News Category: Uncategorized

Member Spotlight: Dr. Varner Richards

Varner Richards Gene Graves Lifetime Achievement Award – 2021 Fellow National Home Infusion Association Dr. Varner R. Richards, President and CEO of Intramed Plus, Inc., received his Doctor of Pharmacy in 1980 from the College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center. He has been involved in the home infusion industry for more than 30 years. In April 2021, he was awarded the industry’s highest honor from the NHIA, the Gene Graves Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is presented each year to an individual who has dedicated significant time, energy, and resources to working on behalf of patients and the home infusion industry.

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Member Spotlight: Cheryl Gast-Whitaker

Cheryl Gast-Whitaker is an Assistant Director of Pharmacy Business Operations at the Johns Hopkins Home Care Group in Baltimore. With three decades of experience in the Home Infusion industry, Cheryl has played a crucial role in improving patient care and access to home infusion therapy. Her achievements and experience have been recognized by the National Home Infusion Association (NHIA), who honored her with the 2022 NHIA Fellow status.

Read More »

Member Spotlight: Dr. Michael Rigas

Dr. Rigas was the Chief Clinical Officer, co-founder, and principal at KabaFusion, a nationwide infusion therapy company started in 2010. He has been in the home infusion industry since 1992 and is now retired. Currently he volunteers for several patient support non-profit organizations, lectures at four schools of pharmacy, and provides consulting services. After being recognized as one of this year’s NHIA Fellows, we knew we had to reach out and hear about his experience in the industry.

Read More »

Member Spotlight: Logan Davis

2023 Fellow National Home Infusion Association Logan Davis, PharmD, MBA is Vice President of Trade for Vital Care Infusion Services, a national infusion pharmacy services franchise organization. As a pharmacist and business development specialist, Logan utilizes his experience and expertise to create and execute innovative pharmacy business development strategies and to promote patient access to infused and provider-administered injectable therapies. He lives in Meridian, Mississippi with his family.

Read More »

Member Spotlight: Barbara Prosser

Barbara Prosser is currently the Associate, Health Economics and Outcomes for Soleo Health. With over 25 years of experience in developing and overseeing clinical programs, risk management, and performance improvement programs in the home infusion industry, Barbara has a wealth of knowledge to share. With a bachelor’s in Pharmacy from the University of Florida, College of Pharmacy in Gainesville and active involvement in the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), Barbara is an expert in the field. Join us as we delve into her journey, insights, and advice for those in the home infusion industry. Get ready to be inspired by a true innovator and leader in home infusion.

Read More »

Member Spotlight: Dr. Tony Powers

Dr. Powers began his career in community pharmacy in 1980, and in 1988, he co-founded Medical Alternatives, which is now affiliated with the Baptist Memorial Healthcare System in Tennessee. Dr. Powers is a founding member of NHIA and served on the board of directors from 1997-2003 and as President from 1999-2000. In 2009 received the Gene Graves Lifetime Achievement Award. He continues to be active with NHIA as a founding member of the National Home Infusion Foundation (NHIF) board.

Read More »

Luccas maintains an active lifestyle

For many patients on home parenteral nutrition (PN), the therapy modality is the result of a sustained chronic illness. While it’s less than ideal to rely on life-sustaining nutrition support, when it’s well calibrated for the patient, PN can offer a modicum of clinical stability and even independence on an otherwise long and difficult journey.

Read More »

Regaining health and stability through PN

Imagine your Gl tract suddenly stopped functioning. That happened to Amanda, who lives with gastroparesis. Diagnosing the problem and landing on an effective treatment is a journey Amanda says she “wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.”

Read More »

Home infusion of IV antibiotics keeps ultramarathoner on course

Serious infections can sideline the best of plans. That’s what happened to Jusup, a Montana-based YouTuber with the ambitious goal of running a 100-mile race through the Salmon River mountains of Idaho. “I had never even raced in a 5K,” he recalls, “but, I was progressing in my goal of running at least 2 miles every day for a year and thought it would be a good test.”

