National Nurses Week is celebrated each year beginning on May 6 and ending on May 12, Florence Nightengale’s birthday, since 1990. The nurses at Option Care Health deliver hope every day through the extraordinary care they provide our patients. We realized that what makes our nurses so special is that they’re actually superheroes in scrubs.

We took a moment to learn more from four of our nurses on the front lines of patient care every day:

• Kerrie Hollifield, Regional Nurse Manager in Norfolk, VA
• Eileen Atwood, Clinical Care Transition Specialist in Austin, TX
• Crystal Griffin, Infusion Nurse in New York City
• Matt Battson, infusion Nurse in Cincinnati, OH

 The following interview highlights just a small fraction of the extraordinary men and women here at Option Care Health.

OCH: When did you know you wanted to be a nurse?

KH: I think I was about 16 years old; I’m from a small town in Michigan and had multiple trips to the ER so I really got to know the ER nurse, Jonie. I told my mom that’s what I wanted to do – become a nurse.

EA: I knew I wanted to be a nurse when I was a little kid, I don’t remember the age. I was in elementary school, probably third or fourth grade. I knew I wanted to work in healthcare and the nurse was the practical choice for me. I always wanted to help people and being a nurse was just what I’ve always wanted to do.

CG: For me, I have always been interested in healthcare and my journey brought me to nursing. Now, I can’t imagine doing anything else.

MB: When I was in high school I was going to join the military in healthcare. Plans changed and that didn’t happen but the journey really came full circle when my daughter was diagnosed with liver cancer when she was a year and a half. Going through that process, interacting with the doctors and nurses that helped take care of her, us as a family, helped me rediscover my passion for nursing, and that was it.

OCH: What does your career as a nurse look like – graduation to first job to infusion?

KH: I began my career with three nursing jobs: two home healthcare agencies and in a hospital in Detroit. When I went to nursing school we didn’t get experience putting in IVs and an LPN asked me to go out and draw blood on a patient. After I successfully collected the samples, I realized that was what I wanted to do so I started doing the IVs in the hospital before transitioning into infusion nursing and eventually to my current role where I serve as an IV Nurse Manager..

EA: I began my career as a NICU nurse before transitioning into field infusion nursing for pediatric patients and cardiovascular home care. I came to Option Care Health in a nurse liaison role helping patients transition from the hospital to their home.

CG: I’ve always been into some form of healthcare. I started my career really as a dancer and a choreographer really focusing on mental health. That turned into a job with special needs children and then I began working with elderly, special needs adults before I became med certified and finally received my LPN.

MB: I actually began my career as an aide in a nursing home in high school before I became a chef and began working down the path of opening my own restaurant. Once everything happened with my daughter though, I realized being a nurse was what I was meant to be. Therefore, I put myself through nursing school and am working on my bachelor’s degree today.

OCH: How long have you been with OCH? What drew you to OCH and what keeps you here?

KH: I’ve been with Option Care Health for 18 years. I originally started because of the nurse in charge of the business at the time. I respected her so much and decided I’d like to work for her so I joined the company and stayed because of the great people. Here in Norfolk, we’ve worked together for so long, we’re like a family.

EA: I initially came to Option Care Health because of the people – they just loved working here. I love having autonomy out in the field, not working 12-hour shifts but being able to help teach these patients when they have no idea what they’re doing or how they can do it at home, it’s just a rewarding aspect of nursing.

CG: I’ve been with Option Care Health for about four years, ever since I’d heard how rewarding infusion nursing was as a career. I had been doing dialysis but I was looking for something that would use both my technical skills and my bedside manner. This company has been so good to me; the people are extremely supportive and always make sure I have everything I need to do my job safely. I don’t feel like I’m working, I love it that much.

MB: I’ve been with OCH for about five years and I think I stay because of my manager and the people I work with. I also love my patients, I get to know them on a deeper, personal level and I’m able to help them because of the amount of time I’m able to spend with them.

OCH: In your opinion, what makes nursing at OCH special?

KH: Besides many of us being certified infusion nurses, we’re allowed to take the time we need with the patients to make sure they are comfortable. We’re able to do the teaching that allows them to be comfortable in their home or an Option Care Health Infusion Suite (AIS) with whatever therapy they are receiving.

EA: Everyone has the same goal. We work together as a team and we just want the same things no matter what area of the business you’re in. It’s all about the patient and making sure they’re taken care of – someone always has your back, people are open to ideas and you’re not alone out there.

