactions occur most often shortly after the treatment has begun but they can be delayed as well.

Once prescribed infusion by your provider, can a person choose which location to use and then the appointment is booked?

• We offer most all infusions in both Effingham and Mattoon locations. There are some that are currently only offered in Mattoon, but few.

What should someone expect when getting their first infusion (comfort level, pain level, side effects)?

• Before receiving their first infusion or injection, the patient will meet with our nurse practitioner. At this visit, the provider will provide, in detail, risks, benefits and overall education regarding the drug and what to expect. All medications are different, and all people metabolize medications differently. Each medication has specific information on “most common” side effects. Our staff is skilled in providing exceptional care to our infusion patients and recognizing anything abnormal. While we do our best to educate and prevent side effects from happening, they can occur. In this instance, we would have emergency medications readily available to be administered if needed. Our locations are housed with warm blankets, TVs, recliners, refreshments, and privacy during treatment. In Effingham, our recliners have heat and massage controls.