As I sit here receiving one of my ongoing infusion treatments, a probably meaningless question crossed my mind, but I thought I would ask the forum anyway since you're an easy source of information to answer the question.
On TV and movies, I can think of many examples of a character receiving chemo infusions in a room with other patients, and inevitably they strike up a conversation and/or relationship to push the plot forward.
In all of my treatment, I have never shared a space with another patient so that we could visit during the treatment (I'm not including waiting rooms).
I have theories this may be related to HIPPA and privacy issues, it could be infection control or combinations. It made me wonder though, is my experience universal? How common is it for myeloma treatment infusions to be given in private rooms versus shared rooms?
I'm also curious if people here have a preference for private versus shared infusion rooms.
I realize this is not a high-level subject, but I do find myself more interested in what we are experiencing as patients since we are receiving such high levels of care.
Forums
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Mark Pouley - Name: Mark
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: April 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: Private infusion rooms - are they common?
My treatment center has both private rooms as well as a larger room with multiple chairs for infusions. It seemed the private rooms with beds were for those patients who had very long infusions or became very ill during the infusions.
They used to put me in the private room by myself but then I asked to go to the community room with the chairs. I have met more people since doing that!! It is great to meet people with all different kind of cancers and hear about their journey and how they find hope.
They used to put me in the private room by myself but then I asked to go to the community room with the chairs. I have met more people since doing that!! It is great to meet people with all different kind of cancers and hear about their journey and how they find hope.
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Janet1520
Re: Private infusion rooms - are they common?
At Stanford most of the infusion treatments are done in large rooms with multiple patients at the ITA (Infusion Treatment Area). Patients sit in large treatment chairs (like at the dentist), and there are separation curtains if needed for privacy. It can get quite crowded at times, when several patients happen to be accompanied by someone and multiple nurses and staff are running around. I wouldn't say it's an environment that invites conversation and interaction with other patients.
We've had an individual room only in cases my husband was't feeling well or was in for a long day of treatment. These private rooms are equipped with a bed and the possibility for additional monitors for those patients who might need more monitoring. These rooms seem to fill up quickly, as they don't have so many of them.
We've had an individual room only in cases my husband was't feeling well or was in for a long day of treatment. These private rooms are equipped with a bed and the possibility for additional monitors for those patients who might need more monitoring. These rooms seem to fill up quickly, as they don't have so many of them.
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Alizabeth - Name: Alizabeth
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March 2016
- Age at diagnosis: 61
Re: Private infusion rooms - are they common?
Interesting answers so far. I will amend my first post. At my clinic there are a number of actual private rooms with walls and doors and beds. There are also many "bays" which are lounge chairs and equipment for each bay, like supplies, monitors, computers, etc. The bays are all separated by heavy curtains that are not really sound proof, so at times it may be possible to hear a bit of what is happening in other rooms. I've never seen the curtains open so that I can see or converse with my neighbor patient.
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Mark Pouley - Name: Mark
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: April 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: Private infusion rooms - are they common?
At the cancer center my husband goes to, there is one large room with many chairs wrapped around the nursing station in a U-shape, with a few chest-high walls, but mostly just curtains or nothing between them. There are I think 2 or 3 private rooms with a bed, but as others have mentioned, those seem to be for patients who are ill or have long infusions. Or perhaps both, because even days when my husband had 6-hour infusions, they didn't offer him one of those.
I realize it's a cost-saving issue, but in a perfect world, he (and I as a companion as well) would prefer if there were private rooms. The last time we were there for six hours, I hadn't gone with in a while and forgot to bring headphones, and the noise just about drove me out of my mind. There was someone right next to us blasting The Price is Right on the overhead TV, as well as several other TVs throughout the room on different stations, and conversations between patients and caregivers and nurses (including the grumpy couple next to us snapping at each other constantly), phones ringing, etc. There was one person who always went on the same day who would say hi to my husband while they were in the waiting room, but it seemed patients didn't chat much between themselves.
I think things would be drastically better if they had a system like the aphaeresis center at Mayo did, where each patient has an overhead TV and listens to the sound on provided headphones, and there were curtains around each bed that could be left open or closed as desired. Even though that was a room full of patients, caregivers, and nurses, it was very pleasant and calm.
