Infusion Center

Outpatients can go to the Infusion Center for urgent concerns when the clinics are closed.

The Infusion Center provides these services  24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. This area used to be known as the Medicine Room.

Services we provide

After-hours care

On weekends and after 5 p.m. on weekdays, the Infusion Center operates as an after-hours clinic. The doctor on-call may see your child for concerns that occur outside regular clinic hours.  

Always call before you come to St. Jude for an unscheduled visit. Call 901-595-3300 and ask for the nursing supervisor. If you are outside the Memphis area, dial toll-free 1-866-278-5833. The care team will review your child’s information and symptoms. They will decide if your child should come in, go to the emergency room, or if your child can wait to be seen at their next scheduled visit.

Call 911 if your child has a medical emergency and needs help right away.

What to expect during your visit

Several steps must occur to ensure the right treatment for your child. These steps depend on what day and time you arrive at the hospital.  

• Chemotherapy
• Blood products
• Special cellular infusions, such as donor lymphocytes or stem cells
• Special procedures, such as exchange transfusion and therapeutic phlebotomy
• Vascular access

The Infusion Center team can also monitor patients and provide training for patient families.

After arriving for your Infusion Center visit

During weekday visits, please tell the patient representative at the Infusion Center desk that you have arrived. 

What to do while you wait

You may leave the Infusion Center waiting area near the fish tanks. If you do, please make sure the patient representative knows your cell phone number. Your time is valuable. The Infusion Center team tries to stay on time. If the team is 30 minutes late, ask the patient representative for an update.

You can enjoy activities nearby while the staff prepares your child’s treatments. Activity areas are in the Patient Care Center(PCC) north and south lobbies. You may also explore Family Commons or visit the gift shop, Kay Kafe, or Starbucks.

When your child is called

A nurse will call you to the Infusion Center when everything is ready. Ask the care team for blankets, snacks, games, movies, or anything else to make your visit more comfortable. You can bring your child’s favorite quiet toys and books, too.

If your child might have an illness that can spread to others

Do you think your child might have been exposed to an illness that could spread to other patients, such as COVID-19 or the flu?  If so, you might need an isolation visit. Please call before coming to the hospital.

Call 901-595-3300 and ask for the nursing supervisor. If you are outside the Memphis area, dial toll-free      1-866-278-5833.

Important things to remember

• Please bring all medicines that your child might need during your Infusion Center visit. You might need to stay longer than you expect.
• It takes up to 2 hours to get medicines, blood, and treatments ready after the doctor orders them in the clinic.
• Medicines that your child takes at least 2 days in a row usually start around the same time each day. Some patients get GCSF or pegfilgrastim. If so, they get the first dose in the Infusion Center at least 24 hours after the end of chemotherapy.
• You can ask your nurse about your child’s next appointment time before you leave the Infusion Center.

Your Infusion Center team

The Infusion Center care team includes registered nurses and other clinicians. They are specially trained to provide infusions and other treatments to patients with life-threatening illnesses. They encourage you to ask questions any time you are unsure about the care they are providing.

Learn more