A plan to establish 20 private clinics across the State at which patients requiring intravenous drugs could access them without having to visit a hospital was unveiled yesterday.
The plan was announced as the first of the clinics was opened by the Minister for Health, Mary Harney.
Point of Care, which is developing the clinics, estimates they could treat up to 10,000 patients a year in community settings, taking pressure off hospitals and providing infusion services at a lower cost both to health insurance companies and the Health Service Executive.
The first clinic has opened at Fitzwilliam Lane in Dublin 2 and five more are due to open in Dublin early next year. The remainder will be across the country.
Jim Joyce, the chief executive of Point of Care, claimed the initiative would free up hospital beds and give hospital staff more time to treat patients who actually needed to be in hospital.
"For thousands of patients across Ireland it will mean that they can receive quality infusions and other healthcare services in a clinic closer to home and work," he added.
The service is geared towards those with conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis and osteoporosis.
John Church, chief executive of Arthritis Ireland, said the new model of care would eliminate the inconvenience and stress of regular trips to large hospitals for many of his members.
The clinics are modelled on similar centres set up by the Schering-Plough pharmaceutical company in Canada.