CG: The term above and beyond exemplifies the nurses here. Every nurse will always go above and beyond to serve the needs of the patient and help the organization move forward. There’s nothing we wouldn’t do for our patients. I have an example, last week a nurse, Kim, came to New York City from Buffalo during height of COVID with bells and whistles on to help us for the week. That’s the kind of thing that makes OCH different.

MB: This is a unique environment that we all work independently, we’re not working side by side with our coworkers. However, I’ve never met any of our nurses that wouldn’t be willing to go the extra mile to help to provide the extraordinary care our patients deserve. That is truly unique to OCH and it’s very special to find people who are truly willing to help no matter what.

OCH: How do you plan to celebrate yourself during national nurses week?

KH: I haven’t really given it much thought. For me, what I do for peace and quiet is to go fishing.

EA: I don’t usually do anything because it’s my job, it’s all I’ve known. I just carry on and make sure the patients are taken care of, that’s my celebration. I don’t need recognition for something I enjoy doing, I truly get that when I’m caring for patients every day.

CG: I’ll probably do a Zoom with my family without interruptions. It may not sound like a lot but I just lost my grandmother over the weekend and taking time with my family that’s filled with joy amid all the negativity, it just fuels me. Even the fact that we’re social distancing and visiting in that way, it makes a big difference for me.

MB: Honestly, I don’t need any accolades or celebration, I truly enjoy what I do and it feels like it’s what I was meant to do. Being able to provide care for my patients is the only celebration I need.

OCH: What does it mean to you, to be providing extraordinary care during an unprecedented time like the one we’re currently in?

KH: I think for us, we have moved many of our patients into our infusion centers. I’ve been able to communicate with our patients and explain why coming to an AIS is lowering risk because of our cleaning procedures between patients. We are also able to lower the risk of exposure by not going into multiple houses to provide care. It’s the first time we’ve ever had to do this but it has been successful  It’s working so far and we’re maintaining the health of our patients with their care at the forefront of what we do.

EA: I’m still able to get into the hospitals to teach but the biggest thing is not portraying fear to anyone. To me, the challenge is bridging the gap for the family and the patient. I had a patient the other day who was in the hospital for 11 days, alone. I had to help the family and the patient feel connected with their care, navigate the discharge process, manage the patient’s care after they returned home and help them believe that they successfully provide that care in their home.

CG: I build my happiness around my intentions. My intention is that every patient we care for comes away with an experience that was the same or better before COVID-19. Of course we are implementing safety measures that are different than before but I hope the quality of their care is being maintained or even better than before. I want Option Care Health to be known as a company that cares right now and throughout everything that happens after today.

OCH: What advice you have for people wanting to celebrate everything front line workers are doing during this pandemic?

KH: I enjoy the simple thank you’s. I am glad I’m a nurse, the most trusted profession; I just think the simple thank you’s go a really long way.

EA: What means the most to me is just saying thank you, you’ve made a difference and thank you. That’s all I need.

CG: This is a funny thing because when I got into nursing, I realized that my “applause” comes from within. When a patient is discharged, that is all I need to hear – Thank you for all you’ve done.

MB: I suppose, just a simple thank you. Honestly, that’s more than enough; I do what I do because I love what I do.

Globally, the nursing profession is celebrating a milestone in 2020, as the World Health Organization declares it the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife in honor of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale.

Thank you for all you do for patients across the country today and every day. Happy Nurses Week.

 

 

Republished with permission from AISHealth.com

With numerous hospitals focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and many areas under stay-at-home mandates, home infusion is more important than ever. Changes within the industry already have been seen, and the current situation is likely to result in permanent shifts within the home infusion space.

“If you can do infusion at home, you need to do it there,” maintains Ashraf Shehata, KPMG national sector leader for Healthcare & Life Sciences. “This is about controlling infection risk in the near term, and many home infusion candidates are in a high-risk category. Longer term, there has been a shift toward delivering care in the most economical and clinically appropriate setting, largely driven by payers.”

“We have seen an increase in some home infusion utilization of select therapies in certain markets where patient administration sites of care are shifting from the acute care or hospital outpatient setting to the home, related to the pandemic,” says Drew Walk, CEO of Soleo Health. “We have also seen a significant reduction in other therapies due to the postponement of non-COVID-related procedures in health systems and provider offices.”

Walk tells AIS Health that while the types of drugs being administered at home have been fairly consistent with what were administered before the pandemic, he’s seen “a broader opportunity to provide first dosing in the home, which may have been offered only in a controlled setting previously.”

“Antibiotics/antivirals, pain management, total parenteral nutrition and [intravenous immune globulin] are currently the most common treatments given through home infusion,” says Shehata, adding that other therapies may be administered at home but “that depends upon the circumstances, such as the medication and the risk to the patient.”

Lee Newcomer, M.D., principal at Lee N. Newcomer Consulting LLC, says a shift to home infusion “will be relatively small” and would be done for two main reasons: avoiding exposure to people who may be infected and bringing down the overhead cost of hospitals or clinics. “The shift is limited by the small number of medications that don’t require physician proximity for side effect management,” he says.

According to Harriet Booker, chief operating officer of Option Care Health, Inc., “Option Care Health’s business model, built around a national network of compounding pharmacies, is designed to bring care to patients right when they need it — which often means delivering complex care with compounded pharmacy medications within hours of a patient discharging from a hospital. And the pandemic really has changed nothing about that, other than our need to ensure we are prepared to meet changing demand and variability in referral volumes.”

She says that the company’s standard operating processes “include comprehensive network and business continuity plans, which ensure our ability to provide infusion pharmacy and nursing care to patients on a consistent and reliable basis nationwide, especially during this pandemic. This real-time agility employs added shifts, remote staffing rotations and expanded pharmacy hours to compound and administer vital medications.”

Option Care Health has been working with hospitals to help them “free up beds in advance of an influx of COVID-19 patients or simply when and where they need it,” Booker says, including identifying conditions that may be treated at home or in an infusion suite and coordinating ongoing care for patients who may be discharged safely.

“Our network of compounding pharmacies allows us to develop care plans personalized to each patient, providing customized medications and supplies that are sent right to their home or administered in the infusion suite,” Booker tells AIS Health. “Our efforts are not only freeing up beds for COVID-19 patients but are getting infusion patients safely and efficiently into more comfortable settings and even preventing hospital admissions from the start.”

Some Services Moved to Virtual Setting

The company also has moved some of its services to a virtual setting, including “remote triaging, patient education and teaching, nurse oversight and assistance to discharge planners and patients.” And Option Care Health has reallocated some of its 2,900 infusion nurses and pharmacy clinicians to places with the greatest need, such as New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

In such a highly contagious environment, the company is taking numerous precautions to help reduce the potential for COVID infections in both its employees and patients. “We are closely following CDC guidelines and are updating our plans, policies and guidelines as often as needed to ensure our employees’ safety and that of our patients, especially during this time of COVID-19 where conditions are changing rapidly,” says Booker. “We have a standing call daily to assess new COVID-19 related data and discuss how to adapt our PPE [i.e., personal protective equipment] supply accordingly. Due to our national network and a long-standing relationship with suppliers, we have an ample PPE supply and are constantly monitoring it to make sure our employees have everything they need to deliver safe treatment to patients.”

Shift to Home Has Been in Place

Some plans already have been shifting administration of certain therapies to patient homes and provider offices, which are more cost-effective settings than hospitals, points out Elan Rubinstein, Pharm.D., EB Rubinstein Associates. The 10th edition of Magellan Rx Management’s Medical Pharmacy Trend Report found that among 54 payer respondents, 39% had a mandatory site-of-service program in place in 2019. Among the members shifted into such a program, 34% were shifted into the home infusion setting.

“There could be more home infusion, with drugs that pose low risk of serious adverse events during or immediately after infusion or where a patient tolerated prior infusions of these drugs with no or minimal difficulty,” says Rubinstein. “With respect to patients receiving chemotherapy, a move to home infusion would require a way to manage performance and evaluation of laboratory tests to assess the safety and appropriateness of the intended drug therapy and a decision prior to infusion to change dosage, change drugs, go ahead or hold off.”

Lisa Kennedy, Ph.D., chief economist and managing principal at Innopiphany LLC, points out that while CMS has changed some policies in support of home infusion, “not everyone is on board.” She notes that the Community Oncology Alliance “has raised safety concerns about home infusion centered on a lack of training of those in the community administering treatment at home versus trained oncology nurses.”

Conversely, the National Home Infusion Association “is strongly supportive of home infusion as a viable option for keeping patients safe,” says Kennedy. She also points out that guidelines from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) say that providers should “consider whether home infusion of chemotherapy drugs is medically and logistically feasible for the patient, medical team and caregivers.”

In these guidelines, she says, “ASCO raises the key challenge here, which is how to take a system, process and resource designed to be administered in one setting and then move it to a home setting. It may not be feasible because of training of new staff, available resources, travel constraints, insurance and other logistics that mean that it just can’t be scaled properly. So it really depends on the situation, geography and capability of the center.”

Patients May Like Convenience

“Going forward there will be a lot of candidates for home infusion, and some customers/patients may like the convenience of getting care at home,” says Shehata. Investor respondents to the survey on which the 2020 KPMG Healthcare and Life Sciences Investment Outlook was based “saw a good opportunity in home health care, and that survey was taken before COVID-19. The burden on health systems is going to test new care models and open up more possibilities tied to home health care, including infusion.”

Alternative Care Models May Be Option

“The use of home infusion will also depend upon the nature of the medications used and the amount of time it takes to infuse the drug — anywhere from a half hour to four hours — and any specific handling requirements,” Shehata says. “There might be opportunities for alternative care models to be introduced here. The ability for nurses to teach patients how to self-administer the medicines is an important facet to this.

“However, some patients undergoing infusions of certain medications need to have vital signs tracked and need monitoring for adverse reactions,” he continues. “One option is to use telehealth with telemetry to remotely track a patient’s vital signs to ensure that patients are not suffering from adverse events while undergoing infusion. Another option is the nurse administering the drug can also leave the patient with a cell phone to call if there is any problem with a medication that requires several hours of infusion time. The response time has to be acceptable, and clinical risk has to be appropriate in these matters.”

Steven F. Robins, managing partner and principal at The New England Consulting Group, says while most infusions will still be administered in traditional sites such as hospitals and outpatient clinics, “there will be an evolution towards moving a number of chronic treatments to the home,” including dialysis, a shift that he says already was occurring before the pandemic. “In order for this shift to be significant, however, there will need to be improvements across the integration of smart technologies, including HIPAA-compliant integration of remote equipment and patient monitoring. It is important to remember that during the COVID-19 crisis, some of these requirements have been relaxed.”

Robins tells AIS Health that “we also expect to see a number of diagnostic procedures that are conducted by labs or in providers’ offices move into the home setting. This will result from a combination of emerging technologies integrated with smartphones, as well as providers starting to offer in-home options like mobile imaging stations that can be easily cleaned as they move from patient home to patient home.”

“The outpatient or infusion center-based model is great, but it is going to need multiple approaches tied to the complexity of treatment and also the consistency of treatment. The problem is that the current model is based on convenience for the health system,” asserts Shehata. “This could require some changes in the pharmaceutical supply chain to have the medications delivered at home rather than the infusion center or hospital, but a number of specialty pharmacies manage this process. Home delivery also can help patients who have transportation issues. Having care delivered at the home may also have the net effect of improving medication adherence.”

Contact Booker through Jonathan Durrbeck at JDurrbeck@pcipr.com, Kennedy at lisa.kennedy@innopiphany.com, Newcomer at leenewcomer1@gmail.com, Robins via Renee E. Paul at rep@necg.net, Rubinstein at elan.b.rubinstein@gmail.com, Shehata through Bill Borden at wborden@kpmg.com and Walk through Susan Turkell at sturkell@pairelations.com.
by Angela Maas

How are you updating Option Care Health’s Highly Infectious Disease (HID) policy in light of the COVID-19 outbreak? 

Option Care Health has always had a robust emergency management plan and HID policy in place.  This policy outlines our response to all highly infectious diseases based on information provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).  Furthermore, we maintain a task force consisting of multiple clinical and operational leaders, which meets with our infectious disease consultant frequently to review and update our response plans related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As we learn more about this unprecedented pandemic, our HID policy is being referenced, monitored and updated as needed. Components of the policy include:

• Identifies the responsibility for monitoring the CDC website as well as applicable state and federal resources related to the HID
• Describes the collaboration between departments required for an effective response and the necessity for counsel with an infectious disease medical consultant to ensure appropriate actions that protect staff, families, and patients.
• Promptly secures adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies
• Implements screening tools for risk stratification
• Includes up-to-date information regarding vaccines and any other preemptive treatment
• Outlines responsibility for fulfillment of required tasks
• Summarizes tracking for both patient and employee infections and identifies those responsible for reporting
• Defines patient management principles
• Explains management of human resources, including the allowance for flexible attendance and telecommuting
• Specifies required training both upon hire and annually at a minimum
• Addresses patient prioritization, handling new referrals, and implementation of an emergency plan
• Identifies respiratory hygiene, handwashing, standard, and droplet precautions
• Describes PPE use, order of donning and doffing as well as patient education regarding PPE and overall infection control
• Communicates about the central repository for questions and concerns during a HID outbreak (including pandemic) that is monitored by senior members of the clinical services department

Are you experiencing any service issues/shortage of nurses?

At this time, we are not experiencing any major service issues or shortage of nurses. We are constantly monitoring CDC and WHO information and will provide what is needed to promote the health and safety of our team members, while delivering needed care to the community based on CDC guidelines.

What are you doing to keep your nurses safe?

The health and safety of all employees is our top priority. Our infectious disease prevention plan calls for PPE and education of our team members and patients on the following:

• Preventive actions that have been suggested to help prevent the spread of the virus:
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer)
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick
  • Stay home when you are sick
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
  • Steer clear of crowds whenever possible
• Necessary PPE for our clinicians (including goggles, mask, and gowns if needed) in our cleanrooms as well as employees in contact with patients who have a HID
• Proper donning and doffing is vital to protect patients and employees
• Consider having the coughing/sneezing patient or caregiver wear a mask
• If an employee is sick, our HR policies are designed for additional PTO or remote work as needed
• Screening every patient in advance of a face to face encounter to identify patients with a potential risk and to ensure proper PPE is on hand for the visit

What are you doing to protect your patients?

The screening we do is intended to protect patients as well.

Prior to an infusion suite visit, patients additionally must complete an intake questionnaire before any appointment with an Option Care Health team member. Nurses and other care staff are using PPE in accordance with the CDC guidelines.

Above all, we want to assure you that we are taking active measures to help protect patients, our healthcare workers and employees from COVID-19.  Our infusion suite network across the United States can help protect healthier or immunocompromised patients from the impacted COVID-19 population.

How are you maintaining the safety of your infusion suites? 

Option Care Health follows HID and pandemic protocols for maintaining cleanliness of our infusion suites. On top of our infection prevention plans, we are also ensuring:

• Infusion suites will be re-stocked and cleaned on a frequent basis and will be maintained in a clean, patient-ready condition, at all times
• Manage patient flow into infusion suites by limiting points of entry to reduce foot traffic and maximize spacing
• Pre-screen patients by phone before their scheduled appointment and upon facility entry to minimize the chance for exposure
• Counter tops and work surfaces will remain clear of clutter and disinfected between each use, including prior to preparation of any medications or sterile supplies for patient use
• Patient and visitors’ chairs, diagnostic equipment, infusion room tables and non-disposable equipment used for patient care as well as all equipment used by a patient while in the treatment room, will be disinfected with an approved sanitizer (i.e. Sani wipes) between patients or when visibly soiled
• Waiting room chairs and floors in the infusion suite will be cleaned daily and after each patient visit
• Patient and guest restrooms shall be cleaned and disinfected weekly and after each use, if the individual has a known infection
• Additional cleaning precautions and procedures:
  • Differentiated disinfecting protocols implemented based on levels of facility exposure
  • CDC-approved cleaners for disinfection containing alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol
  • Staff wears disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and discards gloves after
  • Scheduling patients at alternating times when possible and ensuring a minimum of 6 feet of space between chairs during concurrent appointments

How do you plan to service patients in the event a pharmacy branch closes?

At Option Care Health, providing extraordinary care for our patients is at the center of everything we do – and this has never been more important than right now. As the nation’s largest infusion provider, Option Care Health is uniquely positioned to treat patients in all 50 states, due to our nationwide pharmacy network.

Each of our pharmacies has updated an emergency dispensing and compounding plan, which includes back up plans based on adequate staffing and appropriate licensure.  At least one back up compounding pharmacy has been identified for each existing site.  Our technology platforms and multi-state licenses will allow us to transfer prescriptions as needed in the event of a partial or complete shutdown of a particular pharmacy.

Dear Option Care Health Patients and Customers,

Providing extraordinary care for our patients is at the center of everything we do – and this has never been more important than right now. As the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation unfolds, please know we are actively monitoring CDC guidelines and working with Infectious Disease experts so we can continue to provide care – and keep our patients and team members safe.

Protecting Patients and Team Members is our top priority

As the nation’s largest infusion provider, we have always had an Infectious Disease Prevention Plan, which calls for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and education of our team members and patients. This is what we do. In light of the coronavirus, we have augmented our plan and mobilized a response team that meets daily to review updates reported by the CDC, as well as state and local health departments across the country. Due to the rapidly changing situation, we are proactively taking steps to keep our team members and patients informed and protected from the spread of any illness.

Maintaining continuity of care

Our Supply Chain team is working with our vendors across the country to make sure we have adequate supplies available for both patient care and PPE for our team members, so we can maintain continuity of care. This situation can be stressful and overwhelming for our patients, many of whom have acute and chronic conditions. We are thankful we can treat patients in the safe environment of their own homes and our alternate infusion suites, (AIS), which reduces exposure to further risk in more public settings.

We want you to know we are here for you during this difficult time. At this time, we are continuing to accept and service referrals to care for patients. Please continue to check our website – and the CDC website – for the latest information.

Be well,
John Rademacher
President & CEO

• As the nation’s largest infusion provider, we are uniquely positioned to treat patients in the safe environment of their own homes and our alternate infusion suites (AIS), which reduces their exposure to further risk in more public settings.
• We’ve always had an Infectious Disease Prevention Plan, which calls for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and education of our staff and patients. In light of the coronavirus outbreak, we are actively monitoring CDC guidelines and working with Infectious Disease experts and updating our plans, policies and guidelines as appropriate. We continue to accept and service referrals to care for patients.
• In the event of an employee exposure, including travel to countries that are determined by the CDC to be “Widespread Sustained (ongoing) Transmission,” we have asked employees to please alert Human Resources so that we can determine a go forward plan that may include staying home or working from home for at least 14 days upon their exposure or return from travel.
• Option Care Health, in conjunction with our Infectious Disease expert and in accordance with CDC guidelines, is currently screening all new and existing patients prior to in-person contact. For patients determined to be at risk (due to travel or known exposure), a registered nurse will follow up with both the patient and the prescriber for next steps.
• We are providing updated education and information to our teams on an almost daily basis.
• Our Supply Chain team is working with our vendors to make sure that Option Care Health has adequate supplies available for both patient care and PPE for our employees to maintain continuity of care.

As Vice President, Chief Information Security Officer for Option Care Health, Jill Rhodes is passionate about protecting patients’ health information. That starts with fostering a culture of security, a mission that, for her, extends far beyond her job.

Jill compares information security to seatbelts. When laws were first enacted many people grumbled about the hassle. Today, most wouldn’t think of driving off without first putting on the seatbelt. It’s become ingrained in our culture.

“We need to build a very similar culture for information security so that everyone in their daily lives thinks, ‘Am I going to give everyone my credit card over the phone? Did I check that I’m sending the information to the right person? Should I email that personal information?” she said.

Earning industry recognition

Her efforts to create a culture of security at Option Care Health have not gone unnoticed. She was named 2019 Chief Information Security Officer of the Year in Chicago by the Association of Information Technology Professionals, ISACA, FBI-InfraGard, Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) and the Society for Information Management (SIM). She believes she was chosen due to her strategic and holistic (including governance, process, technology and people) approach to health information security.

For example, at Option Care Health, Jill and her team built an ambassador program, in which every Option Care Health location has an information ambassador. These are not IT folks, but infusion therapy nurses, pharmacists and office managers; in other words, those who don’t work in the world of IT, but are affected by it.

“They’re in the field providing infusion services and the more my team and I can share with them, the more we can get this vital information about protecting ourselves and our patients out there to everyone,” she said.

The ambassadors speak monthly to other employees at their locations to provide tips and advice. It’s a grassroots trainer-trainee model that has been successful at Option Care Health. Jill saw benefits of this model in the past as well when she was working with the federal government supporting democratic development in other countries. As a Foreign Service Officer, she educated students about multiparty elections and how to vote. The students would then tell their parents, spreading the knowledge and value of voting.

From national security to patients’ private health information

Her holistic worldview and commitment to creating a culture of security comes from an astounding breadth and depth of life experiences. She worked in international development in Bolivia and Russia as a diplomat and helped people transition to multiparty democracy in Eastern and Southern Africa. Jill has worked for the State Department, Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense and the CIA. She was a member of the Senior National Intelligence Service, has a law degree, volunteers with the American Bar Association, and runs the security committee at her temple. Jill has also written for and edited several books on security.

