The National Home Infusion Foundation (NHIF) estimates in 2019 that there were 3.2 million home infusion patients served, with only 974 unique home infusion providers to serve them. Intravenous (IV) infusions are used on an everyday basis for countless people all across the nation. It’s used to improve and save lives in countless ways.
Vital Care excels at providing high quality, compassionate care for home infusion patients. After launching in 1986 at the beginning of the home infusion industry, Vital Care has grown along with the home infusion industry, which is now worth $19B annually. Let’s take a look at some of the different patients served by Vital Care home infusion pharmacies.
Anti-Infective Therapy Patients
Antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal medications treat a wide variety of minor to severe infections. Some of these patients need anti-infective medications to be administered through an intravenous catheter. Treatment is focused on controlling the infection and preventing complications. Duration of therapy may range from days to several months depending on the severity or site of infection. Vital Care clinical teams specialize in treating patients who need long-term or complex anti-infective therapies.
With a referral to a Vital Care location, patients receiving intravenous (IV) antibiotics or other anti-infective medications receive compassionate care in coordination with the physician. Pharmacy staff work closely with the patient’s health care providers to complete a comprehensive patient assessment before establishing an effective and appropriate treatment regimen. Our patients receive frequent follow-up assessments to reach patient-specific goals and maximize patient satisfaction.
Nutritional Support Therapy Patients
Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and enteral (tube) feedings support adults and children who cannot consume or absorb nutrients through regular food intake. There are many situations when a person cannot eat any or enough food. A patient’s digestive tract may not be functioning properly because of illness or surgery. Under those conditions, Vital Care helps these patients receive life-saving nutritional support therapy.
Nutrition can be provided either through a feeding tube (enteral nutrition) or an intravenous tube called a catheter that is inserted directly into the veins (parenteral nutrition or TPN). The amount, type, and route of nutrition are determined on a case-by-case basis for each patient. Vital Care’s nutritional therapy clinical team consists of nursing staff, pharmacists, and dietitians.
Cardiac/Inotropic Therapy Patients
Others needing infusions are cardiac or inotropic therapy patients living with heart failure, awaiting transplant services, or receiving palliative care. For example, Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a chronic, progressive condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood throughout the body. Cardiac inotropes may be prescribed and infused in the home setting for those patients with these conditions. Vital Care’s team of clinicians will work with the patient, caregivers, and the physician’s medical team to develop a care plan specific to each individual cardiac patient.
The goals of Vital Care’s cardiology services are to improve the patient’s quality of life and maximize comfort through symptom relief. The pharmacy staff, under the direction of the physician, is able to work closely with the patient and caregiver to optimize their care. Patients are closely monitored. provided patient education materials, and helped with all questions regarding their therapy.
Immunotherapy Patients
Vital Care clinicians work closely with health care providers in delivering safe and coordinated immunoglobulin (IgG) therapy for patients. Immune Globulin (IgG) is a sterile solution of concentrated antibodies extracted from healthy donors that are administered into a vein or under the skin. Immunoglobulin infusion therapy treats disorders of the immune system or the neurological system. They are also used to boost a patient’s immune response to a serious illness.
Vital Care coordinates IgG therapy with the patient’s physician, local nursing agencies, and family members throughout the entire course of therapy for highly individualized care. Our clinical team will monitor treatment, help control side effects, provide patient education materials, and be available for any patient questions or issues that may arise.
Pain Management Therapy Patients
Pain management therapy patient care goals are 1) maximizing comfort, and 2) improving the patient’s quality of life. Pain is a common reason that patients visit their doctors. If pain persists, it not only causes physical disability, but pain also places an emotional, economic, and psychological strain on patients and their families. Getting pain relief is critical for patients experiencing pain.
Pain management is a common infusion therapy provided to patients in the home or alternate-site infusion suites. This therapy can be administered by intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intrathecal/epidural infusions. Effective pain management provides benefits to the patient through an earlier return to activity, shortened hospital stay, decreased hospital admissions, and the subsequent reduction in costs associated with chronic pain.
Hemophilia and Bleeding Disorder Patients
Patients living with hemophilia, Von Willebrand, and other inherited or acquired bleeding disorders, require high-quality infusion services and an action plan specific to each and every patient. With home infusion therapy, bleeding disorders can have a less intrusive effect on a patient’s daily activities.
For example, the current, most-used treatment for hemophilia A is infusion therapy. Hemophilia A is the most common bleeding disorder in the US. In 2015, the total hemophilia market was estimated to be worth some 3.5 billion U.S. dollars. Home infusion therapy access helps many patients with bleeding disorders or hemophilia.
Future Infusion Therapy Patients
Even more therapies will become available for patients in the near future. According to www.clinicaltrials.gov, an estimated 280+ infusion drugs are in Phase I/II development, and almost 100 of those infusible drugs are in Phase III review. Not only are new infusions becoming available, but also clinical applications for current therapies are expanding. Intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) sales have increased ten-fold since 1990, according to BioSupply Trends Quarterly. Dozens of new clinical trials addressing immune-mediated disorders are evaluating IVIG therapy.
Vital Care serves each of these patients with their quality of life and comfort at the top of mind. If you think there is a home infusion pharmacy opportunity in your community, reach out and discuss it with our Vital Care team. We can assist you in discovering your local home infusion pharmacy opportunity and see if you’re a good fit for the Vital Care home infusion pharmacy network.
