What is Vital Care Infusion Therapy Like?
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my insurance cover home infusion?
The majority of commercial insurance companies cover home infusion services including the medications, clinical monitoring, and nursing visits. Your benefits will be explained to you prior to starting any services in the home.
Medicare covers some home infusion therapies on a case by case basis.
What is North Mississippi Vital Care pharmacy like?
Infusion pharmacies are not like a typical retail pharmacy where you get common, non-specialty prescriptions. Every infusion pharmacy uses a clean room (technical term for a specially built, regulated environment) where we compound medications and fill and refill prescriptions for intravenous (IV) and injectable medications. We stock the medications, supplies, and equipment to care for infusion pharmacy patients only. We focus solely on our patients, and their care is our top priority.
How do I get home infusion services?
First, you speak with your nurse, social worker, discharge planner or doctor about your home infusion needs. Next, tell them you want to be treated by North Mississippi Vital Care. Patients can also inquire directly for home infusion by contacting us to begin working with your provider to achieve a successful transition to home.
We will coordinate care with all of your caregivers and healthcare providers. We treat you in your home, handle all administrative work, and stay in touch with your and your healthcare team throughout your therapy and recovery.
Is there a medical professional who oversees my infusion?
Your infusion care is overseen by our pharmacist-in-charge. In general, a nurse will train the patient or caregiver on the proper technique and system for administration of medications safely and effectively. Our staff is available 24/7 for your questions or concerns.
What do I do if I have a question?
If you have a question concerning your infusion please call us at (662) 260-3366. North Mississippi Vital Care hours of operation are Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST.
If you are calling after normal business hours, there will be a staff member on call. Simply leave your information with our answering service and they will promptly page someone to call you.
Why is alternate-site infusion therapy preferred?
Many insurance companies consider home or alternate-site infusion a more cost-efficient therapy than receiving infusions in a hospital therefore lowering the patient’s financial responsibility.
Alternate-site infusion (not in the hospital) is safe, comfortable, and convenient making it a preferred method of therapy for patients after a major medical event or with a compromised immune system.
Alternate-site infusion patients enjoy returning to their normal daily activities. This might mean returning to work, caring for family members or going on vacation.
How do prescription refills work?
Our team at North Mississippi Vital Care monitors of the number of doses patients have at home and calls a few days in advance of the last dose. Some medications may require twice per week deliveries. If something happens to a medication and a dose must be discarded, patients notify the pharmacy immediately. We ask all patients to use the older medication first to ensure no medication is wasted. Remember to review the expiration dates on each prescription prior to infusing.
Common Home Infusion Therapies
Immunotherapy or IgG Therapy
Immunoglobulin infusion therapy is used to treat disorders of the immune system, disorders of the neurological system, or to boost a patient’s immune response to a serious illness. Immune Globulin (IgG) is a sterile solution of concentrated antibodies extracted from healthy donors which is administered into a vein or under the skin.
North Mississippi Vital Care clinicians work closely with your team of healthcare providers in delivering safe and coordinated immunoglobulin (IgG) therapy. Our clinical team will monitor treatment, help control side effects, and provide patient education materials. Our staff is available for any patient questions or needs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Anti-Infective Therapy
Antibiotic, antiviral and anti-fungal medications treat a wide variety of minor to severe infections. 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.
At North Mississippi Vital Care, our skilled clinical teams throughout our network 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 will receive comprehensive care in coordination with the physician.
Nutrition Support Therapy
Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and enteral (tube) feedings support adults and children who cannot consume or absorb nutrients through regular food intake.
Nutrition support therapy 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 is determined on a case-by-case basis for each patient.
North Mississippi Vital Cares utilizes a team of nurses, pharmacists and dietitians to make an easy patient transition from the hospital to the home. We aim to provide the best possible care from for patients of all ages who receive nutritional support therapy. Our goal is to offer each patient an improved quality of life, by allowing them to return to their thriving lifestyle.
Cardiac or Inotropic Therapy
North Mississippi Vital Care provides the highest level of personalized care, which is necessary for patients living with heart failure, awaiting transplant services, or receiving palliative care.
Cardiac inotropes (milrinone, dobutamine, dopamine) may be prescribed and infused in the home setting for patients with conditions that affect cardiac health. North Mississippi 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 patient.
The goals of North Mississippi Vital Care’s cardiology services are to improve the patient’s quality of life and maximize comfort through symptom relief. Our clinicians will provide timely and vital information to the patient’s health care team, as we understand the importance of providing ongoing clinical assessments and patient monitoring.
Hydration Therapy
Home intravenous (IV) hydration therapy can lead to a quicker recovery, while also eliminating unnecessary hospitalizations. IV hydration therapy can help prevent and treat dehydration.
Various illnesses or surgeries can lead to dehydration, complicating the body’s normal functional status. This type of therapy allows sterile water solutions and necessary nutrients to be infused into a patient’s vein, restoring normal fluid balance.
North Mississippi Vital Care provides hydration therapy to patients with the goal of restoring fluids and electrolytes and returning the patient to good health. Our clinical team and support staff will work closely with your physician to coordinate your home care.
Pain Management Therapy
North Mississippi Vital Care provides pain management treatment with the goals of maximizing comfort and improving the patient’s quality of life. Pain management therapy can be administered by intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intrathecal/epidural infusions.
Effective pain management therapy provides benefits to the patient through earlier return to activity, shortened hospital stay, decreased hospital admissions, and the subsequent reduction in costs associated with the chronic pain.
While the focus of pain management is the alleviation of pain and suffering, an underlying goal is to allow the patient to rejoin their normal daily activities. Our pharmacy staff will work closely with your physician to complete a comprehensive patient assessment before establishing an effective treatment regimen that meets the patient’s needs. Our patients receive frequent assessments to assure adequate pain control and patient satisfaction.
Hemophilia Services
The team at North Mississippi Vital Care is dedicated to providing the best possible care for our patients living with bleeding disorders. Hemophilia and other types of bleeding disorders do not have to get in the way of a patient’s daily activities.
Our staff understands that patients living with these disorders require high-quality services and an action plan specific to each and every patient. We work closely with the patient, caregivers, and the healthcare team to implement tailored and effective services.
Our patients receive comprehensive and frequent assessments from a North Mississippi Vital Care clinician, in order to meet the patient’s needs and maximize patient satisfaction. We provide therapy monitoring and support with accessibility 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Other Therapies
This list of therapies cover our most common therapies. There are many more that we did not cover, but that does not mean you are not eligible for home infusion therapy with North Mississippi Vital Care. Start by contacting your healthcare team and asking about your home infusion therapy options.
Why Choose Vital Care
Why Choose Vital Care
Supported by a staff of specialists in pharmacy, nursing, nutrition, and quality management, North Mississippi Vital Care provides the most progressive infusion care to each and every patient.
About Us
About Us
Learn how one Mississippi pharmacist got inspired to start North Mississippi Vital Care to provide patients with the highest quality infusion care possible.
