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NHIA develops professional practice standards to:
NHIA’s practice standards represent a consensus of professional judgment, expert opinion, and documented evidence. They provide guidance and direction to NHIA members and other audiences who affect the home infusion industry, and the patients served. Their use may help to comply with federal and state laws and regulations, meet accreditation requirements, and improve patient care. They are written to establish reasonable goals, to be progressive and challenging, yet attainable as best practices in applicable home or alternate site settings.
Electronic Mechanical Pump Selection for Home Administration of Infusion Medications
Choosing the appropriate infusion method/device selection promotes safety, minimizes adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and therapy disruptions, avoid hospitalizations and emergency department use, and promotes adherence. By developing a Practice Standard, NHIA can encourage appropriate use of pumps and educate stakeholders (manufacturers, regulators) about how equipment is used in home infusion.
These practice standards should not be viewed as NHIA requirements. The use of NHIA’s practice standards by members and other practitioners should be assessed and adapted based on independent judgment.
Areas of practice are identified where information and direction are necessary to promote general standards and quality.
The NHIA Quality and Standards Committee, comprised of home infusion professionals, performs a comprehensive review of available evidence. Committee members who are clinical and research experts collaborate on the topic, reviewing industry trends and other data sources such as membership, community, best practices, industry research, review of published literature, or other practice guidelines. A draft practice standard is developed and reviewed by the committee members, and revisions to the draft are incorporated based on consensus.
A formal draft of the practice standard is presented for public comment. At the close of the comment period, the committee reviews the commentary and proposed revisions. The committee makes recommendations prior to final approval of the published standard.