DAY INFUSION UNIT

The Tasman Health Care Day Infusion Unit is licensed with Queensland Health, providing an essential service for the Gold Coast, South East Queensland and for interstate and overseas patients seeking infusions for many different conditions, namely immunotherapy, chemotherapy and clinical trials for oncology patients and other specialist drug infusions which require day admission only. The unit is operated by highly experienced nursing and medical staff who are passionate about providing quality care. Continual ongoing education ensures we remain up to date with current techniques.

The Day Infusion Unit has state-of-the-art equipment that fully complies with Australian and international standards and is certified against ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems and against the National Safety Quality Health Service Standards.
The staff at Tasman Health Care Day Infusion Unit welcome you to our facility. We are committed to deliver a high standard of individual quality patient care with a focus on research and clinical trials. We are proud of the service we provide and hope you will find your experience with us as pleasant as possible.

YOUR FIRST VISIT

On Arrival

On arrival, please present to the reception desk in the doctors consulting rooms at Suite 1. You will be directed to the Day Infusion Unit to have your observations (temperature, blood pressure, pulse and oxygen measurements) taken.

If this is your first visit to the clinic you will be asked to complete a registration form.
As an alternative to wearing a wristband verifying your identity whilst in the clinic, a staff member will take your photo to add to your medical records.

Once reviewed by your treating doctor you will be asked to return to the Day Infusion Unit for treatment.
A support person is very welcome to attend the clinic with you, especially on your first visit when you will be provided with additional education regarding your treatment regimen. Due to limited seating and safety issues, we ask that you only have one support person with you at a time.
Small children are not permitted to enter the treatment area. This is a legal obligation under the requirements of the Queensland Workplace Health and Safety Act.

Taking blood pressure

WHAT TO EAT/BRING/WEAR

Eat and drink as normal prior to your visit.

You will be offered some light refreshments during your treatment such as tea, coffee, biscuits and sandwiches. If you have any special dietary requirements you may bring your own light refreshments in a sealed container.

There is a cafe on the ground floor of the Pacific Private Building if any family members wish to purchase any additional food or drinks.
Wear casual, comfortable clothing but be aware it can feel a little cool during treatment so you may like to bring an extra jacket.

If appropriate, please also bring the following along to your appointment:

  • A list of your current medications
  • Health Insurance Membership Details
  • Medicare/Pension/Veteran’s Affairs Card
  • Eftpos/credit card/cash if required

Day Infusion Unit clinic hours are Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm. An answering machine is activated outside these times. For urgent calls outside clinic hours, contact your treating doctor. For non-urgent matters, please leave a message and include your name and contact number.

TREATMENT

One of the experienced Tasman Health Care nurses will guide you through your first treatment. At your initial appointment, in conjunction with the pharmacists, they will provide you with both written and verbal information about the treatment you will receive and will be readily available to discuss any questions you have.
The initial appointment may involve a large amount of information at once, so we suggest you utilise a journal to record important details and bring a support person. We endeavour to ensure your treatment experience is as stress free as possible and ensure you are well informed.
There are no special requirements prior to treatment, however certain treatments require premedications at home and our pharmacist will inform you if that is the case.
Note that fasting prior to treatment is not required
Wear comfortable loose fitting clothes. Firm foot wear to avoid falls or slipping.
Bring a support person if possible as this can assist with retaining education/information and also take you home after your initial treatment.
Note that patients and their families are encouraged not to bring any valuables to the unit and keep handbags, laptops or other items at chairside during treatment.
If lost property is found in the day unit the items will be kept at front reception for three months.
Staff will clean the treatment chairs after each patient and if any items are found, contact will be made with patients for collection of the lost property.
Treatment duration varies depending on the medication prescribed but on average the treatment time is approximately 2 hours. You will receive more information regarding your particular treatment by your doctor or nurse prior to your first appointment.
After receiving treatment in the clinic, you may need to take medication at home as part of your specific treatment program. Please make sure that you understand what is required, and that you have the necessary medication or prescriptions. One of our pharmacists can discuss with you any queries you may have. If you have any problems and are unable to take the tablets, or suffer any adverse effects from them, please contact us as soon as possible.
Your next treatment visit will be booked before you leave.
After hours contact numbers and instructions for managing side effects is all provided as part of our patient education given at your initial treatment. In addition, please feel free to call us anytime during business hours to answer any questions or concerns you may have.
You may be required to have regular blood tests to monitor your progress. Please make sure you understand when these are to be undertaken that you have the appropriate request forms.
Your treating doctor will communicate directly with your local doctor/GP on a regular basis regarding your medical management and ongoing treatment.

Cold Cap

Many patients rank hair loss as one of the most distressing and experienced side effects of chemotherapy treatment. Scalp cooling has only recently been introduced in Australia and can be used to combat chemotherapy-induced hair loss. It works by reducing the temperature of the scalp immediately before, during and after the administration of chemotherapy. This in turn reduces the blood flow to the hair follicles and decreases metabolic uptake by hair follicle cells, in turn minimising hair loss.
Tasman Health Care is pleased to be able to provide patients with access to a Paxman Scalp Cooling System at no extra cost. Paxman is globally recognised as the leading product for hair loss during chemotherapy treatment. Please contact our clinic for further information.
Please note: Not all chemotherapy causes hair loss. Your doctor will inform you if this is one of the side effects of your treatment and if the cold cap is an option for you.

More information about the Paxman Scalp Cooling System can be found here.

Alternatively, we encourage you to watch this short video providing a great overview of Scalp Cooling: