Making Healthcare Work for People: How Uptiv Health is Transforming Infusion Care for Patients Like Me
When I look back on the quality time my mom and I spent together growing up, much of it involved usual, everyday things you think would occupy a kid’s time: violin lessons, carpools to play dates, dance competitions, and training a puppy. And, yet, there’s one big piece of my life that perhaps informed our relationship just as much. For almost my entire childhood, every five weeks, my mom and I would check in to St. Paul Children’s Hospital for the day so that I could get Remicade infusions to control my Crohn’s disease.
Our monthly visits included movie marathons of every dog movie and romantic comedy DVD they had on the floor, quizzes on my multiplication tables from the nurses who quickly became active parts of my life, and rounds of popsicles from the nurses’ charge station. And, while I look back on that time fondly (both for the time it gave me with my mom and the way being on a medication like Remicade dramatically changed my quality of life), I often think now about how incredibly fortunate I was to have a family situation that enabled us to plan our lives around our trips to the hospital to get my monthly Remicade infusion.
Truthfully, most people do not have the time or flexibility to dedicate an entire day to getting a medication that enables them to live their life. Remicade infusions typically take about two hours to administer the medication and many more to work through the administrative process of a healthcare system. This process means that most patients are left spending precious PTO days at infusion centers, scrambling to find childcare, and rearranging their lives to fit the best available option at a clinic or hospital. Simply put, when patients are working hard to care for their health, they need a system that fits seamlessly into their lives instead of adding another daunting task to their already full to-do list.
Uptiv Health is changing the game for many patients who rely on easy, accessible medications via infusion. Medications given by infusion range from biologics for autoimmune disorders to vitamin supplements like iron to chemotherapy. And, patients who get infusions are dealing with a slew of ongoing health concerns like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and more. With Uptiv Health’s focus on clinical excellence and modern comfort, patients can get their infusions in a way that fits their life instead of planning their life around their infusions.
Visiting Uptiv Health
Visiting Uptiv Health during their flexible scheduling hours is more than just a logistical advantage for many patients. Getting their infusion at Uptiv Health is about a new patient experience—one where they have access to high-speed internet to work (if they need and want to), can relax in a private suite outfitted with a tv and streaming services, have the opportunity to socialize with other patients in the common areas, and are met by a care team that communicates clearly and transparently throughout the entire process. For people trying to juggle taking care of their health with the demands of their life, Uptiv Health finally offers a solution that makes infusion care feel less like a chore and puts the power in patients’ hands.
Truthfully, the ability to consistently get my Remicade infusions gave me my life back growing up. But, it was only accessible to me because I was fortunate enough that my mom could rearrange her life (including stepping away from her job for a bit) to take care of my needs. Most people don’t have that luxury.
It’s high time we rethink how people managing chronic illnesses can fit healthcare into their lives on their own terms and based on their wishes. And, with Uptiv, revolutionizing infusion care is just the beginning.
About Laurel Schwartz
Laurel Schwartz is an award-winning filmmaker, marketer, and social-impact professional. Her experience growing up with a chronic illness shaped her personal and professional life, leading her to build brands and create content that helps people live healthier lives. She holds her Master’s of Social Work from Columbia University, won overall best picture at the ReelAbilities Film Festival for her documentary about chronic illness, and earned a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 List for her work shepherding the Crisis Text Line brand.
About Uptiv
Uptiv Health is redefining infusion therapy for patients suffering from chronic conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and others. Treating the whole person, Uptiv Health offers a hybrid experience with comfortable, highly personalized in-person care, including services to support patients’ overall wellbeing, primary care physician referrals and a consumer-friendly digital platform. Via a user-friendly app, patients can onboard without paperwork, consult with their care team, schedule appointments, check-in, handle payments and monitor their symptoms. Uptiv Health accepts Medicare, is in-network with many health insurance plans in Michigan and provides completely transparent upfront pricing, at a substantially lower cost than traditional hospital infusion treatment centers.