Depending on how medicine affects your body, it can be given to you in more than a dozen ways like in a pill, a shot or through a patch. For some medicines and conditions, the best delivery method is the most direct: into the veins, which is called intravenous, or IV, infusion.
When IV is the best tool to treat your condition, most often for long-term illnesses like cancer, you'll likely be given an appointment at what's called an infusion center. At these centers, patients receive their IV infusions while seated in chairs. Though infusion centers are often located in hospitals, there's no need to stay overnight; when they've received their medicine, patients go home.
To improve convenience for those needing infusions, AdventHealth is opening a new location called the Infusion Center at AdventHealth Celebration. It will be AdventHealth's sixth infusion center, with others located at AdventHealth Orlando, AdventHealth Altamonte, AdventHealth Kissimmee, AdventHealth East Orlando and AdventHealth Winter Park.
The infusion center joins a robust lineup of established cancer services at the campus, including world-class specialists in breast, head-and-neck, and prostate cancers. AdventHealth Celebration continues to grow with new comprehensive cancer services coming in early 2019, positioning the facility as the only one of its kind in the region.
Having an infusion center closer to home for residents of southwest Orlando means their appointments can fit more neatly into their lives. A shorter drive especially after infusion therapy, which can be tiring means more time for healing, rest and relaxation.
Having an infusion center in this community greatly benefits patients who need ongoing treatment, said Cynthia Ware, Director of Ambulatory Infusion Centers at AdventHealth. This is especially important for our patients undergoing a cancer diagnosis.
These services will provide Osceola County with the expertise of additional sub-specialized medical oncologists, surgical oncologists and radiation oncologists while providing the latest in cancer-treatment options.
Though IV infusion is often the most efficient and fast-acting way to fight diseases, it's normal to feel nervous before an appointment. That's why AdventHealth's infusion centers have private bays to help create a soothing environment that puts your mind at ease. Patients receiving infusion are encouraged to bring relaxing items from home, like a book or your favorite music.
How Does Infusion Work?
One benefit of medications made for infusion (or modified to be infused) is that more of the medicine is used by your body. That's because it goes straight into your blood instead of being filtered through other parts of your body.
This also means the dose can be precisely controlled, which is important for medications that need to be given slowly but constantly.
An infusion can last anywhere from minutes to several hours. During the infusion, medication flows from a bag and into a tube connected to your veins with a small needle.
Though most people don't get sick from infusion, they are monitored for side effects.
Care and Guidance During Your Appointment
IV medication must be carefully prepared for each individual patient, who is monitored as they receive the medicine. That means that each infusion center has pharmacists, nurses and other staff who can review your medications and discuss their potential side effects.
Each facility is also contributing to cancer research by offering new clinical trials to learn what approach works best for different types of disease.
The AdventHealth Infusion Center staff also uniquely provide a body, mind and spirit approach to their whole-health care. They ensure the appropriate type and amount of medication for each patient while also tending to their patients emotional and spiritual well-being by creating a relaxing environment that helps soothe the mind and reduce stress, which can affect the body's ability to heal.
For more information, visit our website or call
Call855-303-3627.
