Private Infusion Centers Expand Care Options for Chronic Illness Patients
DENVER, Colo. — As the number of patients requiring infusion-based therapies for chronic illnesses continues to rise, privately owned, standalone infusion centers are emerging as a vital alternative to traditional hospital and doctor’s office settings. These centers provide a more convenient and often more affordable option for individuals managing conditions such as Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and increasingly, Alzheimer’s disease.
According to Kavita V. Nair, a professor of neurology and pharmacy at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, private infusion centers offer significant advantages in terms of accessibility. “If you have a chronic disease that requires infusion therapy, you can go someplace close to you, and that place may be open at night and on weekends, unlike a hospital infusion center,” she explained.
Standalone infusion centers, often located in retail areas or pharmacies, are designed specifically for the administration of biologic therapies and other infusion medications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that over 40 million Americans suffer from diseases commonly treated with infusion therapies, including autoimmune and neurological disorders. With the Food and Drug Administration’s recent approvals of infusion treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, a condition projected to affect up to 15 million people by 2030, the demand for these outpatient services is expected to grow.
Industry data from the National Infusion Center Association indicates that more than 800 standalone infusion centers currently operate across the United States, many affiliated with large corporate chains. While hospitals still administer the majority of infusion therapies, these centers now account for about 5% of all such treatments nationally, a figure anticipated to increase as more infusion-based drugs enter the market.
One of the driving forces behind the rise of private infusion centers is cost. Infusion treatments at large academic medical centers can reach up to $5,000 per session, often inflated by facility fees that cover hospital overhead. In contrast, private centers typically have lower overhead and can charge significantly less — sometimes as little as one-fifth of the hospital cost. This shift has been encouraged by commercial insurers who increasingly decline to cover infusions administered in traditional hospital settings.
Shaya Fogel, Chief Operating Officer of Noble Infusion, which operates three centers in Florida, emphasized the importance of accreditation and expertise in ensuring patient safety. “Most centers accredited by the National Infusion Center Association are able to work with patients’ insurers to get services covered,” he said. Accreditation requires centers to meet stringent standards related to medication storage and preparation, facility cleanliness, and staff qualifications, including nurses, pharmacists, and consulting physicians.
Fogel’s centers focus exclusively on patients with chronic illnesses, administering medications such as denosumab for osteoporosis, ocrelizumab for multiple sclerosis, and infliximab for autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s and rheumatoid arthritis. They also provide infusion therapies for Alzheimer’s disease, including recently approved drugs like donanemab and lecanemab.
“The hospital was everybody’s answer for infusion until now, but a lot of patients just won’t go to a hospital,” Fogel noted. “We offer a calm, personal and professional environment, with locations that are easy to get to, with parking.” This patient-centered approach aims to foster relationships between nurses and patients, enhancing comfort during what can be lengthy treatment sessions.
Patients considering infusion therapy outside of hospital settings are advised to consult their healthcare providers and verify that any chosen center is properly accredited and staffed by qualified professionals. The Food and Drug Administration continues to approve new infusion therapies, with over 550 treatments currently authorized and more than 250 in development, underscoring the growing role these centers will play in chronic disease management.
As the healthcare landscape evolves, private infusion centers represent a promising model that balances accessibility, cost, and specialized care for millions of Americans living with chronic conditions.
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