FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeannie Counce
Editorial Director
jeannie.counce@nhia.org
406-600-2649

Alexandria, Va. (March 3, 2025) —The National Home Infusion Foundation (NHIF) is proud to announce that Maritza DeGagne, RPh is the recipient of the 2025 Lynn Giglione Women in Leadership Award.  

The Lynn Giglione Women in Leadership Award recognizes and honors trail-blazing and emerging women leaders who have demonstrated exemplary service to patients and their peers while promoting the mission of NHIF. The award was established in 2015 to commemorate the late Lynn Giglione—the award’s namesake and a trailblazer in the home and alternate site infusion industry—who was a founding board member of NHIF. 

DeGagne recently retired as Senior Vice President of Field Operations at Option Care Health after an impressive 35-year career in home infusion and in the same company. She began at Option Care as a pharmacy intern in 1990 and was hired as a clinical pharmacist. Her responsibilities expanded and she held positions from Pharmacy Manager to Operations Director to Senior Vice President of Operations where she led 750 team members across 20+ pharmacy locations and was a driving force behind continuous improvements in patient care. In that role, she spearheaded initiatives that transformed operational processes, enabling access to critical care in the environment that is not only lower cost, but more preferred for patients.

DeGagne’s peers say that she consistently places patients at the heart of everything she does. Her unwavering commitment to delivering extraordinary care is evidenced by her teams’ consistently scoring over 90% patient satisfaction and having some of the highest quality site assessment scores. But one of her greatest strengths, according to her colleagues, is her ability to lead with integrity, empathy, and vision, inspiring those around her to pursue their best selves both professionally and personally.

DeGagne participated in the development of Option Care Health’s pharmacy resident program. She has also been a role model to other female leaders through mentorship and helping launch the Women’s Leadership Networking Group. Under her leadership, hundreds of people were mentored and promoted. Many of them report that her guidance, support, and investment in their success were pivotal.

“Maritza exemplifies home infusion’s core values. She has a long history of dedication to quality patient care, operating with integrity and innovation, passionately mentoring her people, striving for excellence, and being inclusive and engaging,” said NHIF Board Chair David Franklin. “This award was designed to celebrate that very spirit.”

“I am truly honored to receive the NHIA Lynn Giglione Women in Leadership Award. This recognition is a reflection of the collective efforts of all the incredible women and men I have had the privilege of working with over the years and who share in my commitment to excellence in patient care,” said DeGagne. “Leadership is not just about making a difference in the lives of those we serve but also empowering and mentoring those around us to reach their fullest potential. I remain dedicated to elevating the quality of care and supporting the next generation of leaders, as we continue to make a positive impact in the lives of patients and our communities.”

DeGagne will receive the award at NHIA’s 2025 Annual Conference during the General Session, Tuesday April 1 from 1:30 pm – 2:45 pm Eastern Standard Time.

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NHIF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that aims to advance the home and specialty infusion field and to support the enhancement of patient care and patient outcomes through leadership, research, and education. Established by the National Home Infusion Association, the Foundation is founded on the belief that delivering the highest quality infusion care to patients is at the heart of the field. Through education and research, the Foundation will strive to build upon the solid groundwork established by the industry more than 30 years ago.

NHIA is a trade association that represents companies that provide medically necessary infusion therapies to patients in alternate sites, as well as companies that manufacture and supply infusion and specialty pharmacy products. The association’s mission is to provide advocacy, education, and resources to the home and alternate site infusion community so the patients they serve can lead healthy, independent lives. For more information, visit www.nhia.org.