NHIA members are involved in all aspects of the home and alternate site infusion industry, taking on a wide array of roles, but the bond that ties them together is their dedication to ensuring that patients receive high-quality care in the setting they most prefer, enabling them to lead healthy, independent lives. We are excited for you to get to know who our members are, what they do to support this incredible industry, and what it is like working in home infusion.
This content was originally posted by Integrated Medical Systems, Inc. (IMS), the generous sponsor of NHIF’s Fellow Program
I started out in the late 1980s with Baxter Travacare as a staff pharmacist.
The technology involved in patient care and delivery, as well as the medications have changed since I first started. This includes how we deliver medications to home and ambulatory patients in suites. The regulations, accreditation, and greater government oversight has added to the complexity of furnishing high quality patient care. We have moved from being suppliers to being outcome-focused and data driven to deliver value and a greater quality of life for patients that require our services.
Payor carve outs. True payor carve outs eliminate patient choice, decrease competition, and lower the quality threshold.
Truly, to be an educator and mentor to those who are beginning the journey into home and specialty infusion.
They have embraced change, and have been creative in their quest to find solutions for patients and families in order to comfort them and make their lives better. They did this because of the passion they have for our industry and patient care.
They have been a conduit of learning and exchange of ideas. They helped advance my knowledge, curiosity and networking abilities within the home infusion industry.
It's a humbling acknowledgement and recognition for all the hours spent on-call, serving patients. It's an exclamation point to my career. I have immense gratitude for all the teams I have worked with and mentors that have guided me to such a wonderful place in my career.
Life is short, create meaningful relationships (and listen to your parents!!)
Going into the future; I am curious and so very impatient!
My friends know this story, but I applied to one college and one tech school. Never heard from the tech school but got into the college. Found out my Mom never mailed the application to the tech school for me to learn how to fix transmissions!
Mike Kirkbride, Chief Compliance and Ethics Officer at Vital Care Infusion Services, has full responsibility for all compliance and ethics functions of the organization. Mike has over thirty years of healthcare experience in the alternate site space and specifically home infusion and has held a variety of leadership positions in clinical operations and regulatory compliance.
Mike serves on the NHIA committee for Quality and Standards and has his certification in Healthcare Compliance from Health Care Compliance Association and holds his pharmacy license in twenty-two states. He has a BSc degree in Pharmacy from the University of Sciences in Philadelphia and his Pharm D degree from Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia.
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
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
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