Read More »

Development of Productivity Standards for Ambulatory Infusion Suite Nurses Within a Multi-Entity Health System

Full text | Download pdf

Jennifer Zhao, Johns Hopkins Care at Home; Brian Sherman, RN, Johns Hopkins Care at Home; Ashley McCracken, PharmD, MBA, Johns Hopkins Care at Home; Stephanie Watkins, RN, Johns Hopkins Care at Home; Kristopher Rusinko, PharmD, PhD, MBA, MEd, MS, Johns Hopkins Care at Home

A productivity metric that infusion sites measure to gauge operations is chair capacity, which is a direct reflection of physical chair utilization based on the inputs of total time patients occupy chairs and total time the chair is available (i.e., hours of operation multiplied by chair count). Although a convenient metric, it does not capture all relevant information, and there is a need to identify standard metrics that account for infusion nurse workload. Minimal literature currently exists that describes specific methods for obtaining more accurate clinician-focused capacity metrics that could better track productivity and staffing needs for successful operations. The purpose of this project is to identify metrics that will account for clinician-focused capacity and use them to create an operational tool that ambulatory infusion suites (AISs) can utilize to relay productivity and business standards.

Read More »

Cefazolin-Induced Neutropenia Development and Evaluation of Risk Factors in Home Infusion (CINDER-FHI)

Full text | Download pdf

Nicholas Panchak, PharmD, University of Minnesota Medical Center Fairview Health Services; Ryan McFarland, PharmD, University of Minnesota-Duluth College of Pharmacy; Jessica Das, PharmD, BCPS, Fairview Health Services; Alicia Zagel, PhD, MPH, Fairview Health Services; Jennifer Ross, PharmD, BCIDP, University of Minnesota Medical Center Fairview Health Services

Beta-lactam-induced neutropenia (BLIN) is a serious adverse reaction associated with extended treatment courses. For many severe infections, guideline-directed medical therapy frequently involves weeks or months of IV antibiotics. To avoid health care costs associated with hospitalization and as a method to improve hospital bed capacity, clinicians are encouraged to discharge patients to receive IV antibiotics in the ambulatory setting once clinically stable. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of cefazolin-induced neutropenia between intravenous push (IVP) administration and intermittent infusions among home infusion patients. This study is unique in its analysis of neutropenia monitoring and interventions in a pharmacist-led outpatient parenteral anti-infective therapy (OPAT) model. Cefazolin was examined over other beta-lactams due to high utilization in home infusion and administration methods by IVP and intermittent infusion at this institution.

Read More »

Member Spotlight: Dr. Varner Richards

Varner Richards Gene Graves Lifetime Achievement Award – 2021 Fellow National Home Infusion Association Dr. Varner R. Richards, President and CEO of Intramed Plus, Inc., received his Doctor of Pharmacy in 1980 from the College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center. He has been involved in the home infusion industry for more than 30 years. In April 2021, he was awarded the industry’s highest honor from the NHIA, the Gene Graves Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is presented each year to an individual who has dedicated significant time, energy, and resources to working on behalf of patients and the home infusion industry.

Read More »

Member Spotlight: Cheryl Gast-Whitaker

Cheryl Gast-Whitaker is an Assistant Director of Pharmacy Business Operations at the Johns Hopkins Home Care Group in Baltimore. With three decades of experience in the Home Infusion industry, Cheryl has played a crucial role in improving patient care and access to home infusion therapy. Her achievements and experience have been recognized by the National Home Infusion Association (NHIA), who honored her with the 2022 NHIA Fellow status.

Read More »

Member Spotlight: Dr. Michael Rigas

Dr. Rigas was the Chief Clinical Officer, co-founder, and principal at KabaFusion, a nationwide infusion therapy company started in 2010. He has been in the home infusion industry since 1992 and is now retired. Currently he volunteers for several patient support non-profit organizations, lectures at four schools of pharmacy, and provides consulting services. After being recognized as one of this year’s NHIA Fellows, we knew we had to reach out and hear about his experience in the industry.

Read More »

Member Spotlight: Logan Davis

2023 Fellow National Home Infusion Association Logan Davis, PharmD, MBA is Vice President of Trade for Vital Care Infusion Services, a national infusion pharmacy services franchise organization. As a pharmacist and business development specialist, Logan utilizes his experience and expertise to create and execute innovative pharmacy business development strategies and to promote patient access to infused and provider-administered injectable therapies. He lives in Meridian, Mississippi with his family.

