Louis Sokos Takes Healthcare to Patients’ Homes

WVU Medicine is actively expanding its home infusion operations, transforming what was a few dedicated workstations in its specialty pharmacy to a robust program delivering cutting-edge infused medications and services directly to patients’ homes. This expansion marks a shift from a primarily outsourced service to a fully integrated business within the home health division of WVU Medicine.

Meeting the demand for a cost-effective site of care, home infusion is a cornerstone of the future of healthcare. Louis Sokos, the assistant vice president of specialty pharmacy and home infusion services at WVU Medicine, has long recognized this program’s potential.

Sokos oversees two departments he and his executive team built from scratch. His foresight into the pivotal role of home infusion in the evolving US healthcare market stems from his experience launching WVU Medicine’s specialty pharmacy. Nearly a decade ago, specialty pharmacy was in its infancy; today, it is a nearly $60 billion industry.

“Home infusion over the last couple of years feels like specialty pharmacy did eight or ten years ago,” Sokos explains. “I saw the disruption that shipping products from outside pharmacies into our infusion center caused for our patient care model, and it was clear we needed a homegrown solution to better manage our patients, rather than relying on disjointed outside resources.”

Home infusion offers numerous benefits. It is often more cost-effective, can shorten or eliminate unnecessary hospital stays, and curtail infections. These benefits lead to better patient outcomes. Additionally, it is simply more convenient for patients.

“If you’re going to do it well, you want to learn every part of your business.”

Louis Sokos

Grandview Research predicts a compound annual growth rate of 7.7 percent for the home infusion market over the next five years. Sokos believes it makes sense for WVU to focus on integrating home infusion into its post-acute strategy and marketing this service within its hospital network to actively manage and improve outcomes for its patients.

Sokos frequently uses “we” when discussing his work. While he may have been the guiding hand behind much of the value creation at WVU, he attributes the success to collective effort. This humility, whether rooted in West Virginian culture or a deep understanding of organizational dynamics, underscores the importance of buy-in, communication, and teamwork in driving change.

WVU is the largest healthcare system and private employer in West Virginia. Over his eleven years at WVU, Sokos has played a significant role in its growth, from creating a specialty pharmacy program, to expanding mail-order and billing services, to home infusion. He has steadily grown his team’s capacity to serve patients.

Sokos emphasizes the importance of collaboration and continuous learning. “I traveled to several locations across the country while building our home infusion business to learn best practices from multiple health systems,” he says. “You have to keep the patient at the forefront and be open-minded about finding the best ways to serve them.”

Sokos credits Fairview Pharmacy Services, affiliated with the University of Minnesota, as an invaluable mentor. Fairview’s willingness to share insights has been instrumental as WVU strives to become a leader in the home infusion space.

For those beginning their pharmacy careers, Sokos advises learning the intricacies of the business to become well-rounded leaders. “If you’re going to do it well, you want to learn every part of your business,” he says. “Patience is key so that when you’re ready to lead, you possess the necessary skills and knowledge.”

Outside of work, Sokos values his commitment to family and faith, which he describes as the three-legged stool of his life values. He finds happiness in serving others, both professionally and personally.

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