[Home treatment with parenteral antibiotics--a treatment alternative for Scandinavian patients?].

Home intravenous antibiotic therapy (HIVAT) is increasingly employed for the treatment of chronic infections in the USA. HIVAT has been shown to be safe and effective, and is clearly cost effective for patients, hospitals and society when compared with equivalent therapy rendered in a hospital. Health care, as currently delivered in the Nordic countries, should be well suited for the adaptation of HIVAT. It is anticipated that HIVAT could bring about a substantial reduction in the expenses associated with antibiotic treatment in the Nordic countries.