Key Takeaways
- Tysabri means an infusion visit every four weeks, often for years, so where you receive it shapes your day-to-day experience of treatment.
- Questions worth asking any infusion center include who monitors you, how your neurologist is kept informed, and how easy it is to schedule visits.
- Smart Infusion Therapy Services offers private treatment rooms, a 1:3 nurse-to-patient ratio, WiFi, Hulu, and snacks during each visit.
- After every infusion, the Smart Infusion team sends a detailed note to your neurologist so they stay up to date between appointments.
- Smart Infusion Therapy Services provides Tysabri and other MS infusion therapies in Eau Claire, Wausau, Madison, and Onalaska, Wisconsin.
Does Where I Get My Infusions Matter?
It can. Tysabri, the brand name for natalizumab, is a one-hour IV infusion given every four weeks, according to the FDA-approved prescribing information, and many people stay on it for an extended period. That adds up to a lot of time in an infusion chair, so the setting, the staff, and the scheduling all affect how manageable treatment feels. The Tysabri manufacturer notes that an infusion can take place in a doctor's office, a hospital, or a stand-alone infusion facility, so patients and their neurologists often have a choice. You can see the options in the Tysabri patient FAQs.
When you compare options for multiple sclerosis infusion therapy, it helps to ask:
- Will I have privacy and a comfortable place to sit for the hour?
- Will experienced nurses be caring for me from visit to visit?
- Will my neurologist hear how each infusion went?
- Can I get appointment times that fit my work and family schedule?
- How does the cost of this setting compare with a hospital outpatient department, and will the team help with insurance?
At Smart Infusion Therapy Services, infusions are given in private rooms with comfortable seating, WiFi, Hulu, and snacks available during each visit. You can learn more about the centers on the Smart Infusion Therapy Services website.
Will My Neurologist Know How My Infusions Are Going?
Yes. Your neurologist leads your MS care, and Smart Infusion Therapy Services works directly with their office, starting with the original Tysabri order. After each infusion, a detailed note is sent back to your neurologist so they have a current picture of how treatment is going between appointments.
That coordination also covers specialty pharmacy and insurance. The team works with specialty pharmacies and insurance plans to help treatment start without unnecessary delay.
Who Monitors Me During My Infusion?
Tysabri requires close monitoring during and right after each infusion to watch for signs of a reaction. At Smart Infusion, your infusion is given by nurses who regularly give Tysabri and similar MS therapies, so they know what a typical infusion looks like and can spot anything unusual. The neurology infusion program maintains a 1:3 nurse-to-patient ratio, so you get close attention from start to finish.
How Can an Outpatient Infusion Center Affect Treatment Costs?
Where you receive an infusion can change what it costs, even when the medicine is the same. A hospital outpatient department (HOPD) is the infusion suite inside a hospital. Alternative sites of care include freestanding infusion centers, physician offices, and home settings.
A study in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy looked at 52,760 infusions given to 18,988 commercially insured patients between 2022 and 2023. The infusions involved 23 biologic medicines used for 7 chronic conditions, including multiple sclerosis. According to a summary of the study from First Report Managed Care, infusions in hospital outpatient departments were associated with about 42 percent higher outpatient costs than infusions in alternative sites of care. The researchers found no significant differences in emergency department visits or adverse events within one day of infusion, and treatment adherence over 12 months was similar across settings.
This study looked at infusion settings in general, not Smart Infusion Therapy Services or Tysabri specifically, and what you pay depends on your health plan. Ask your insurer how your plan covers infusions at different locations.
The site of care also matters to employers and self-funded health plans, which are plans where the employer pays employees' medical claims directly. Infusion medicines are costly, so the setting can change the total bill. Smart Infusion Therapy Services gives infusions in a freestanding outpatient setting rather than a hospital, and the team helps with insurance verification and the paperwork needed to start treatment.
How Can I Fit Infusions Every Four Weeks Into My Schedule?
Thirteen visits a year is a real commitment, so convenience matters for staying on track. Smart Infusion Therapy Services has four Wisconsin centers, including a Madison-area location, which gives you more flexibility to choose a time and place that fits your week. You can find each address on the Smart Infusion locations page.
Here is what you can expect at a typical Smart Infusion visit:
| Part of Your Visit | What to Expect |
|---|---|
| Setting | A private treatment room with comfortable seating, WiFi, Hulu, and snacks |
| Nursing care | A 1:3 nurse-to-patient ratio, with monitoring during and after your infusion |
| Infusion time | About one hour, plus an observation period afterward |
| After your visit | A detailed note sent to your neurologist |
| Scheduling | Appointment options at four Wisconsin locations |
| Insurance and costs | A freestanding outpatient setting, with help verifying insurance and coordinating with your specialty pharmacy |
How Do I Get Started at Smart Infusion?
Getting started is straightforward once your neurologist has written an order for Tysabri. You can request an appointment online, and the Smart Infusion team will coordinate with your neurologist and specialty pharmacy from there. If you are still deciding, you can call ahead with questions about scheduling, insurance, or what your first visit will be like. You can also read more about neurology infusion services at Smart Infusion.
Ready to Schedule Your Tysabri Infusions?
Long-term Tysabri treatment means regular visits, so comfort, convenience, and coordination can help the routine feel more manageable. Smart Infusion Therapy Services keeps your neurologist informed, works with your specialty pharmacy, and gives each infusion in a comfortable, private outpatient setting at its Eau Claire, Wausau, Madison, and Onalaska centers.
Request a Tysabri infusion appointment with Smart Infusion Therapy Services to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is it like to get a Tysabri infusion at Smart Infusion?
You will be in a private treatment room with comfortable seating, WiFi, Hulu, and snacks. Nurses monitor you during the one-hour infusion and for a period afterward, with a 1:3 nurse-to-patient ratio.
How does the Smart Infusion team keep my neurologist informed?
The team works from your neurologist's original order and sends a detailed note back after every infusion, so your neurologist stays up to date between appointments.
Who gives Tysabri infusions at Smart Infusion?
Your infusion is given by nurses who regularly administer Tysabri and other MS infusion therapies, so they are familiar with what a typical infusion and recovery period look like.
Is a Tysabri infusion at an outpatient center less expensive than at a hospital?
It can be. A study of commercially insured patients found that hospital outpatient infusions were associated with about 42 percent higher outpatient costs than infusions in alternative settings, such as infusion centers, with similar short-term safety and adherence results. What you pay depends on your health plan, so check with your insurer. The Smart Infusion team can also help verify your insurance before your first visit.
Is there infusion therapy near me in the Madison, Wisconsin area?
Yes. Smart Infusion Therapy Services has a center in the Madison area, along with centers in Eau Claire, Wausau, and Onalaska.
How do I get started with Tysabri infusions at Smart Infusion?
Once you have a current order from your neurologist, request an appointment online. The Smart Infusion team then coordinates with your neurologist and specialty pharmacy to schedule your first infusion.
