A Multi-Center Study of Home Infusion Services in Rural Areas (Infusion Journal)

Steve Ward is the VP of Solutions of Home Care Solutions at WellSky, responsible for the strategic direction and solution roadmap for the home infusion, specialty pharmacy, and home medical equipment solutions. Steve received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Campbell University. He completed a pharmacy practice residency before working as a staff pharmacist at an academic medical center in Eastern North Carolina. While working as a pharmacist, Steve became involved with healthcare technology, leading the hospitals' implementation of the pharmacy EMR across the health system. Through that experience, he witnessed the unrealized potential technology has in improving healthcare and in 2001 shifted his career to focus on healthcare IT. Steve has over 20 years of experience in healthcare IT in roles ranging from EMR solutions implementations, responsibility for the software development strategy and design of inpatient and retail pharmacy, CPOE, nursing medication administration, and post-acute pharmacy solutions. Additionally, Steve has led several device-related medication process solutions, including automated dispensing and partnerships with several smart IV pumps and pharmacy automation suppliers.

Bill Noyes is the Senior Vice President of Reimbursement Policy at the National Home Infusion Association (NHIA). He joined NHIA in 2012 as Vice President of Health Information Policy, focusing on reimbursement and regulatory issues affecting providers' ability to do business and collect payment for their services. Noyes sits on four Medicare Contractor Advisory Councils and is the liaison to NHIA's reimbursement-focused committees. He also works closely with the NHIA government relations team to gain more meaningful Medicare coverage for home infusion. He served as Interim CEO of the associaiton from July 2018 to November 2018. Prior to joining NHIA, Noyes spent 20 years as Vice President of Operations for a multi-state home infusion provider where he was responsible for purchasing, distribution, facilities, revenue cycle management, and pharmacy operations.

Connie Sullivan, B.S.Pharm, is the President and CEO of NHIA. Sullivan has over 25 years of infusion industry leadership, management, and clinical practice experience. Sullivan is responsible for NHIA’s advocacy initiatives and developing resources that support the infusion industry to foster innovation and promote the delivery of high-quality care. Sullivan also oversees the National Home Infusion Foundation, a 501c3 devoted to infusion research and developing future leaders. Sullivan is a member of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Sterile Compounding Expert Committee and currently Chairs the <797> Subcommittee. Sullivan earned her pharmacy degree from The Ohio State University in 1994.

Danell Haines, received her doctorate from The Ohio State University and now serves as a research consultant for the NHIA/NHIF. Currently, Dr. Haines is assisting the NHIF with the much talked about "Multi-center Time Study of Home Infusion Pharmacist Professional Services" and was instrumental in the development and validation of the Uniform Patient Satisfaction Survey Questions for Home Infusion Providers. Prior to her retirement from Ohio State, she served as a Research Scientist for the Department of Family Medicine and was Director for the National Research Institute for College Recreational Sports and Wellness. As a Research Scientist, Dr. Haines oversaw the research curriculum for the Family Medicine residents and wrote research protocols and grants. She also has publications and presentations on how to conduct research, write research manuscripts, and grant proposals. Dr. Haines enjoys analyzing and reporting benchmarking data, mentoring novice researchers, and guiding professionals through the research process.