During her work with the federal government, she saw the data and security perils firsthand, but realized the biggest risk lay in the economic risk to the private sector created by cyber incidents. As a result, she resigned from federal service and moved to the private sector.

Improving cyber security at the office and at home

The culture-building is working, says Jill, who notes people now regularly send her emails that don’t look right or tell her their stories of family members being scammed via a simple click of the mouse.

When people ask her what they can do to improve their own security, her standard advice is:

• Educate yourself about threats that exist and how to protect your (and your family member’s) information
• Know what to do when something happens – and it will. The right response is critical
• Talk about experience and technological issues – from phishing emails you’ve received to how to update your devices – with friends, family and coworkers

“Our team members work with patients daily and my role is to help us all protect this information and reduce our risk – not just at Option Care Health, but in every facet of our lives.”

Easing patient worries about therapy costs

Helping ease patients’ financial stress is why Priscilla O’Quinn loves her job. As an Option Care patient benefit navigator, she is a master at unearthing resources to ensure they can afford their medication. In fact, in one five-month period alone, Priscilla secured over $1 million in copay assistance for Option Care home and Ambulatory Infusion Suite patients from manufacturer copay assistance plans and foundation related grant dollars.[*]Savings due to the financial assistance programs referenced in this article may not be available or applicable for all patients.

“I find a way to help people in some way, shape or form,” said Priscilla. “It makes my heart very happy.”

Financial assistance can make the difference

She remembers the man with hemophilia who required life-saving IV Factor VIII protein therapy to prevent excessive bleeding. He couldn’t afford to keep his Medicare supplemental insurance and could only manage to pay a small portion of his bill each month, putting him into growing debt. Priscilla determined he qualified for a hemophilia financial assistance program and enrolled him. The program paid his bill in full and reimburses his insurance premiums.

“When I told him, he said ‘You’re an angel!” Priscilla recalls.

Priscilla constantly monitors foundations and other financial programs to assess when slots for assistance become available and uses a variety of other avenues to help patients receive monetary support.

For example, one patient on Medicare was prescribed subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIG) to treat her autoimmune deficiency. She was prepared to tell her doctor she just couldn’t afford the treatment – but Priscilla found a way to help her. Because the woman also had lupus, Priscilla connected her to a foundation that covers almost all of her copay for intravenous IG (IVIG) and assists in paying for her other medications too. She gladly switched from SCIG to IVIG and now pays a fraction of the cost.

Always on the lookout for opportunities

While manufacturers often have financial assistance programs, patients can’t benefit from them if they have government insurance (such as Medicare or Medicaid). So, Priscilla reaches out to foundations and other support plans and – as for the patient with lupus – evaluates if aid is available due to their other conditions. Sometimes changing the method of therapy or medication makes the difference.

Priscilla embodies Option Care’s commitment to providing patients with high quality care and support. She frequently gets calls from grateful patients looking for advice about how to pay for an expensive prescription unrelated to their infusion therapy and she always tries to help. “Money is a big concern and often stops people with serious conditions from adhering to their treatment, so we find a way to solve that problem for all of our patients,” she said. “It means so much when they have somebody who cares for them, and they can really hear it in your voice.”

Option Care Enterprises, Inc., the nation’s leading provider of home and alternate site infusion therapy services, today celebrated the opening of its new state-of-the-art Care Management Center (CMC) in Atlanta. Attendees at the ribbon cutting and open house had the opportunity to tour the new center, which features the most up-to-date infusion technology and equipment in a welcoming and comfortable setting.

Serving patients who rely upon complex infusion therapies for anti-infectives, clinical nutrition support, immunoglobulin therapy and conditions such as chronic inflammatory disorders and bleeding disorders, the CMC will provide care to approximately 1,000 patients either in their home or at the Ambulatory Infusion Suite (AIS). The new center not only expands Option Care’s capacity to provide vital care services to more patients in the Atlanta area, its full-service pharmacy and sterile compounding room meet and surpass current regulatory standards.

The CMC provides convenient access to care and exceptional clinical support through its:

• Full-service infusion pharmacy and clinical management of patients, including the compounding and dispensing of drugs to ensure each patient receives the right drug in the right dose with appropriate monitoring and 24/7 phone support with clinicians available to answer questions for patients/caregivers and providers.
• Ambulatory Infusion Suite with three infusion chairs in private rooms where patients can receive their treatments administered by highly skilled nurses specifically trained in infusion therapy.
• Patient registration assistance, flexible scheduling options, including evenings and weekends, free on-site parking and easy access to facilities.

