In 2022, I graduated from nursing school with dreams of starting my career as a nurse. However, life had other plans. I was diagnosed with gastroparesis, a condition that made it impossible for me to work and pursue my passion. As my condition worsened, I had to put my career on hold to focus on my health.

Initially, my local clinicians recommended jejunal feedings, which I tolerated well at first. However, after my J-tube surgery, my condition began to deteriorate, and eventually I became severely malnourished. I was surviving on a mere 500 calories a day, leaving me too weak to perform even the simplest tasks. My mom had to help me with everything, including bathing. Living in a two-story home became a daily struggle, as I had to crawl up the stairs, feeling my body slowly giving up.

My local registered dietitian recommended Parenteral Nutrition (PN) and sent the order. We were then referred to Option Care Health (OPCH). I was scared to start PN, but my OPCH dietitian reassured me, saying, “Just because you’re on PN doesn’t mean your life is over. The goal is to give you back more of your life than before.” Her words stuck with me, offering hope during a difficult time.

Due to my blood sugar issues, I’m on 23-hour PN feeds and carry a backpack that has become a part of me. Despite these challenges, my OPCH team has been incredible. My registered dietitian and pharmacist have truly been lifesavers. I continue to speak with my OPCH registered dietitian weekly because she genuinely cares about my well-being and supports me through every step of my journey.

Thanks to the unwavering support of my Option Care Health team and my local registered dietitian, I am back to work and feeling so much better. I wholeheartedly recommend Option Care Health to anyone in need. They have played a crucial role in my recovery, and I am forever grateful for their dedication and care.

As a leading healthcare provider, we recognize our role and our responsibility to protect the health and safety of our patients, customers, team members and community. Option Care Health is mandating all leaders be fully vaccinated by September 30, 2021 and all patient and customer-facing team members be fully vaccinated by October 15, 2021.

“Our mission is to transform healthcare while delivering hope to our patients and their families,” said John Rademacher, Chief Executive Officer. “We believe our single largest contribution to eradicating COVID-19 is through vaccination. By receiving the vaccine, we are becoming a part of the solution. Each one of us at Option Care Health plays a critical role in our purpose of providing extraordinary care that changes lives.”

Option Care Health complies with applicable federal, state and local laws and will evaluate exceptions to the vaccine requirement due to a medical condition or strongly held religious beliefs.

La experiencia clínica y la escala nacional del proveedor de atención de infusión garantizan una atención de alta calidad en un entorno de menor riesgo

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.”

La red integral de Option Care Health y los planes de continuidad de negocios garantizan su capacidad para brindar atención de enfermería y farmacia que ofrece terapia de infusión a los pacientes de manera constante y confiable en todo el país. Esta agilidad en tiempo real requiere turnos adicionales, rotaciones de personal a distancia y horas de farmacia ampliadas para preparar y administrar medicamentos vitales". Además, Option Care Health tiene la capacidad de reasignar recursos clínicos a las ciudades con mayor necesidad.

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.

Estimados pacientes y clientes de Option Care Health:

Brindar una atención extraordinaria a nuestros pacientes está en el centro de todo lo que hacemos, y eso nunca ha sido tan importante como ahora. A medida que se desarrolla la situación del coronavirus (COVID-19), sepan que estamos monitoreando de forma activa las directrices de los CDC y estamos trabajando con expertos en enfermedades infecciosas para poder seguir brindando atención y mantener seguros a nuestros pacientes y miembros de nuestro equipo.

Proteger a los pacientes y a los miembros del equipo es nuestra principal prioridad

Como el mayor proveedor de infusiones de la nación, siempre hemos tenido un plan de prevención de enfermedades infecciosas, el que requiere equipo de protección personal (PPE) y educación de los miembros de nuestro equipo y de los pacientes. Esto es lo que hacemos. A la luz del coronavirus, hemos aumentado nuestro plan y movilizado un equipo de respuesta que se reúne a diario para revisar las actualizaciones reportadas por el CDC, así como los departamentos de salud estatales y locales en todo el país. Debido a la rápida evolución de la situación, estamos tomando medidas proactivas para mantener a los miembros de nuestro equipo y a los pacientes informados y protegidos contra la propagación de cualquier enfermedad.

Mantener la continuidad de la atención

Nuestro equipo de cadena de suministro trabaja con nuestros proveedores en todo el país para garantizar que dispongamos de los suministros adecuados tanto para la atención de pacientes como para el equipo de protección personal para los miembros de nuestro equipo, de modo que podamos mantener la continuidad de la atención. Esta situación puede ser estresante y abrumadora para nuestros pacientes, muchos de los cuales tienen afecciones agudas y crónicas. Estamos agradecidos de poder tratar a los pacientes en el entorno seguro de sus propios hogares y nuestras salas de infusión alternativas (AIS), que reducen la exposición a un mayor riesgo presente en entornos más públicos.

Queremos que sepan que estamos a su disposición en este momento difícil. En este momento, seguimos aceptando y atendiendo remisiones para la atención de pacientes. Sigan visitando nuestro sitio web, y el sitio web del CDC, para obtener la información más reciente.

Cuídense,
John Rademacher
Presidente y director general

• 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, junto con nuestro experto en enfermedades infecciosas y de acuerdo con las pautas de los CDC, está evaluando actualmente a todos los pacientes nuevos y existentes antes del contacto en persona. A los pacientes que se determina que están en riesgo (debido a viajes o exposición conocida), un enfermero registrado hace un seguimiento tanto con el paciente como con el médico que lo derivó respecto de los siguientes pasos.
• 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.

Largest Independent Home and Alternate Site Infusion Provider Establishes the Standard of Care Across the United States Through Its Clinical Leadership and Technology-Enabled Modelo centrado en el paciente

BANNOCKBURN, Ill. & DENVER, 7 de agosto de 2019: Option Care Enterprises, Inc. (“Option Care”) y BioScrip, Inc. (“BioScrip”) anunciaron hoy la finalización exitosa de su fusión, que sigue a que se cumplieron las condiciones de cierre de la transacción, incluida la aprobación por parte de los accionistas de BioScrip y la recepción de todas las aprobaciones regulatorias necesarias.

The newly combined company, Option Care Health, Inc. (“Option Care Health” or the “Company”), emerges as the largest independent home and alternate site infusion services provider in the United States. Option Care Health’s common stock will be listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol BIOS.

John Rademacher, director ejecutivo de Option Care Health, dijo: “El día de hoy marca el comienzo de un nuevo y emocionante capítulo en el que unimos dos organizaciones sólidas con orgullosos antecedentes como líderes del mercado. Esta combinación nos permite reinventar la experiencia de la atención de infusión para liberar todo el potencial de una atención de alta calidad en un entorno de menor costo a escala nacional. Ahora somos el único proveedor independiente enfocado en brindar un espectro completo de terapias de infusión a pacientes en todo el país. Nuestra gran experiencia clínica, nuestra amplia cartera de terapias y nuestro mejor perfil financiero nos permiten ofrecer resultados superiores y establecer el estándar para la atención del paciente".

Option Care Health seguirá centrándose en lo siguiente:

• Patient-Centered Care Model, providing deeply personalized care to patients in all 50 states, supported by the broadest commercial and clinical coverage with our unique product offering.
• Clinical and Market Leadership, leveraging our best-in-class clinical team to consistently raise quality standards and patient outcomes while collaborating with health systems, payers and manufacturers to broaden our therapy portfolio and clinical reach.
• Invertir en personas, tecnología y operaciones para impulsar un crecimiento rentable, al tiempo que establece el estándar de la industria para los servicios de infusión.

Daniel E. Greenleaf, former Chief Executive Officer of BioScrip, commented, “I’m proud of the BioScrip team and the care that we delivered every day to patients who trusted us to provide extraordinary care. This new enterprise combines two independent market leaders and enables the organization to truly redefine infusion therapy in the alternate site setting. With a significantly improved capital structure and financial profile, I’m confident Option Care Health will continue to build upon the momentum of BioScrip and Option Care.”

Option Care Health tendrá su sede en Bannockburn, Illinois y estará dirigida por Rademacher como director ejecutivo y Mike Shapiro como director financiero. Harry Kraemer, expresidente y director ejecutivo de Baxter International Inc., se desempeñará como presidente del consejo de Option Care Health.

Advisors

In connection with the transaction, Jefferies LLC and Moelis & Company LLC acted as joint financial advisors to BioScrip, and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP served as legal advisor. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and BofA Merrill Lynch acted as financial advisors and Kirkland & Ellis LLP acted as legal advisor to Option Care.

Declaraciones prospectivas

This communication contains “forward-looking statements ” (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) regarding, among other things, future events or the future financial performance of Option Care Health. All statements other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. In addition, words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” or the negative of these words, and words and terms of similar substance used in connection with any discussion of future plans, actions or events identify forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements relating to Option Care Health include, but are not limited to: statements about the benefits of the combined company, including future financial and operating results; expected synergies; Option Care Health’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions; and other statements relating to the merger that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to BioScrip and Option Care and involve estimates, expectations and projections.

Se advierte a los inversionistas que todas estas declaraciones prospectivas están sujetas a riesgos e incertidumbres (que se conocen como no), y muchos factores podrían causar que los eventos o resultados reales difieran sustancialmente de los indicados en dichas declaraciones prospectivas. Con respecto a la combinación de BioScrip y Option Care, estos factores podrían incluir, entre otros: (i) el impacto que la deuda significativa incurrida en relación con la fusión pueda tener en la capacidad de Option Care Health para operar el negocio combinado, (ii) los riesgos relacionados con la integración de las operaciones, las soluciones y los empleados de BioScrip y Option Care en la empresa combinada y la posibilidad de que las sinergias esperadas y otros beneficios de la combinación, incluidos los ahorros de costos, no se realicen o no se realicen dentro del plazo previsto, (iii) el estado de Option Care Health como una "empresa controlada" en el sentido que establece Nasdaq, incluida la dependencia de Option Care Health de las exenciones de ciertos estándares de gobierno corporativo y la influencia mucho menor que los tenedores anteriores a la fusión tienen ahora en Option Care Health, y (iv) riesgos relacionados con los negocios combinados y las industrias en las que opera la compañía combinada.

Estos riesgos e incertidumbres, así como otros riesgos e incertidumbres, se analizan con más detalle en la declaración de poderes definitiva de BioScrip presentada ante la SEC el 26 de junio de 2019 y las presentaciones posteriores de Option Care Health ante la SEC. Aunque las listas de factores de riesgo presentadas aquí y en las presentaciones públicas de Option Care Health se consideran representativas, tal lista no debe considerarse una declaración completa de todos los riesgos y las incertidumbres potenciales. Muchos de estos riesgos, incertidumbres y suposiciones exceden la capacidad de control o predicción de BioScrip y Option Care. Debido a estos riesgos, incertidumbres y suposiciones, no debe depositar una confianza indebida en estas declaraciones prospectivas. Además, las declaraciones prospectivas se refieren solo a la información actualmente disponible para las partes en la fecha en que se realizan, y ni BioScrip ni Option Care asumen ninguna obligación de actualizar públicamente o de revisar las declaraciones prospectivas para reflejar eventos o circunstancias que puedan surgir después de la fecha de esta comunicación.

Sobre Option Care Health

En Option Care Health, Inc. (Option Care Health) (NASDAQ: BIOS), somos el mayor proveedor independiente de servicios de infusión en el hogar y en sitios alternativos en los Estados Unidos. Con más de 6,000 compañeros de equipo, incluidos 2,900 médicos, trabajamos con compasión para elevar los estándares de atención para pacientes con afecciones agudas y crónicas en los 50 estados. A través de nuestro liderazgo clínico, experiencia y escala nacional, Option Care Health está reinventando la experiencia de la atención con terapia de infusión para pacientes, clientes y empleados. Para conocer más, visite nuestro sitio web en OptionCareHealth.com.

For Media Inquiries:

Rachel Bowen, PCI

312.558.1770

RBowen@pcipr.com

For Investor Inquiries:

Mike Shapiro, director financiero

Option Care Health

312.940.2538

Investor.relations@optioncare.com

Option Care Enterprises, Inc., el proveedor líder en el país de servicios de terapia de infusión en el hogar y en centros alternativos, celebró hoy la apertura de su nuevo y moderno Centro de gestión de atención (CMC) en Atlanta. Los asistentes al corte de listón y ceremonia pública tuvieron la oportunidad de recorrer el nuevo centro, que cuenta con la tecnología y los equipos de infusión más modernos en un ambiente acogedor y confortable.

Al atender a pacientes que dependen de terapias de infusión complejas para tratamientos antiinfecciosos, apoyo nutricional clínico, terapia con inmunoglobulina y afecciones como trastornos inflamatorios crónicos y trastornos hemorrágicos, el CMC brindará atención a aproximadamente 1,000 pacientes en su hogar o en la sala de infusión ambulatoria (AIS). El nuevo centro no solo expande la capacidad de Option Care para brindar servicios de atención vital a más pacientes en el área de Atlanta, sino que su farmacia de servicio completo y su sala de preparación de compuestos estériles cumplen y superan las normas regulatorias actuales.

El CMC brinda acceso conveniente a atención y asistencia clínica excepcional a través de:

• Farmacia de infusión de servicio completo y manejo clínico de pacientes, incluidas la preparación y la administración de medicamentos para garantizar que cada paciente reciba el medicamento adecuado en la dosis adecuada con monitoreo adecuado y asistencia telefónica las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana, con profesionales clínicos disponibles para responder preguntas a pacientes/cuidadores y proveedores.
• Sala de infusión ambulatoria con tres sillas de infusión en cubículos privados donde los pacientes pueden recibir sus tratamientos administrados por enfermeros altamente capacitados específicamente en terapia de infusión.
• Asistencia en el registro de pacientes, opciones de programación flexibles, incluidas las tardes y los fines de semana, estacionamiento gratuito en el lugar y fácil acceso a las instalaciones.

“Este nuevo CMC de Option Care en Peachtree Corners ofrece a los pacientes otra opción de terapia, ya sea que deseen recibir sus servicios de infusión en un centro nuevo y moderno, o en la comodidad de su propio hogar. El diseño no solo es estéticamente agradable, sino que está construido para ser el estándar de oro en instalaciones de preparación estéril”, afirmó el médico con sede en Atlanta, Anson Kwame Wurapa, M.D., quien visitó recientemente el CMC.

Muchos pacientes prefieren recibir sus infusiones en la comodidad de su hogar con la asistencia de los equipos de atención clínica de Option Care. Sin embargo, la infusión en el hogar puede no ser adecuada para todas las personas debido a una variedad de factores, incluidas la preferencia personal de estar lejos de casa para sus terapias, la falta de un entorno adecuado para el tratamiento en el hogar, las comorbilidades que requieren estar cerca de un equipo de atención completa y las limitaciones de la cobertura del seguro médico. El CMC de Option Care en Atlanta está equipado para ayudar a todos los pacientes de infusión en el área, ya sea que estén recibiendo tratamiento en casa o en la sala de infusión ambulatoria.

“Este nuevo CMC es lo mejor de todo lo que Option Care ofrece a los pacientes. Sabemos que estas terapias esenciales hacen posible que los pacientes disfruten de vitalidad y calidad de vida, y estamos encantados de poder brindárselas a más pacientes en el área de Atlanta”, afirmó John Rademacher, director ejecutivo de Option Care. “Este nuevo CMC representa nuestro compromiso de proveer atención clínica excepcional a través de los mejores profesionales clínicos e instalaciones disponibles”.

El CMC de Atlanta estará equipado para brindar resultados superiores con los servicios y programas de vanguardia, impulsados por la tecnología y basados en datos de Option Care.

Acerca de 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.

Los servicios distintivos de Option Care, Infusion Therapy Plus, comprenden la administración clínica de los medicamentos de infusión, el apoyo de enfermeros y la coordinación de la atención. El equipo multidisciplinario de más de 1,700 profesionales clínicos de Option Care —formado por farmacéuticos, enfermeros y nutricionistas— puede proporcionar cobertura de servicios de infusión en el hogar para casi todos los pacientes en los Estados Unidos que necesiten tratamiento para afecciones complejas y crónicas. Conozca más en www.OptionCareHealth.com.

For the past 40 years, Option Care has been dedicated to providing quality infusion therapy that makes a positive difference in each patient’s life. Prior to this, patients requiring nutrition support could only receive their infusions at a hospital. When two pharmacists in Chico, California heard about a 19-year-old man enduring 10 hours of nutrition therapy daily, they proposed delivering his treatment in the home, enabling him to lead a more normal life.

As we celebrate our 40^th anniversary, we sat down with Michael Prime, one of Option Care’s founding pharmacists to discuss our history and how serving a single car accident patient, along with his partner, Mitchell Hoggard, launched one of the nation’s leading infusion companies.

OC: Tell me, in your own words, how you discovered the need for home infusion.

MP: There was a young man involved in an automobile accident and through the course of multiple surgeries, he lost most of his bowel, leaving him unable to absorb food orally. My partner was a pharmacist at a hospital in Red Bluff, just north of Chico. This young man was receiving TPN solution there; he required four liters a day, every day — it was a 10-hour infusion. This was just one of those things that (Hoggard) came to me saying that there was this man, sitting in our hospital, getting infusions daily and I think we can provide this in the home.

I didn’t know much about it at the time but thought to myself, why couldn’t we? I was ready to take on the challenge. Shortly afterwards, we spoke with the prescribing physician, getting him to agree that we could provide therapy to the patient once we had the proper license. So we began that long process — (Hoggard) stayed working at the hospital and I happened to own a retail store in downtown Chico — we contacted the insurance agency, found a space for a clean room with a hood to prepare the solution and began taking the work out of the hands of the hospital.

Once that was set up, the patient was released from the hospital and we began delivering solution to his home. Although he was already trained on how to self-infuse, we realized the importance of hiring registered nurses to help support the influx of patients that were being referred to us following this young man’s successful transition to home infusion.

OC: When you and Mr. Hoggard launched the company 40 years ago, did you have any idea that it would become what it is today?

MP: Well, it really was just us doing it; there was no marketing involved. Our infusion treatment in the home started to spread by word of mouth. In fact, the first physician referred another patient of his to our care as well. Eventually, other doctor’s in town began sending us IV antibiotic patients and I had to sell my half of the retail store so I could focus on Option Care full-time.

My partner was the visionary for Option Care. He was the type of person that envisioned what things should look like in the future, whereas I was the one responsible for taking care of the patients. So while I truly never envisioned it growing into what it is today, I believe he operated under the assumption that we could eventually service patients across the country.

OC: It seems like that happened rather quickly because the need for this type of service was so large. When did you finally realize you needed to begin expanding the number of employees at Option Care?

MP: At the beginning, I was not only mixing the therapies in our clean room, but I was traveling to each patient’s home to teach them how to infuse and use their equipment. We started by hiring two nurses who helped support patient care outside of what I could do myself. I was spending about half my time on the road to patient’s homes and delivering their therapy. Often times, staying the night with patients because we were training them or their caregivers on how to infuse the drug, use the pump or change a dressing, which they were nervous to be doing on their own in the beginning, was normal for us.

I loved being able to truly care for our patients. I was able to provide comfort in their ability to safely administer the drug and training on how to keep themselves or their loved one safe. I never wanted to see that change.

Of course, as you continue to grow, some things do need to change. We started being approached by other pharmacists in northern California who had heard about us through word of mouth or listened to us speak at pharmacy conventions. We developed a licensing agreement with them to begin doing business with us. We’d prepare the solution, assist with billing and licensing as well as train them on how to care for the patients like we do. It was at this time that our attorney advised us to begin franchising in order to protect ourselves. This began our nationwide expansion.

OC: Once you began franchising and you took on a more corporate role, how were you able to continue to focus on the quality of patient care?

MP: I became the Corporate Franchise Relations-guy, flying around the country to visit each pharmacy and ensuring they were doing things our way. Through those travels, I was able to serve as a founding member of the National Home Infusion Association (NHIA), helping to set the standards for the infusion industry. I eventually served as the president of the organization giving me the ability to update and progress industry standards into the future.

It took me quite a while to get used to serving in a corporate role, to be honest. I feel like I’m a small guy from Chico, a pharmacist and then all of a sudden I was serving in this corporate, franchise public relations role, which was a big shift for me.

OC: Can you tell me how Option Care got its name?

MP: When we started in 1979, we were operating as CliniCare until we began expanding and tried to license our name. That’s when we discovered the name had already been registered by another organization and we couldn’t use it. One of our marketing people came up with the idea of Outpatient Parental Therapy Intravenous On-going Nutrition with Care on the end – O.P.T.I.O.N. Care — as a way to explain exactly what we were as a company.

We eventually changed the name to lose the acronym and just became Option Care in the early 1990’s. With these changes, our logo transformed throughout the years as well.

OC: Since we started with nutrition therapy, I think it’s an interesting fact that we recently became a Gold sponsor of the Oley Foundation. Did you have any involvement with them?

MP: Oh wow, I remember when Oley first started! We had some patients who were actively involved with Oley in the past. I’m glad to hear that Option Care is still staying with its roots after all these years. We were never involved with them during my time at the company so I’m really glad to hear of your commitment to the Oley Foundation and their mission.

Learn more about our nutrition support services and our partnership with the Oley Foundation.