TRAVEL TIPS

We’re Here to Help, No Matter How or Where You Travel

When we talk about your treatment journey, it’s not just a figure of speech. We understand that when our patients travel, it requires special planning and care. Whether you’re traveling by ground or air, we’re here to help you prepare for a smooth and stress-free journey.

Traveling by Ground

  1. Plan Ahead:
    • Ensure you have enough supplies to last the duration of your trip, plus a few extra days in case of delays.
    • Always know how to get in touch with your doctor, pharmacy, and home health care specialist just in case you need to call them for special assistance.
    • Make arrangements for refrigeration at your destination for storing your medication if needed.
      If you are staying in a hotel, call ahead to ensure there is a refrigerator in your room.
  2. Packing Your Supplies:
    • Use a sturdy, insulated bag or cooler to transport your medication, keeping them at the recommended temperature.
    • Pack your infusion pump, batteries, IV poles, dressings, and all necessary accessories.
    • Include a Sharps container for safe disposal of needles and other sharp objects.
  3. Comfort and Safety:
    • Plan for frequent stops to check your infusion site and equipment.
    • Make sure your infusion site is clean before starting your journey.
    • Stay hydrated and maintain a balanced diet to support your overall health while traveling.
  4. Emergency Preparedness:
    • Carry a copy of your medical records and emergency contact information.
    • Know locations of hospitals and/or medical facilities along your route.
    • Keep a backup power source for your infusion pump (if needed).
Amerita Travel Tips

Traveling by Air

  1. Pre-Flight Preparation:
    • Contact the airline at least 72 hours in advance to find out if your medical supplies are allowed through security checkpoints.
    • Obtain a letter from your physician detailing your condition, medications, and any special needs during the flight.
    • Put everything in zippered plastic bags so that it will be easier to pull them out at security checkpoints.
    • Consider applying for the TSA Pre Check® option if you travel regularly. This will allow you to surpass removing shoes, hats, jackets, and liquids from your luggage during the screening process.
    • The TSA Cares Hotline can provide additional assistance at 1-855-787-2227.
  2. Packing and Security:
    • Pack your medications and supplies in your carry-on bag to avoid the risk of lost luggage.
    • Carry extra supplies in case of flight delays.
    • Use insulated bags or coolers with ice packs to keep medication cool (if needed).
  3. At the Airport:
    • Arrive early to allow extra time for security checks.
    • Inform the TSA agents about your medical condition and the need to carry your medication and supplies.
    • Be prepared to explain and show documentation if requested.
  4. In-Flight Care:
    • Choose a seat with easy access to the aisle for frequent bathroom trips and movement.
    • Monitor your infusion site and equipment regularly during the flight.
    • Stay hydrated and adjust your infusion schedule as needed based on the duration of your flight.
Amerita Travel Tips

Useful Links

TSA Cares: Disabilities and Medical Conditions

TSA Notification Card: Individuals with Disabilities and Medical Conditions

TSA Pre-Check

CDC Travel Health Information

Safe travels from Amerita!

Tracy James

Tracy James
Vice President, Marketing

Tracy James is a results-oriented and data-driven marketing professional who is responsible for the development of robust marketing strategies to drive positive script growth, increase patient engagement, and expand our digital marketing presence.


Tracy has over 20 years of strategic marketing, branding & product positioning knowledge within the pharmacy, healthcare, retail, and consumer packaged goods industries.


Tracy has also held agency roles working on brands such as Rite Aid, General Nutrition Centers, and GlaxoSmithKline, and most recently, led marketing efforts for Giant Eagle Pharmacy.


Tracy holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and Management from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania.

Ryan Fluharty

Ryan Fluharty
Vice President, Enterprise Optimization

Ryan Fluharty is responsible for driving transformation and optimization within the Amerita Revenue Cycle function. This includes full ownership of Billing, Cash Applications, 3rd Party Payer and Patient Collections, Audits, Training, Quality, and Data Enablement.


Ryan joined Amerita with more than 10 years of operations, technology, and analytics leadership experience. He comes with a track record of driving transformation across multiple disciplines, resulting in multi-million dollar cost savings along with multi-million dollar revenue growth.


He has served in multiple senior level roles leading client services, vendor management, call center and pharmacy operations, workforce management, technology enablement, sales enablement, and reporting & analytics with RxCrossroads, McKesson, and A Place For Mom.


Ryan holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, with a focus on Healthcare and is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.

Ariel Zlicha

Ariel Zlicha, PharmD, CSP
Vice President of Operations

Ariel Zlicha joins the Executive Team at Amerita as Vice President of Pharmacy Operations, where he will be responsible for the overall operations of Amerita’s 34 pharmacy locations.

Prior to stepping into this role, Ariel served as Director of Pharmacy Operations for Amerita. In this role he was responsible for the overall operational leadership of the nursing teams with a focus on standardizing processes and improving productivity, while maintaining a high level of patient care. Before coming to Amerita, Ariel held director level roles in various pharmacy practice settings including retail, hospice, and oncology. He brings over 12 years of pharmacy experience with a focus on operational optimization.

Ariel holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Stony Brook University and a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) from Nova Southeastern University. Ariel is board certified in specialty pharmacy (CSP) and is licensed to practice pharmacy in over 30 states.

Julie Owen

Julie Owen
PharmD, CSP, BCOP
Senior Vice President of Operations

Julie Owen joins the Executive Team at Amerita as Senior Vice President of Operations, where she is a responsible for the overall Leadership of the Operations department.

As a seasoned results-driven healthcare professional with over 15 years of pharmacy management experience, Julie has served in a variety of progressively senior roles Operations leadership roles within the BrightSpring Health brands. Her experience includes Pharmacist, Pharmacy Director, Senior Director, and Vice President Pharmacy Operations while at PharMerica, Onco360 and Amerita.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology with a minor in Chemistry from Louisiana State University and received her Pharmacy Doctorate (PharmD) from the University of Kentucky. Her post-graduate distinctions include a Board-Certification in Oncology Pharmacy (BCOP), a Certification in Specialty Pharmacy (CSP), and multi-state licensure in over 25 states.

Julie strives to ensure Amerita’s overall success in fulfilling its Mission, Vision and Values through her passion and effective leadership.

Steven Abbate
Steven Abbate
Senior Vice President, Sales

Steven has over 30 years of infusion and specialty pharmacy experience and is responsible for leading the hospital and physician sales team. His leadership highlights include results-driven revenue growth year-over-year, along with operational and employee development.

He joined the team in 2022 after serving as Senior VP of Growth at Amedisys Home Health and Hospice. Steven also spent more than 17 years at CVS Health Coram where he began as the Vice President of Sales in the Southeast Region and worked his way to become the Vice President of Sales.

Steven holds a B.S. in Business/Marketing from Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.
Alex Katen
Alex Katen
Chief Financial Officer

Alex Katen has been in the pharmacy industry for over 21 years and brings extensive finance, accounting, payor contracting, procurement, inventory management, and revenue cycle management experience to Amerita.

He has served as the Chief Financial Officer for AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy, a specialty and home delivery pharmacy wholly owned by Walgreens, where he was responsible for all finance, accounting, inventory management, and revenue cycle management functions with demonstrated success in value optimization and continuous improvement. He has also held various Finance roles, including VP of Finance, with Walgreens, Liberty Medical Supply Pharmacy, Akamai Technologies, and First Union Securities.

Alex successfully passed the Certified Public Accounting examination and in 1999 was awarded his CPA license in Florida. He earned a Master of Science in Accountancy from Wake Forest University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina.