Welcome to the Outpatient Infusion Center at Georgia Infectious Diseases! Here we provide in-office infusion therapy services, including intravenous (IV) antibiotics and immunoglobulin (antibody) replacement, to allow you to receive the advanced medical therapy you need without hospitalization. In many cases, we can also provide you with take-home IV antibiotics and careful instruction on how to self-administer therapy at home. You will be greeted by our friendly and experienced full-time clinical nurse, specially trained in infusion therapy, as well as an on-site pharmacy technician who prepares infusion medications real-time.

Each patient is followed closely by our team of clinicians, including regular visits from our dedicated nurse practitioner, to ensure you are receiving the optimal care you deserve. Conveniently located on the campus of Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital and adjacent to the Medical Center MARTA station, our infusion center offers spacious and comfortable surroundings, including panoramic views of the metro Atlanta area, to ensure a welcoming and relaxed experience.

Some of the conditions treated in the Outpatient Infusion Center include:

• • Bloodstream infection
  • Cellulitis
  • Infective endocarditis
  • Multi-drug resistant organism (MDRO) infection
  • Mycobacterial infection
  • Osteomyelitis (bone infection)
  • Pelvic/Abdominal abscess
  • Postoperative infection
  • Prosthetic joint infection
  • Urinary tract infection
  • CVID (common variable immunodeficiency)

Understanding Antibiotic Infusion Therapy

Below please find some useful information about IV antibiotic infusion therapy, including information on PICC lines and on the different routes of IV administration we commonly use.

PICC Lines

If you require a long IV antibiotic treatment course, your doctor will likely recommend that we place a type of long-lasting IV line called a peripherally-inserted central catheter, or “PICC line”, to make it easier for you to receive your daily infusions. PICC lines are placed in the hospital or as an outpatient procedure in the radiology department. Once your IV therapy is complete, we can remove the PICC line here in the office.

Office-Based Antibiotic Infusion Options

Depending on your clinical situation and insurance coverage, there may be several options available for you to receive your intravenous (IV) antibiotic medication. Your doctor will work with you to recommend the best route of infusion therapy for you.

Stationary Pump

The most common form of IV infusion therapy is the stationary pump, which involves once-daily administration of your antibiotic in-office. Our infusion nurse Lena will take care of everything, from cleaning your line to infusing the antibiotic, and get you in and out in a timely manner. All you need to do is relax in our comfortable recliner chairs while we do all the work!

Ambulatory Pump

For some antibiotics, we have the option of using an ambulatory pump, which allows you to receive your antibiotic hands-free at home. For this service, you would come into the office three times a week to have the line flushed and to reload the antibiotic. The antibiotic is then delivered automatically via a lightweight programmable pump that you carry as a hip or shoulder pack. This is another great hands-free option with less in-office time.

Elastomeric Devices

In some cases we have the option of offering you infusion therapy that you can do yourself at home. We prepare the antibiotics in small elastomeric bulbs which you pick up once a week and then store at home in the refrigerator until ready for use. When time to administer your dose, you simply flush your line and then connect the antibiotic-containing elastomeric bulb to your PICC line via a plastic screw-cap connection (no needles involved). We will give you complete instructions in the office and make sure you are fully comfortable with the procedure before you begin. For a video that walks you through the process of elastomeric pump infusion, click here.

Regardless of the type of infusion, we will plan to see you each week to check your labs and change the line dressing (if you have a PICC or port). You will also meet with our nurse practitioner who will review your labs with you and make sure you are responding well to treatment.