What is Gout?
Gout is a form of arthritis characterized in the joints by sudden and severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness, and tenderness.
How is Gout Diagnosed and Treated?
There are several tools and tests used to diagnose gout such as:
- Joint fluid test: use of a needle to draw fluid from an affected joint to test for the presence of urate crystals, which cause gout
- Blood tests: used to measure levels of uric acid in the bloodstream
- X-ray imaging
- Ultrasounds
- Dual-energy computerized tomography (DECT): test using X-ray images at multiple angles to visualize urate crystals in joints.
How Does IV Infusion Therapy for Gout Work?
IV infusion for gout involves administering medication through an infusion pump that drips the medication into a catheter to a syringe and through a hollow needle into the patient’s bloodstream. Treatments are usually administered every two weeks, with each infusion lasting roughly 2 hours.
Gout Therapies Administered at IX Health
The following infusion and injection therapies are administered at IVX Health.
Gout Management at IVX Health
Each IVX Health patient receives excellent care from Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNPs) and Registered Nurses (RNs).
The benefits of receiving infusion treatments for gout at IVX Health include:
- Private suites
- Comfortable, leather recliners
- Enough room and plenty of seating for guests
- A friendly clinical staff
- Personalized service
- High-speed internet
- Complimentary beverages and snacks
- Flat-screen television sets provide a way for patients to stream their favorite movies and watch the shows they love
- Flexible scheduling options (including evening and weekend appointments)
What to Expect During Treatment of Gout
Step One
Using a thin, very small catheter, one of IVX Health’s nurses creates an intravenous line (aka IV line) into the patient’s arm vein.
Step Two
After placing the IV line, the nurse connects it to tubing that leads up to the medication. The medication is then dispersed into the patient’s bloodstream over a specified period of time.
During treatment, patients are continuously monitored by one of IVX’s nurses. If a patient requires assistance, he or she just needs to press the call button.
There are times when a patient experiences a reaction to the medication he or she is receiving; therefore, patients need to recognize the symptoms associated with an allergic reaction.
Signs of a potential allergic reaction include developing a headache, feeling nauseous, difficulty breathing and developing a rash. Patients experiencing these symptoms need to contact their nurse right away.
How to Get a Referral for Gout IV Infusion Treatment
Every referral must be accompanied by an order for treatment.
Patient information should include:
- Name
- Current address
- Home and mobile phone number
- Insurance information
Information the physician must include on the patient’s order for IV therapy to treat gout include:
- Patient’s name and DOB
- Order date
- Diagnosis
- Physician’s name and NPI#
- Office address, phone, and fax numbers
- Provider’s signature
Supporting clinical documentation from the physician should include:
- Perform serum uric acid (sUA) test prior to each infusion
- Screen patients at risk for G6PD deficiency prior to starting therapy
- Patient had chronic gout and is an adult patient who has failed to normalize serum or has shown an inadequate response to conventional therapy
Due to the complexity of treatment, prior authorization is often required. Prior authorization is the process of getting approval for treatment from the patient’s healthcare provider before beginning treatment. It’s important to check in with your healthcare provider to see if a prior authorization will be needed for your infusion or injection treatment at IVX Health.
If you have gout, and you would like to learn more about the IV infusion therapy for gout available at IVX Health centers, contact us today.
