Designated caregivers play a critical role in the treatment process and are essential to a good outcome. There can be more than one responsible caregiver, but there should be a single designated “point person” caregiver who will communicate with the UChicago Medicine team. Requirements for caregivers include:
Accompanying the patient 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the treatment process. The patient should not be alone.
Ensuring the patient visits the outpatient CAR T-cell unit daily
Monitoring the patient for signs of infection, such as fever
Making sure the patient takes the correct dosage of medications on time
Helping the patient follow guidelines to prevent infection and illness, such as proper hygiene, eating nutritious meals and getting enough sleep
Keeping a clean, safe environment for the patient
Being able to contact the UChicago Medicine team with any questions or concerns, and being able to take the patient to our medical campus should the need arise