2 New Virtis Health Infusion Centers for MG Patients Open in Alabama
New ambulatory centers in Mobile and Birmingham offer services statewide
Virtis Health has opened two ambulatory centers in Alabama for people with myasthenia gravis (MG) and other disorders that call for infusion therapies.
The new Alabama centers in Mobile and Birmingham are available to patients statewide, in addition to residents of those cities. Their openings follow that of a new Virtis Health ambulatory infusion center in Atlanta, Georgia, and the announcement of plans for other centers in Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio.
Virtis offers diagnostic and therapeutic services nationwide to patients who have complex conditions like MG that require specialty infusible and injectable medicines. It is a division of Soleo Health, a pharmacy that specializes in providing infusion treatments to patients in their homes, or in care locations other than hospitals or medical centers.
Their combined goal is to give people care location options while attending to each patient’s therapeutic needs.
“The Virtis Health model caters to Alabama’s growing population by providing easily accessible care and bringing additional resources to patients, providers and payors statewide,” Susan Artabasy, Virtis regional vice president, said in a press release. “We are confident our services will be embraced and rapidly accepted as a clinically advantageous outpatient option.”
In the U.S., Soleo is the distributor of Vyvgart (efgartigimod), an approved treatment for generalized MG (gMG) that was developed by Argenx.
Soliris (eculizumab) and Ultomiris (ravulizumab) are other approved gMG treatments that require infusions. Both of these therapies were originally developed by Alexion Phamaceuticals, which is now part of AstraZeneca.
The two new ambulatory centers provide an array of treatment management services, as well as therapies for those with MG and other autoimmune-related conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.
Virtis ambulatory infusion centers also treat and manage patients who have inflammatory conditions like Crohn’s disease, thyroid eye disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis, in addition to primary immunodeficiency disorders and rare and ultra-rare diseases.
The center in Mobile is at 2866 Dauphin Center, Suite Q. The address for Virtis Health Birmingham is 2100 Riverchase Center, Suite 310, in Hoover. Both centers accept Medicare and Medicaid and a wide range of private health insurance plans.
Nurse practitioner Rachael Rutledge, who has more than 18 years of healthcare experience, will handle daily operations and supervise clinical practice at the Mobile center, while Jeffrey Burkett, also a nurse practitioner, will perform the same duties at Birmingham. Burkett has more than 11 years of healthcare experience, including stints in public health, urgent care, and family practice.
At their respective centers, Rutledge and Burkett will manage all patient needs, including administering intravenous (into-the-vein) and injectable medications, and monitoring patients’ health status during and following treatment. Both centers are supported by clinical pharmacists.
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