It is interesting what you brought up about HIPAA, Mark, because I have thought about that numerous times. Obviously everybody on both sides of you can hear what the nurse is asking and saying to you, and I can imagine that could be very intrusive or embarrassing if there were sensitive issues. I also thought about it during transplant because the floor is oddly shaped, leaving one triangular room that is not private but has two beds with a curtain between them. We only ended up in there a few times, but one of those times, both the doctor seeing my husband and the one seeing the other patient showed up at the same time, and proceeded to ask for very specific descriptions of bowel movements, along with all sorts of other personal questions. I thought, how mortifying would that be if one patient was sitting there quietly with their family, and the other patient had to discuss unpleasant side effects. It's not like you could stop yourself from hearing when you're sitting just a few feet away. I realize we're all in this together and no fellow patient is going to be judgmental, but it would sure make me feel awkward if I was in that position!
I like this question because it is really interesting to hear about the different experiences people have across the country or world.
I realize it's a cost-saving issue, but in a perfect world, he (and I as a companion as well) would prefer if there were private rooms. The last time we were there for six hours, I hadn't gone with in a while and forgot to bring headphones, and the noise just about drove me out of my mind. There was someone right next to us blasting The Price is Right on the overhead TV, as well as several other TVs throughout the room on different stations, and conversations between patients and caregivers and nurses (including the grumpy couple next to us snapping at each other constantly), phones ringing, etc. There was one person who always went on the same day who would say hi to my husband while they were in the waiting room, but it seemed patients didn't chat much between themselves.
I think things would be drastically better if they had a system like the aphaeresis center at Mayo did, where each patient has an overhead TV and listens to the sound on provided headphones, and there were curtains around each bed that could be left open or closed as desired. Even though that was a room full of patients, caregivers, and nurses, it was very pleasant and calm.
It is interesting what you brought up about HIPAA, Mark, because I have thought about that numerous times. Obviously everybody on both sides of you can hear what the nurse is asking and saying to you, and I can imagine that could be very intrusive or embarrassing if there were sensitive issues. I also thought about it during transplant because the floor is oddly shaped, leaving one triangular room that is not private but has two beds with a curtain between them. We only ended up in there a few times, but one of those times, both the doctor seeing my husband and the one seeing the other patient showed up at the same time, and proceeded to ask for very specific descriptions of bowel movements, along with all sorts of other personal questions. I thought, how mortifying would that be if one patient was sitting there quietly with their family, and the other patient had to discuss unpleasant side effects. It's not like you could stop yourself from hearing when you're sitting just a few feet away. I realize we're all in this together and no fellow patient is going to be judgmental, but it would sure make me feel awkward if I was in that position!
I like this question because it is really interesting to hear about the different experiences people have across the country or world.
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mplsterrapin - Name: Ari
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Fall 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 54
Re: Private infusion rooms - are they common?
Currently, I receive my treatment infusions in an all-purpose hospital ward with the name “Medical Short Stay Unit (MSSU)”. About half the patients have some form of cancer, while the other half have just about anything you can imagine. It is also the ward where I have had my bone marrow biopsies.
The physical layout of the ward is a long corridor that leads to variously sized rooms, each able to accommodate 2 or 4 patients. The rooms all have beds. However, one special room, the largest, has large comfy chairs for the patients. No beds. The other special room is for individuals requiring isolation.
Since I have been receiving red blood cell transfusions for almost ten years, I’ve grown quite accustomed to the routines of the ward. It feels like home to me. For the most part I say hello to all the people who enter my room and try to figure out how much social interaction is going to happen. It is surprising how much one can learn by watching body language and listening to tone of voice.
Yesterday, I had a blood transfusion and the day was quite typical for me. I had a two-person room. My nurse for the day had just been recently assigned to MSSU. Luckily for me, she was previously on IV therapy. She was a real pro in inserting the IV line. After a half hour or so, the other patient in my room arrived. He had arrived late due to nasty snowstorm raging outside. We seemed to get along quite well and ended up having an interesting conversation. The time flew by.
On the whole I have found it a most rewarding experience to interact with my fellow patients, no matter what ails them. Lots of conversations on politics, arts, and the sciences have happened.
The spirit of life infuses them all.
Joe
The physical layout of the ward is a long corridor that leads to variously sized rooms, each able to accommodate 2 or 4 patients. The rooms all have beds. However, one special room, the largest, has large comfy chairs for the patients. No beds. The other special room is for individuals requiring isolation.
Since I have been receiving red blood cell transfusions for almost ten years, I’ve grown quite accustomed to the routines of the ward. It feels like home to me. For the most part I say hello to all the people who enter my room and try to figure out how much social interaction is going to happen. It is surprising how much one can learn by watching body language and listening to tone of voice.
Yesterday, I had a blood transfusion and the day was quite typical for me. I had a two-person room. My nurse for the day had just been recently assigned to MSSU. Luckily for me, she was previously on IV therapy. She was a real pro in inserting the IV line. After a half hour or so, the other patient in my room arrived. He had arrived late due to nasty snowstorm raging outside. We seemed to get along quite well and ended up having an interesting conversation. The time flew by.
On the whole I have found it a most rewarding experience to interact with my fellow patients, no matter what ails them. Lots of conversations on politics, arts, and the sciences have happened.
The spirit of life infuses them all.
Joe
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Wobbles - Name: Joe
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: June 2016
- Age at diagnosis: 67
Re: Private infusion rooms - are they common?
I'm very late to this discussion since I just saw this. Where I'm treated all of the rooms are private with walls and doors. A few of the rooms have beds, but most of them just the reclining chairs. The building where the cancer center is located is just 7 years old, so this may be why it has all private infusion rooms. The old building had a common room with curtains that could be drawn between each patient.
Although I would like to be able to talk with other patients, I do prefer being in a separate room. I do my talking with the nurses and CNA's. I talk with other patients in the waiting areas.
Nancy in Phila
Although I would like to be able to talk with other patients, I do prefer being in a separate room. I do my talking with the nurses and CNA's. I talk with other patients in the waiting areas.
Nancy in Phila
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NStewart - Name: Nancy Stewart
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 3/08
- Age at diagnosis: 60
Re: Private infusion rooms - are they common?
The building I get my infusions in is about a year old; brand new with all sorts of energy-saving and water-saving features (we live in the high desert and this building was planned and built during the very recent California drought). The infusion room is one large room, though there are three private rooms that the nurses tell me are seldom used (and used last if used at all). The rest of the room is set up as half a U; the other half is dedicated to a separate infusion room dedicated to those getting IV antibiotics and other treatments for diseases they don't want cancer patients anywhere near.
The chairs are set up next to very large windows with great views – if there were anything to see (It IS the desert, after all) and are in groups of three or four recliners. Those recliners defeat me utterly because I can't make the dern things recline, or once reclined, I can't get them to stay reclined, or get back up if I get them down enough.
We can talk to and see other patients in the small group, or we can ignore the whole thing.
I ignore everybody. I don't bring anybody with me, either, because then I'd have to entertain them and right now? I don't feel like being all positive / peppy. I'm sort of like a cat that way. When I don't feel well, I want to go hide.
The chairs are set up next to very large windows with great views – if there were anything to see (It IS the desert, after all) and are in groups of three or four recliners. Those recliners defeat me utterly because I can't make the dern things recline, or once reclined, I can't get them to stay reclined, or get back up if I get them down enough.
We can talk to and see other patients in the small group, or we can ignore the whole thing.
I ignore everybody. I don't bring anybody with me, either, because then I'd have to entertain them and right now? I don't feel like being all positive / peppy. I'm sort of like a cat that way. When I don't feel well, I want to go hide.
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dianaiad - Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Officially...March 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 63
Re: Private infusion rooms - are they common?
I have often wondered why a large room for all infusion treatment patients is not a violation of HIPAA. In my opinion it is. The doctors, PA's, and NP's see and counsel patients out in the open for all those nearby to hear and see. I see my oncologist in a private exam room, but I prefer to receive my treatment among the others. I learn from many patients and have established good friendships with other patients over the past 5 years that I have been in treatment.
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torimooney - Name: tori
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: apr 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 64
Re: Private infusion rooms - are they common?
I have to agree with the last post about a HIPAA violation as far as discussing my personal information in a group infusion area, which includes my name, birth date and type of treatment I will receive for the day. I only have used the group area when the private rooms are full.
I prefer a room to myself. My oncologist has 5 private rooms and one group room. I actually enjoy the quiet and time alone during treatment. Great recliner chairs help also.
I am less than two weeks away from my transplant. Just stopped all treatments. I usually take a tray of cookies into my oncologist's office every few weeks. My last appointment is tomorrow with my oncologist. I might take in some cupcakes this time.
Castaway
I prefer a room to myself. My oncologist has 5 private rooms and one group room. I actually enjoy the quiet and time alone during treatment. Great recliner chairs help also.
I am less than two weeks away from my transplant. Just stopped all treatments. I usually take a tray of cookies into my oncologist's office every few weeks. My last appointment is tomorrow with my oncologist. I might take in some cupcakes this time.
Castaway
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Castaway - Name: George
- Who do you know with myeloma?: just myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 1/24/14
- Age at diagnosis: 62
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