“This new Option Care CMC in Peachtree Corners gives patients another choice for therapy, whether they want to receive their infusion services in a new, state-of-the-art facility or in the comfort of their own homes. The design is not only aesthetically pleasing, but built to be the gold standard of sterile compounding facilities,” said Atlanta-based physician Anson Kwame Wurapa, M.D. who recently visited the CMC.

Many patients prefer receiving their infusions in the comfort of their own homes with the support of Option Care’s clinical care teams. However, home infusion may not be right for everyone due to a variety of factors, including personal preference to be away from home for their therapies, lack of a suitable home environment for treatment, co-morbidities that require being close to a full care team, and health insurance coverage limitations. The Option Care Atlanta CMC is equipped to help all infusion patients in the area whether they’re receiving treatment at home or in the AIS.

“This new CMC is the very best of everything Option Care offers to patients. We know these critical therapies make it possible for patients to enjoy vitality and quality of life and we’re thrilled to be able to deliver that to more patients in the Atlanta area,” said John Rademacher, Chief Executive Officer at Option Care. “This new CMC is a representation of our commitment to providing exceptional clinical care through the best clinicians and facilities available.”

The Atlanta CMC location will be equipped to deliver superior outcomes with Option Care’s state-of-the-art, technology-enabled, data-driven services and programs.

About Option Care

Option Care Enterprises, Inc. (Option Care) is the nation’s largest and most trusted provider of home and alternate treatment site infusion services. Holding accreditations from industry quality organizations ACHC, PCAB, ASHP and URAC,[*]Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC), Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB), American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and URAC the company draws on over 40 years of clinical care experience to offer patient-centered therapy management.

Option Care’s signature Infusion Therapy Plus services include the clinical management of infusion medicines, nursing support and care coordination. Option Care’s multidisciplinary team of more than 1,700 clinicians — including pharmacists, nurses and dietitians — are able to provide home infusion service coverage for nearly all patients across the United States needing treatment for complex and chronic conditions. Learn more at  www.OptionCareHealth.com.

After overcoming ovarian cancer in 1995, retired nurse Lydia Zwilling found herself facing an arduous battle to reclaim her health. Nearly a quarter million women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year and for most, treatment goes according to plan. Unfortunately, some like Lydia, experience complications that last a lifetime.

While radiation therapy may have saved Lydia’s life, it also burned her small intestine and contributed to complications that ultimately caused her kidneys to fail. She had to be put on dialysis for two years before she was able to receive a kidney transplant in 2006.

Doctors also had to remove the burned portion of her small intestine, leaving her with just three functioning feet of her bowel. Diagnosed with short bowel syndrome (SBS), Lydia started to experience dramatic weight loss because her body could no longer absorb adequate nutrition. At 72 pounds, she was emaciated and unable to regain any weight. She became home-bound.

“I felt deeply frustrated,” Lydia said. “After beating a life-threatening cancer, I still had no strength or energy. I decided it was time to take some action to see what could make me better.”

In 2006, Lydia was introduced to Option Care by her attending physician and put on total parenteral nutrition (TPN), which gives her the nutrition she needs through intravenous delivery.

“TPN made an immediate difference in my overall health,” Lydia said. “I finally started to feel like myself again.”

Lydia and her husband are registered nurses so they are able to handle her TPN treatments and labs from home, self-infusing five days a week for nine hours at night. Lydia works closely with her care team at Option Care to receive additional antibiotics when she needs them. They also coordinate directly with her physicians to communicate any changes in her treatment.

“After many years with Option Care as my infusion provider, I’ve developed a close relationship with my care team and we’ve gotten to know each other on a personal level,” Lydia said. “You can tell that they care about what is going on with me and not just my medical health. I have complete confidence in their abilities to provide me with the best care possible.”

As a grateful cancer survivor, Lydia is thriving thanks to TPN. She credits her involvement with Option Care as enabling her to regain a near normal life. She is now able to visit her grandchildren who live six and a half hours away as well as escape the cold Minnesota winters for vacations in Florida and Arizona. Option Care supports Lydia by working with her to ensure she has access to necessary medications while she’s traveling.

“I can get out and get back a little bit of my life that I had before,” Lydia said. “It’s important to spend your energy on trying to get yourself better. Option Care home infusion helps me do that.”