Read More »

Member Spotlight: Barbara Prosser

Barbara Prosser is currently the Associate, Health Economics and Outcomes for Soleo Health. With over 25 years of experience in developing and overseeing clinical programs, risk management, and performance improvement programs in the home infusion industry, Barbara has a wealth of knowledge to share. With a bachelor’s in Pharmacy from the University of Florida, College of Pharmacy in Gainesville and active involvement in the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), Barbara is an expert in the field. Join us as we delve into her journey, insights, and advice for those in the home infusion industry. Get ready to be inspired by a true innovator and leader in home infusion.

Read More »

Member Spotlight: Dr. Tony Powers

Dr. Powers began his career in community pharmacy in 1980, and in 1988, he co-founded Medical Alternatives, which is now affiliated with the Baptist Memorial Healthcare System in Tennessee. Dr. Powers is a founding member of NHIA and served on the board of directors from 1997-2003 and as President from 1999-2000. In 2009 received the Gene Graves Lifetime Achievement Award. He continues to be active with NHIA as a founding member of the National Home Infusion Foundation (NHIF) board.

Read More »

Luccas maintains an active lifestyle

For many patients on home parenteral nutrition (PN), the therapy modality is the result of a sustained chronic illness. While it’s less than ideal to rely on life-sustaining nutrition support, when it’s well calibrated for the patient, PN can offer a modicum of clinical stability and even independence on an otherwise long and difficult journey.

Read More »

Regaining health and stability through PN

Imagine your Gl tract suddenly stopped functioning. That happened to Amanda, who lives with gastroparesis. Diagnosing the problem and landing on an effective treatment is a journey Amanda says she “wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.”

Read More »

Home infusion of IV antibiotics keeps ultramarathoner on course

Serious infections can sideline the best of plans. That’s what happened to Jusup, a Montana-based YouTuber with the ambitious goal of running a 100-mile race through the Salmon River mountains of Idaho. “I had never even raced in a 5K,” he recalls, “but, I was progressing in my goal of running at least 2 miles every day for a year and thought it would be a good test.”

Read More »

Development of Productivity Standards for Ambulatory Infusion Suite Nurses Within a Multi-Entity Health System

Full text | Download pdf

Jennifer Zhao, Johns Hopkins Care at Home; Brian Sherman, RN, Johns Hopkins Care at Home; Ashley McCracken, PharmD, MBA, Johns Hopkins Care at Home; Stephanie Watkins, RN, Johns Hopkins Care at Home; Kristopher Rusinko, PharmD, PhD, MBA, MEd, MS, Johns Hopkins Care at Home

A productivity metric that infusion sites measure to gauge operations is chair capacity, which is a direct reflection of physical chair utilization based on the inputs of total time patients occupy chairs and total time the chair is available (i.e., hours of operation multiplied by chair count). Although a convenient metric, it does not capture all relevant information, and there is a need to identify standard metrics that account for infusion nurse workload. Minimal literature currently exists that describes specific methods for obtaining more accurate clinician-focused capacity metrics that could better track productivity and staffing needs for successful operations. The purpose of this project is to identify metrics that will account for clinician-focused capacity and use them to create an operational tool that ambulatory infusion suites (AISs) can utilize to relay productivity and business standards.

Read More »

Cefazolin-Induced Neutropenia Development and Evaluation of Risk Factors in Home Infusion (CINDER-FHI)

Full text | Download pdf

Nicholas Panchak, PharmD, University of Minnesota Medical Center Fairview Health Services; Ryan McFarland, PharmD, University of Minnesota-Duluth College of Pharmacy; Jessica Das, PharmD, BCPS, Fairview Health Services; Alicia Zagel, PhD, MPH, Fairview Health Services; Jennifer Ross, PharmD, BCIDP, University of Minnesota Medical Center Fairview Health Services

Beta-lactam-induced neutropenia (BLIN) is a serious adverse reaction associated with extended treatment courses. For many severe infections, guideline-directed medical therapy frequently involves weeks or months of IV antibiotics. To avoid health care costs associated with hospitalization and as a method to improve hospital bed capacity, clinicians are encouraged to discharge patients to receive IV antibiotics in the ambulatory setting once clinically stable. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of cefazolin-induced neutropenia between intravenous push (IVP) administration and intermittent infusions among home infusion patients. This study is unique in its analysis of neutropenia monitoring and interventions in a pharmacist-led outpatient parenteral anti-infective therapy (OPAT) model. Cefazolin was examined over other beta-lactams due to high utilization in home infusion and administration methods by IVP and intermittent infusion at this institution.

Read More »