Patient Education

Helpful resources for your infusion or injection appointment

Many of our patients are facing rare, chronic, and complex conditions and may have questions as they learn more about managing their condition and their course of treatment.

If you are a first-time FlexCare patient, or returning for another visit, review the patient education resources below. If you have any questions, please call your infusion location or ask a staff member at your next appointment.

Preparing For Your Visit

Please review the video below to learn how you can prepare for your first infusion or injection appointment at FlexCare Infusion Centers.

Download our Patient Infusion Dictionary for important terms related to your treatment.

Infusion Therapy Health Tips

During infusion therapy treatment, it’s important to take care of your body overall. While no two patients experience the same infusion therapy journey, these health tips can help you keep progressing on the road to better health and help manage any symptoms that may occur with your condition or in response to infusion therapy.

Get plenty of sleep

Aim to sleep for at least seven hours each night so your body has adequate time to rest and repair itself. Getting enough sleep also helps reduce stress, improves mental clarity, and can help reduce other symptoms from chronic conditions.

Eat a healthy diet

Focus on building a balanced plate with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Healthy fats such as olive oil or avocado can help nourish your body, while fruits and veggies provide important nutrients. Limit your sugar intake and drink plenty of water.

Identify food allergies

Some autoimmune symptoms can become more severe after eating certain foods such as gluten, soy, dairy, fruits, shellfish, nuts, and corn. If possible, work with an allergy specialist or dietician to help identify any foods that you should limit or avoid.

Exercise regularly

Staying healthy also means keeping your body in shape, so make it your goal to get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity four to five days a week. If your condition limits physical activity, talk with your doctor about possible options for exercise.

Wash your hands

You can minimize your risk of infections by washing your hands regularly to remove any foreign bacteria you may have picked up throughout the day. Use soap and water and wash your hands for a full 20 seconds every time.

Manage your stress

Stress is a normal part of life, especially for those with chronic conditions, but how we respond to and manage that stress matters. Find some activities that bring you joy to help manage stress or try some regular deep breathing or meditation exercises.

Try to stay warm

Those with sensitivity to the cold due to their condition or their infusion medication should always carry a just-in-case jacket, even if it’s a hot day. During the winter, try using hand and shoe warmers to stay warm.

Practice time management

Many patients experience fatigue spells, which is a sign from your body to slow down and rest. Even if you’re feeling well, try to pace yourself by spreading out daily activities and not overworking your body.

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly can infusions start after my doctor prescribes the medication?

Once we receive a referral from your doctor and any necessary case notes, we’ll submit paperwork to your health insurance. If they have any follow-up questions or need additional information, we’ll work directly with your doctor’s office regarding those details. For most patients, your first infusion happens within about a week of receiving the referral, though sometimes it can take a little longer.

Do you offer monoclonal antibody infusions for COVID-19?

FlexCare does not currently offer monoclonal antibody infusions for COVID-19. 

How much of my infusion treatment will my insurance cover?

Insurance coverage varies depending on your health plan and the medication prescribed. Our team will work closely with your insurance company and doctor’s office to ensure all necessary documentation is submitted to your insurance company. We will also provide an estimate of your out-of-pocket expenses before treatment begins.

How long will the infusion take?

Infusion timeframes vary based on the medication, the dosage, and how long you need to be monitored after the infusion. Some infusions are as quick as 30 minutes while others may take a couple hours. Once we have the referral from your doctor, our team should be able to estimate how long each appointment will take. Our comfortable infusion suites have streaming audio and video, heated massage chairs, and workspaces to help you pass the time.

My doctor sent me to a different infusion center. How can I switch to FlexCare?

As a patient, you have the right to choose the provider for your infusions. If you’re currently receiving infusion therapy from a different provider, ask your doctor to submit a referral to FlexCare Infusion Centers to continue your infusion therapy.

Conditions We Treat

Infusion and injection therapy is used to treat a wide range of rare, complex, and chronic conditions. FlexCare administers FDA-approved medications prescribed by your referring provider to treat the following conditions and more:

Makenna joined FlexCare in 2021 as the Managing Nurse Practitioner in Birmingham. In 2023, she assumed the role of National Director of Clinical Services. Makenna oversees protocol optimization, patient safety, and clinical procedures.

Makenna holds an MSN and FNP-C certification from Samford University. Previously, Makenna worked as an ENT nurse before earning her certification from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) in 2018.

Makenna is married to Wes, and together they have two cats, Ralphie and Beans. She enjoys going to concerts, trying new restaurants, playing trivia and board games with friends, and has recently taken up skateboarding as a hobby.

Heather joined FlexCare in 2020 and led the development of the Intake team before taking over Revenue Cycle Management in 2022. Heather has 10 years of medical RCM experience in ambulatory, specialty pharmacy, and home infusion. Previously, Heather was the Assistance Director of RCM in Intake for a Specialty Pharmacy and Home Infusion service in Kansas. 

Currently, Heather oversees RCM for FlexCare’s ambulatory infusion services and specialty pharmacy. She lives in Olathe, KS with her husband and two children.

Rebekkah joined FlexCare Infusion Centers in 2019 as a Managing Nurse Practitioner and Specialty Biologics Clinical Reviewer before assuming the role of Director of Patient Access in 2022. Rebekkah heads FlexCare’s industry-leading Intake team and ensures FlexCare patients experience the shortest time to treatment.

Rebekkah graduated from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center where she earned her Master of Science Degree in Nursing with a Family Nurse Practitioner emphasis. She has over 16 years of experience in patient care and is passionate about infusion therapy and best serving our patients.

