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

Ensuring Patient Safety and Continuity of Care is Key During COVID-19 Public Health Crisis as Hospitals Face Unprecedented Challenges

BANNOCKBURN, Ill., April 22, 2020 –  Regence and Option Care Health, Inc. (“Option Care Health”) (NASDAQ: OPCH) today announced an expanded partnership to ease access to care and provide additional options for high-risk patients who rely on infusion therapy. This collaboration enables Regence Health Plan members who currently receive their infusion therapy services in a hospital outpatient setting the ability to transition care to their home or an Option Care Health Infusion Suite.

Regence is committed to helping ease the burden on hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring its members and their families have the clinical care support they need, provided in the comfort, convenience and safety of a preferred location. Regence is a family of health plans in Oregon, Idaho, Utah and select counties in Washington, each an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association dedicated to making healthcare better, simpler and more affordable.

“Ensuring our members have convenient access to care in a safe and affordable setting is our top priority,” said Kerry Bendel, Regence’s Chief Pharmacy Officer. “Option Care Health’s 40-years of experience focused solely on infusion therapy makes them the right partner to help protect the health and safety of our members, their families and our community during the unprecedented challenges created by the COVID-19 crisis.”

The partnership – which builds on Regence’s existing Site of Care program – helps address changing needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing for greater flexibility for hospitals, physicians and patients who rely on infusion therapies for a wide variety of acute and chronic needs, from nutrition support and immune disorders to infections and neurologic conditions.

“Infusion provided safely and effectively at home or an infusion suite is more vital to our nation’s health system and patients than ever before,” said John C. Rademacher, President and Chief Executive Officer of Option Care Health. “As we face this public health crisis, it is critical that we work together to continue delivering trusted clinical care that expands the overall capacity of our healthcare system.”

Option Care Health follows rigorous guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure the safety of patients and staff. These measures include comprehensive training of employees, strict protocols for infection control at home and infusion suites, screening of staff and patients for COVID-19 symptoms, ongoing virus-specific updates and education and the use of personal protection equipment (PPE). Employees can call the Option Care Health COVID-19 hotline 24/7 to address questions regarding their health or a patient’s health.

Care managers and clinicians will contact high-risk Regence members to ensure they know about the option to receive infusion therapy care in an alternate setting. Option Care Health clinical teams will coordinate transitions of care and customize treatment plans to suit the specific needs of each patient, with an assigned nurse and pharmacist to monitor treatment. Experienced clinicians and nurses are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to answer questions and provide support for patients, families and providers.

For more information on the Option Care Health and Regence response to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit optioncarehealth.com/coronavirus and regence.com/member/health-lifestyle/coronavirus-covid-19.

About Option Care Health

Option Care Health is the nation’s largest independent provider of home and alternate site infusion services. With over 5,000 teammates, including 2,900 clinicians, we work compassionately to elevate standards of care for patients with acute and chronic conditions in all 50 states. Through our clinical leadership, expertise and national scale, Option Care Health is re-imagining the infusion care experience for patients, customers and employees. To learn more, please visit our website at OptionCareHealth.com.

About Regence

Regence serves approximately 3.1 million members through Regence BlueShield of Idaho, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah and Regence BlueShield (select counties in Washington). Each health plan is a nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Regence is part of a family of companies dedicated to transforming healthcare by delivering innovative products and services that change the way consumers nationwide experience healthcare. For more information, please visit Regence.com.

Infusion Care Provider’s Clinical Expertise and National Scale Ensure High-Quality Care in a Lower-Risk Setting

BANNOCKBURN, Ill., April 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Option Care Health, Inc. (“Option Care Health”) (NASDAQ: OPCH), the nation’s largest independent provider of home and alternate site infusion services, is on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, working in collaboration with our nation’s hospitals and their clinical teams to ensure patients continue to receive vital care. Option Care Health provides essential infusion services that enable patients to transition home from the hospital sooner, freeing up beds for critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Serving patients in all 50 states, Option Care Health is easing the burden on strained health systems in critical markets. Physicians and patients rely on infusion therapies for a wide variety of acute and chronic needs, from nutrition support and immune disorders to infections and neurologic conditions. Option Care Health is a critical part of the pandemic response, developing unique solutions that safely transition patients requiring infusion therapy out of the hospital – flexing capacity by deploying and shifting resources where the need is the greatest and utilizing the more than 125 infusion sites it operates across the country.

