ENTYVIO® Infusion Therapy

Doctors prescribe ENTYVIO infusion therapy (vedolizumab) for many patients living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). ENTYVIO infusion therapy is prescribed after other medications have not been effective. Though there isn’t a cure for IBD, it can help patients live a more comfortable life with fewer flare-ups.

About ENTYVIO® Infusion Therapy

ENTYVIO is a brand-name prescription medication with the active ingredient vedolizumab. It can lessen and control symptoms associated with inflammatory bowel diseases. ENTYVIO infusion therapy is a biologic, a class of drugs made from laboratory-grown living antibodies that target specific areas of the body.

Patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease have often tried other medications and treatment options before their physician recommends ENTYVIO infusion therapy. Clinical studies of patients on ENTYVIO infusion therapy have shown it is effective in putting symptoms associated with these chronic illnesses into a remission stage.

Conditions Treated by ENTYVIO® Infusion Therapy

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ENTYVIO infusion therapy to treat ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease. These two types of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can cause inflammation that leads to abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, and weight loss.

In both diseases, abnormal reactions of the immune systems cause inflammation. Patients with ulcerative colitis have inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the large intestine, while patients with Crohn’s disease have inflammation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

There isn’t a cure for either illness, but symptoms may be lessened and controlled with the help of ENTYVIO infusion therapy.

ENTYVIO® Cost

The out-of-pocket ENTYVIO cost will vary depending on your insurance coverage. If you have questions about your coverage, you should contact your insurance provider.

Many patients with commercial insurance qualify for the ENTYVIO Co-pay Program which can help cover the ENTYVIO cost. For more information on ENTYVIO cost and financial resources, you may visit https://www.entyvio.com/copay-support.

No patient should go without necessary treatment due to financial limitations. If you have questions about ENTYVIO cost or financial assistance opportunities, contact a member of our FlexCare team.

What to Expect During ENTYVIO® Infusion Therapy

ENTYVIO is often administered via infusion therapy. It is usually prescribed in a series of three infusions in a six-week period, followed by a maintenance schedule set by your doctor (commonly one infusion every eight weeks). Some patients may receive ENTYVIO injections for ulcerative colitis maintenance.

ENTYVIO Side Effects

As with any medication, ENTYVIO side effects or allergic reactions are always possible. Before your first infusion, the FlexCare team will ensure you are aware of the benefits and risks of ENTYVIO infusion therapy and what to expect following your infusion.

Most ENTYVIO side effects are mild and could include colds, headaches, joint pain, throat and nose infections, rash and itching, or injection site swelling. Consult your referring provider if you have concerns about ENYTIVO side effects.

ENTYVIO Infusion Therapy at FlexCare

At FlexCare Infusion Centers, our priorities are always patient communication, comfort, and convenience. We will communicate with you and your referring physician throughout your ENTYVIO infusion, which takes place in our comfortable infusion suites with heated massage chairs, streaming audio and video, desk space, and more. Finally, our convenient evening and weekend hours will help you schedule the treatment you need at a time that works for you.

Find an infusion center near you.

Getting Started With Infusion Therapy

If you have ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease and are interested in receiving ENTYVIO infusion therapy, talk to your doctor about sending us a referral.

If you have any questions, you can also contact FlexCare directly. We look forward to helping you soon.

Have Questions?

If you have any questions about ENTYVIO or infusion therapy, contact us directly. We look forward to helping you on your journey to better health.
Aaron Smith named Entrepreneur of the Year Southwest Award finalist

Aaron Smith partnered with Callie Turk to start FlexCare Infusion Centers after learning firsthand the profound impact specialty infusion can have on patients and the challenges they often encounter on the journey to effective treatment. There is an unprecedented opportunity to improve access, delivery, and outcomes through better communication, technology, and operations. At FlexCare Infusion Centers, his team works hard to make the changes the patients deserve to see.

Aaron joined the healthcare sector 25 years ago when he co-founded a disease management software company focused on patient outcomes collection and ambulatory clinic accreditation. He entered population health through an acquisition of Healthways and later entered specialty medications with Briova – an Optum company. His FlexCare team routinely makes the impossible possible through expertise, good process, cutting edge technology, data-driven decision making, and a lot of listening.

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.