The Home Parenteral Therapy (HPT) program is a collaborative hospital and home care program for the delivery of parenteral drug or hydration therapy in the home for patients with acute, chronic or terminal illnesses. A parenteral drug is administered intravenously or by injection through the skin.

The purpose of this program is to decrease the health costs related to lengthy hospital stays, and reduce the need for outpatient and emergency department visits for parenteral drug administration. The program is administered by the Regional Health Authorities.

Clients who are in hospital, and in need of parenteral drug or hydration therapy and who meet program admission criteria (i.e. home telephone, access to emergency transportation, someone to transport medicine from designated pharmacy) may be identified by HPT for this program. Clients who do not meet these criteria will not be accepted into this program.

There is a maximum limit of $5,000 for drugs and supplies to be shared between the HPT program and Income Support (IS) for each calendar year. HPT will cover all costs in excess of the $5,000 limit. The HPT program is responsible for identifying when the combined $5,000 limit for supplies and drugs has been reached.

PROCEDURE

• The HPT program notifies the worker if the client has been accepted for this program and details the cost of supplies needed prior to their release from hospital. Once clients are established in their homes, the HPT program notifies workers of supplies, as they are needed.
• Payment for supplies under the HPT program will be the same as for other medical and surgical supplies.
• Alberta Blue Cross will monitor and cover all the drug costs.
• HPT funds cover up to 75% of the cost of supplies, and IS covers the balance until the combined maximum of $5,000 for drugs and supplies is reached.
  
  Note
  Where HPT programs cover a smaller proportion of the cost of supplies (e.g., Lethbridge), Community and Social Services will be billed for the same proportion of the cost of supplies that other Albertans on the program would be billed (to the $5,000 per year maximum).

Home Enteral Nutrition Program

The Home Enteral Nutrition Program provides the supplies required, but not the formula for tube feedings. The program is administered by the Regional Health Authorities. The program charges all patients at cost for the formula.

PROCEDURE

Invoices for the programs are sent to Regional Financial Services, which verifies the client had an active IS file at the time the benefit was provided. The invoices are forwarded to the office of the Assistant Deputy Minister of Employment and Financial Supports who authorizes the invoices and returns them to Regional Financial Services for processing and payment.