“We are fighting this pandemic side by side with our health system partners, fully prepared and able to support the needs of their patients who can transition home to continue their therapy. Whether they are in pre-plan preparation or already at surge capacity in a pandemic hotspot, our team is responding quickly and effectively to meet their needs,” said Harriet Booker, Chief Operating Officer of Option Care Health. “We’re not missing a beat. If our partners need us to accommodate a 10 p.m. bedside discharge for a patient on IV antibiotics medication, transfer a rheumatoid arthritis patient from a hospital-based ambulatory care center or virtually discharge an immunocompromised patient to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, we’re where they need us to be.”

Option Care Health’s comprehensive network and business continuity plans ensure its ability to provide infusion pharmacy and nursing care to patients on a consistent and reliable basis nationwide. This real-time agility employs added shifts, remote staffing rotations and expanded pharmacy hours to compound and administer vital medications. In addition, Option Care Health has the ability to redeploy clinical resources to cities with the greatest need.

Option Care Health has implemented rigorous protocols to ensure the safety of patients and staff working directly with its infectious disease experts and following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. These measures include comprehensive training of employees, strict protocols for infection control at home and infusion suites, screening of staff and patients for COVID-19 symptoms, ongoing virus-specific updates and education and the use of personal protection equipment (PPE). Staff members can call an Option Care Health COVID-19 hotline 24/7 to address questions regarding their health or a patient’s health. 

“Infusion at home or an infusion suite is a safe and effective care setting that is even more vital during times of national emergency, such as the current COVID-19 crisis,” said John C. Rademacher, President and Chief Executive Officer of Option Care Health. “Our highly skilled team of healthcare professionals provide infusion services that deliver hope to patients and physicians by easing the burden on hospital inpatient census, while lowering the patient’s risk and ensuring they receive excellent care after they are discharged.”

Option Care Health’s clinical team, consisting of 2,900 nurses, dietitians and pharmacists, annually care for more than 220,000 patients of all ages. The Option Care Health clinical team elevates the infusion therapy experience through customized care plans specific to every patient. Experienced clinicians and nurses are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to answer questions and provide support for patients, families and providers.

For more information on Option Care Health’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit  optioncarehealth.com/coronavirus.

About Option Care Health

Option Care Health is the nation’s largest independent provider of home and alternate site infusion services. With over 5,000 teammates, including 2,900 clinicians, we work compassionately to elevate standards of care for patients with acute and chronic conditions in all 50 states. Through our clinical leadership, expertise and national scale, Option Care Health is re-imagining the infusion care experience for patients, customers and employees. To learn more, please visit our website at OptionCareHealth.com.

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.”

Clinical nutrition is not a solo effort.

At Option Care Health, our registered dietitians are a critical part of the nutrition support team working together with nurses, pharmacists and other clinicians to provide the best care for our patients whether they’re in the hospital or at home.

We focus on a collaborative approach because we know it is most effective for patients and supports optimal outcomes. 

Click the link below to read the article posted in Today’s Dietitian. 

Todays-Dietitian-Advertorial

 

Infusion therapy devices have been in the news lately—due, in no small part, to concerns surrounding their hackability.

Below, two individuals representing the infusion therapy manufacturing sector Rob Suárez, vice president, chief information security officer at BD, and Matthew Hutchings, ICU Medical’s vice president, global marketing and innovation, infusion systems—join Alyssa Moy, director, adoption and integration at home and alternate treatment site infusion therapy services provider Option Care, to discuss what’s new in infusion therapy and how HTM professionals are integral in keeping infusion devices secure. Don’t miss out.

Click the link below to read the full article published in 24×7 Magazine. 

INSIDE THE INFUSION THERAPY DEVICE SECTOR