CMS Pub. 100-02, ch. 15, § 320.6.2

Qualified home infusion therapy suppliers are required to ensure the safe and effective

provision and administration of home infusion therapy on a 7-day-a-week, 24-hour-a-day

basis. Monitoring the patient receiving infusion therapy in their home is an important

standard of practice that is an integral part of providing medical care to patients in their

home. The expectation is that home infusion therapy suppliers would provide ongoing

patient monitoring and continual reassessment of the patient to evaluate response to

treatment, drug complications, adverse reactions, and patient compliance.

The plan of care would indicate the need for routine monitoring and specify the interval

for evaluation and documentation of patient-reported response to therapy, any adverse

effects or infusion complications, verify pump rate, obtain blood work, and obtain any

necessary vital signs. Direct communication and coordination with the patient,

caregivers, and clinicians regarding any change in the patient’s condition is on-going so

that any adjustment to treatment is made as needed and in a timely fashion. This can be

done remotely or directly during in-home patient visits at specified intervals.

Remote monitoring may be performed through telephone or other electronic

communication, based on the plan of care and the patient’s preference of communication.

Remote monitoring may include the use of a telecommunications system through which

patients are monitored by electronic submission of self-obtained vital signs, such as

weight, blood pressure, and heart rate. The patient must be instructed on obtaining vital

signs and on self-monitoring equipment use. An off-site monitoring service may also be

utilized to communicate any abnormal results to the clinician for adjustments to the plan

of care as needed.

Qualified home infusion therapy suppliers may use all available remote monitoring

methods that are safe and appropriate for their patients and clinicians and as specified in

the plan of care as long as adequate security and privacy protections are utilized.