Infusion Therapy
What To Expect
Your physician recommends you begin infusion therapy. What happens next?
Arthritis and Rheumatology of Georgia - Prior Authorization Department will confirm that your insurance provides coverage for your treatment.
- Most insurance companies require a predetermination/prior authorization before you can receive an infusion.
- It can take up to 30 days to receive the predetermination/prior authorization from your insurance carrier.
- Once we receive information from your insurance carrier, someone from our Prior Authorization Department will contact you to discuss what is covered by your insurance carrier and what you might owe at the time of your infusion.
Once you, as well as your insurance carrier authorized treatment, our office will contact you to schedule your initial infusion appointment.
- Our Infusion hours are 7:30 AM-5:00 PM Monday through Thursday.
- Please note, our longer infusions begin earlier in the day.
Your first appointment.
- Make sure you arrive on time for your appointment. Please anticipate Atlanta traffic patterns and highway construction. Because we have set this time aside for you, if you are more than 15 minutes late, we may reschedule your infusion.
- Check-in at the Front Desk as you would for a regular appointment.
- Please be prepared to pay your out of pocket financial responsibility that are due prior to receiving your infusion.
One of our infusion nurses will call you from the waiting room and will obtain your weight and a full set of vital signs.
Your nurse will ask you the following questions:
- Have you had a fever, illness or antibiotic use?
- Do you have any stomach pains, open wounds, new rashes?
- Do you have any upcoming or recent medical or dental procedures?
- Do you have any cold /flu like symptoms* or received any live vaccines?
*If you are experiencing a cold or symptoms of a cold, please call and speak with an infusion nurse prior to your appointment to determine if you should receive an infusion. Receiving an infusion may decrease your body’s ability to fight off some types of infection.
In the Infusion Suite
- You will sit in a comfortable recliner during therapy.
- We provide free Wi-Fi and light snacks.
- You are welcome to read a book/magazine, or use a smart phone, computer or tablet with a headset or simply take a nap during the procedure.
- Your assigned nurse will monitor you throughout your infusion.
Once your infusion is finished your nurse will:
- Provide you with post infusion instructions.
- Answer any follow-up questions that you may have.
- Confirm or schedule your next appointment.