Rebekkah lives in Oklahoma City with her 3 kids and her dog. When she’s not keeping busy with her kids, you can find her in her craft room.

Matt is an acute care Nurse Practitioner with over a decade of committed service to the patients in his community. Matt joined FlexCare in 2021 as a Managing Nurse Practitioner and led the launch of the first FlexCare location in Alabama before assuming the role of Vice President of Operations in 2023.

Matt received his BSN from Auburn University before earning his MSN from Vanderbilt University. His experience includes Intensive Care, Transplant Medicine, Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Outpatient Care. Prior to joining FlexCare, Matt developed and launched two new service lines for an outpatient cardiology group in Alabama.

Matt and his wife Rachel reside in Birmingham, AL with their two pets, Addie and Jenkins.

Austin joined FlexCare in 2020 as a software consultant before assuming the role of Vice President of Technology in 2021. He led the initiative to build a custom-developed enterprise software solution that supports and enhances FlexCare’s vital Intake team, and later led the projects to create data and reporting systems to support all departments. He oversees FlexCare’s software, data, IT, and communications projects.

Austin graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in mechanical engineering. His focus on electromechanical systems quickly led to a passion for automation and building software and data solutions. After gaining experience as a software and applications engineer, he started a software consulting company and has launched several enterprise web, desktop, and mobile applications.

Austin lives in Oklahoma City with his wife, Skye, and two kids. In his free time, you can find him on the running trail, golf course, or playing games and sports with his family and friends.

Rick’s professional trajectory took him into leadership just 3 years after obtaining his Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) from the University of Arizona. His desire to be a business leader in the world of pharmaceuticals and operations drove him to complete two post-graduate residencies in Milwaukee, WI, with a heavy concentration on administration leadership.  Rick was selected to represent the state of Wisconsin in a joint venture with the state of Iowa at the 2007 Young Pharmacy Leaders Conference.  

After a successful launch to his career in Milwaukee, WI, Rick returned to Arizona to be closer to his extended family.  In Arizona, he oversaw all pharmaceutical operations of the hospital-based outpatient clinics at HonorHealth, where he met his future business partner, Mark Kharoufeh.  Rick and Mark co-founded InfuseAble Care in Scottsdale, AZ, in 2020.  When FlexCare acquired InfuseAble Care in 2021, Rick transitioned to EVP of Pharmacy, leading the supply chain and procurement initiatives across the enterprise.  With the recent acquisition of a specialty pharmacy, Rick extended his purview to include oversight of this valuable service line.

Rick currently resides in Scottsdale, AZ with his wife.  His son attends Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ.

Mark began his journey in healthcare almost 30 years ago as a pediatric oncology nurse at Los Angeles Children’s Hospital. His evolution in healthcare through various clinical, leadership, and executive roles and a passion for customer service led him down a successful path of business operations. In 2012, Mark was a finalist for AZ Business Magazine’s “Healthcare Professional of the Year” for his leadership in an all-inclusive care under one roof ambulatory healthcare service model. Mark obtained his MBA from Grand Canyon University in 2015 and completed the University of Arizona Eller Executive Leadership Program in 2019. 

Mark’s dedication to enhancing access to healthcare and a model that always places the patients and their caregivers at the center of every visit was the impetus for teaming up with Rick Yerondopoulos and establishing InfuseAble Care in November 2020. Through Mark and Rick’s reputation in Arizona for reliable and service-oriented healthcare, InfuseAble Care’s brand quickly became the trusted ambulatory infusion center for physicians to refer their patients to around the state. Mark and Ricks’s goals of scaling InfuseAble Care nationally came to fruition upon meeting Aaron Smith, Callie Turk, and Adam Midkiff of FlexCare and RC Capital and ultimately joined FlexCare Infusion via acquisition in December 2021.

Since uniting with FlexCare to provide a reimagined infusion experience across the country, FlexCare has grown to 30 ambulatory centers across three states.

Mark currently resides in Litchfield Park, AZ with his wife, two sons, daughter, and labradoodle Eevee. 

Adam joined FlexCare in 2023, though he has been involved with the organization from the early stages. He is excited by FlexCare’s mission to provide better access and high-quality care to patients in cost appropriate settings. Prior to joining FlexCare, Adam was a private equity investor with RC Capital, and he helped architect the partnership between FlexCare and RC. Prior to Adam’s experience in healthcare private equity, he was an investment banker in New York City and involved in numerous M&A and capital raising transactions.

Adam currently resides in Cincinnati, OH with his wife and two kids. He serves on the board of the Cincinnati Healthcare Professionals Network, a group of healthcare leaders with a common goal to advance healthcare innovation within the Cincinnati ecosystem. He graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in finance. In his spare time, Adam can be found on a soccer field or a golf course.

Jack joined FlexCare in 2023, after most recently serving as CFO and COO of Lighthouse Behavioral Health Solutions in Central Ohio. Lighthouse focuses on improving the lives of those suffering from substance abuse disorder by combining a suite of services in an outpatient setting along with recovery housing. Prior to Lighthouse, Jack had stints in corporate accounting and finance roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Omnicare, and Procter & Gamble. Additionally, he embarked on an entrepreneurial journey over the last decade, beginning with a hospitality business that has grown from a single, urban sports bar to 8 bar, restaurant, and brewery locations opened in 10 years. He also opened and sold a boutique fitness studio.

Jack graduated from Miami University with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting. He resides in Cincinnati, OH, where he can often be found on the golf course or trying to stay active by chasing around his young kids with his wife, Anna.