Support for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
We provide therapy, support and resources for people affected by irritable bowel disease (IBD), like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Support for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and other types of IBD are long-lasting inflammatory diseases that cause irritation and swelling in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
Sometimes these diseases are caused by autoimmune reactions. Other times, they can be caused by genetics and run in families or be triggered by environmental factors and inflammation. While they often have similar symptoms, different therapies are used to treat different digestive system diseases.
Patient services
Starting treatment for IBD can be overwhelming. With Optum® Specialty Pharmacy and Optum Infusion Pharmacy, you will be connected with a specially trained team of experts who provide treatment based on your unique needs and lifestyle.
All our patients have free access to Optum Connections, a collection of digital tools and resources built to help you manage your condition.
For example, you can schedule private virtual visits from the comfort of your own home. You can also watch a helpful video series sharing more information from both health care providers and other patients dealing with your condition.
Our clinical teams can also help you get the most out of your treatment plan through extra personalized care and support. We'll help you better understand your medical condition and treatment through one-on-one phone calls with a pharmacist or nurse who is trained in your medical condition, follow-up consultations and more. Learn more about Optum Connections.
You can always access our online resource library of articles providing more information on how to live your healthiest life. Read more articles.
Treatment options
Though there’s no cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, there are medications that can help reduce inflammation and treat your symptoms. Treatment includes medications that are taken by mouth, given as a shot or as an infusion.
Depending on your condition, you may receive your treatment from Optum® Specialty Pharmacy, Optum® Infusion Pharmacy or both at the same time. For example, sometimes we treat Crohn's disease with both oral and infused medications.
Meet Raquel
See how Optum Infusion Pharmacy patient Raquel, a young mother, manages her Crohn's disease while living her life, her way.
Meet Raquel, a Woman with Crohn's Disease
I work a lot. I am a hotel manager, but as of two weeks, I'm a business owner as well. It's small, it's in the Florida Mall, but we're getting there. Me and my husband, in the long run, we know it's gonna be able to give us the freedom that we want to be able to spend time with our family. So, my first home infusion, I was very scared. I was being sent home with two drains, I've never had a drain in my life. So the next day, nurse shows up, they talk to me about not other patients specifically, but an overall that I'm not the only one, right? Like there's other people that go through what you're doing and this is what we do, this is how we can help you. They were there for me at all times. In the first few weeks, they explained to me everything that they were gonna do to help me and if that I needed something, that I could just call them right away, that it didn't need to be in certain specific times like a doctor's office. Before, I had to drive an hour, and sometimes more based depending on traffic, then I had to go to the office, the medical office where I had to wait until they actually got to me to start my IV and start the infusion. I also had to either take a day off of work because I could only get the treatment during a certain time, or I had to work right after my treatment. Now I can go to work, schedule it for the evening, she goes, like the nurse goes to my house. We do the treatment, I'm asleep, and I'm done for the day, like that's it, I don't have to be worrying about driving or falling asleep while I'm driving or me having to go back to work afterwards, so it gives me the whole day back. Also, the nurse is there, so we have built a relationship and the other day, she nail polished my daughter's nails, you know? So it's just the little things that make it all feel more comfortable and better than having to go to an office, just having it done at your home environment, with your family there to support you. I'm like, "When you get here, the door's unlocked, "just come in, you know where to set up, "you know where things are," and it's like a family now. She's part of our family. And at some point, my insurance changed, between 2017 to 18, I told my nurse I didn't want anybody else, I wanted to keep that same person, because they were already part of my family, so they pushed and pushed until it finally got approved and I was able to stay. At some point, you're gonna say, "You're like family now," 'cause you'll talk about things, you'll talk about life, they're not just there looking at you and not doing, you talk to them about your family, their family, work, this and that. So they do become someone important in your life. You won't regret it, and it's gonna give you time back, you don't have to go and drive to a center to get your infusions done. They come to your home at the convenience of your time and your day, so it's gonna be worth it to have the home infusion done.
Helpful information
We provide easy access to some of the most popular tools, information and links.
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* 2020 Optum Specialty Pharmacy internal analysis