Rheumatoid Arthritis Infusion Centers

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting many joints, including those in the hands and feet. RA occurs when the body’s immune system begins attacking healthy cells in your body, causing painful inflammation and stiffness. Typically, this attack begins in the synovium (the lining of the membranes that insulate our joints). The inflammation, if left unchecked, can cause damage to the tendons and ligaments surrounding the affected joints.

How is Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosed and Treated?

Rheumatoid arthritis can be difficult to spot in its early stages. Doctors may conduct several different types of tests and examinations in order to reach a diagnosis, including:

• Physical examinations, where they will check joints for swelling, redness, and warmth as well as reflexes and muscle strength
• Blood tests
• Imaging test such as X-Rays, MRIs, or ultrasounds

There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, but treatments such as infusion or injection therapies can lessen symptoms and slow progression of the disease.

How Does IV Infusion Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis Work?

IV infusion for rheumatoid arthritis involves administering medication through an infusion pump that drips the medication into a catheter to a syringe and through a hollow needle into the patient’s bloodstream.

Some therapies, such as Cimzia, are administered via injection. Healthcare providers will use a needle to inject the drug subcutaneously into the front of the thighs or the abdomen. The initial doses are done in pairs every two weeks. Following the initial doses, maintenance doses are typically one injection every two weeks or two injections every four weeks.

Many rheumatoid arthritis patients choose to get their IV infusion or injection treatment through a freestanding treatment center, such as IVX Health. Rheumatoid arthritis patients often choose IVX Health as their preferred site of care because of its unique, patient-centered amenities, including private suites, its industry-leading 1:3 nurse-to-patient ratio, flexible appointment scheduling, and lower cost when compared to the hospital.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapies Administered at IVX Health

The following infusion and injection therapies are administered at IVX Health.

Our Rheumatoid Arthritis Formulary

Rheumatoid Arthritis Management at IVX Health

Each IVX Health patient receives excellent care from Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNPs) and Registered Nurses (RNs).

The benefits of receiving infusion treatments for rheumatoid arthritis at IVX Health include:

• Private suites
• Comfortable, leather recliners
• Enough room and plenty of seating for guests
• A friendly clinical staff
• Personalized service
• High-speed internet
• Complimentary beverages and snacks
• Flat-screen television sets provide a way for patients to stream their favorite movies and watch the shows they love
• Flexible scheduling options (including evening and weekend appointments)

What to Expect During Infusion Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Step One

Using a thin, very small catheter, one of IVX Health’s nurses creates an intravenous line (aka IV line) into the patient’s arm vein.

*For Cimzia, a subcutaneous injection, one of IVX Health’s nurses will inject the patient with the treatment typically in the front of the thighs or the abdomen. No IV line will be used.

Step Two

After placing the IV line, the nurse connects it to tubing that leads up to the medication. The medication is then dispersed into the patient’s bloodstream over a specified period of time.

During treatment, patients are continuously monitored by one of IVX’s nurses. If a patient requires assistance, he or she just needs to press the call button.

There are times when a patient experiences a reaction to the medication he or she is receiving; therefore, patients need to recognize the symptoms associated with an allergic reaction.

Signs of a potential allergic reaction include developing a headache, feeling nauseous, difficulty breathing and developing a rash. Patients experiencing these symptoms need to contact their nurse right away.

 

How to Get a Referral for Rheumatoid Arthritis IV Infusion or Injection Treatment

Every referral must be accompanied by an order for treatment.

Patient information should include:

• Name
• Current address
• Home and mobile phone number
• Insurance information

Information the physician must include on the patient’s order for IV therapy to treat rheumatoid arthritis include:

• Patient’s name and DOB
• Order date
• Diagnosis
• Physician’s name and NPI#
• Office address, phone, and fax numbers
• Provider’s signature

Supporting clinical documentation from the physician should include:

Cimzia:

• Results of a recent tuberculosis (TB) skin/lab testing
• Patient’s current weight and height
• Clinicals to support:
  • Patient has moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (PSO) who is a candidate for systemic therapy or phototherapy

Remicade, Avsola, Renflexis, Inflectra:

• Result of Tuberculosis (TB) skin/ lab testing
• Hepatitis B status & date
• Patients current weight and height
• Clinicals to support:
  • Patient has rheumatoid arthritis

Rituxan, Ruxience, and Truxima:

• Patient’s current weight and height
• Hepatitis B status & date
• Most recent CBC results
• Patient has moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is currently taking methotrexate

Actemra:

• Results of a recent tuberculosis (TB) skin/lab testing
• Clinicals to support one or more of the following:
  • Patient has moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who has had an inadequate response to one or more disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
  • Patient has giant cell arteritis (GCA)
  • Patient has active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis
  • Patient has active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Orencia:

• Patient’s current weight and height
• Clinicals to support one or more of the following:
  • Patient has rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
  • Patient has juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)
  • Patient has psoriatic arthritis

Simponi Aria:

• Results of a recent tuberculosis (TB) skin/lab testing
• Patient’s current weight and height
• Clinicals to support one or more of the following:
  • Patient has moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is taking methotrexate
  • Patient has active psoriatic arthritis
  • Patient has active ankylosing spondylitis

Due to the complexity of treatment, prior authorization is often required. Prior authorization is the process of getting approval for treatment from the patient’s healthcare provider before beginning treatment. It’s important to check in with your healthcare provider to see if a prior authorization will be needed for your infusion or injection treatment at IVX Health.

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, and you would like to learn more about the IV infusion and injection therapies for rheumatoid arthritis available at IVX Health centers, contact us today.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Resources