Is Now A Good Time To Open Up A Ketamine Infusion Clinic?

We are certainly living in an interesting time. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed life as we know it. Physician burnout is at an all time high. Plus, the stability we originally thought existed in the healthcare field has been shaken.  Perhaps you are a physician who was furloughed, sick of the loss of autonomy, or simply realized you no longer wanted to work in a large healthcare system that is not looking out for you. Whatever the reason you are here reading this right now, and considering the questions: “Should I open a ketamine infusion clinic? And is now the right time to do it?”

In this blog we are going to explore the reasons why you should open now, even during these challenging times. And we’re going to cut to the chase, we believe you SHOULD, especially if it is aligned with your intentions, goals, and values.

Background About Ketamine and Outpatient Ketamine Clinics

Ketamine is an old drug invented in 1962 by Dr. Calvin Stevens and FDA approved for use as an anesthetic medication in 1970.  Ketamine is a member of the acrycolcoyhelaxiamine chemical group and works as a dissociative anesthetic predominantly via blockade of the NMDA receptor.   More recently, the off-label use of ketamine is making waves as another treatment option for depression, PTSD, anxiety, OCD, and various forms of chronic pain.  Some scientists are even calling ketamine the “biggest breakthrough in depression research” in the past 50 years. 

While most physicians are using IV ketamine in the ER and OR setting, there is an increasing demand for outpatient ketamine infusion treatments for mood and pain disorders. Accordingly, there are estimates of more than 200+ outpatient ketamine clinics in the USA, since the first published placebo-controlled, double-blinded study in 2000 by Dr. Berman et al.   Furthermore, with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic requiring isolation and social distancing, there are increasing rates of depression, PTSD, and suicide.

Unfortunately, standard medications such as antidepressants can take weeks to months to kick in and have significant side effects. Furthermore, some patients do not get symptomatic relief even while taking the medications daily. 

When Will You Now Open Your Ketamine Infusion Clinic?

According to the CDC, “during August 2020–February 2021, the percentage of adults with recent symptoms of an anxiety or a depressive disorder increased from 36.4% to 41.5%.” (Link)

The demand for an effective and rapid acting treatment is growing, as traditional treatments may not be effective enough. Ketamine is here and has been here for a longtime. And you probably already use it and feel comfortable administering it already in your medical practice.  So why not take the leap? 

Perhaps you have seen the innovation curve below. As of this writing, we are in between the innovator and early adoption phase.  

By Rogers Everett - Based on Rogers, E. (1962) Diffusion of innovations. Free Press, London, NY, USA., Public Domain

Both patients and physicians are just beginning to realize the significance of ketamine therapy. Those who are seeking and offering IV ketamine therapy treatment are innovators & early adopters, similar to the first people who wait in line for the newest iPhone versus some people who hang on to their old school Nokia forever. Because of the slow, yet growing demand for ketamine infusions, there is so much room for expansion and potential. As the demand naturally increases, so will the need for the supply of clinics to increase. 

So the question you need to ask yourself, do you want to start now at the early phase of growth or at the boom?

Why Open Now When Insurances Don’t Cover Ketamine Infusion Treatments?

Part of the burnout and frustration many physicians face is related to the administrative burden placed on them.  Are you billing properly? Did you document everything to bill at the highest level?  But make sure you don’t over bill!! 

Remember when you were in medical school and were taught how to write a SOAP note?  The intent was to document the necessary information to safely and effectively provide care for a patient! Now documentation has turned into a frustrating behemoth of denials, insane amounts of clicking, and prior authorizations.

Well when you don’t have to submit documentation to an insurance company, you don’t have to play their game. You can focus your time, energy, and money to create a sustainable business and a medical clinic that best serves your patient.

Research is continuing to demonstrate the effectiveness of ketamine to treat mood and pain disorders, so we believe it is only a matter of time before more and more insurance covers it.

As of this writing, Blue Shield of Massachusetts is beginning to cover ketamine infusions! Furthermore, intranasal esketamine is FDA approved, but not as effective as IV ketamine, and more expensive, so ketamine infusion coverage is in the pipeline. However, why wait? If you open now before others, you can establish yourself now and you’ll know the ropes before the rest of the doctors jump on in!

How Badly Do You Want To Change Your Life?

Humans don’t like change. You worked hard to become a physician working in a hospital or medical clinic. You have been indoctrinated into the status quo of a dysfunctional medical system. You might even be burning out and frustrated by the hospital administrators, but you also probably make pretty good money and you have a level of job security that many many people in other fields do not have. So why rock the boat? 

Regardless of how the economy is doing, and regardless of your financial situation you need to ask yourself, “How happy am I with my current situation?” If you are content, you won’t be ready no matter if it is the ideal or “perfect” time to open a ketamine clinic. 

When we opened our ketamine infusion clinic we were ready for a change. Both of us were tired of working really hard for a system where we had less autonomy. We were tired of spending countless hours on something that we didn’t own.  We also wanted to take back control of our lives. However, there came a moment when it was more painful for us to continue to work at our regular traditional clinical jobs than to take a chance in our dreams.  We wanted to have total control over our schedules. We badly wanted the change. So we took the leap.

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

— Anais Nin

The key to sustainable change is a gradual process. Did we quit both our jobs and immediately start the clinic? NO! Do we recommend doing that? NO!  We made small steps by cutting back to part time, which gave us space to start and establish our clinic. Then once our clinic was too busy for us to sustain both our business and our regular hospital jobs, only one of us left, then eventually the other! 

Bottom line: The time is NOW but only you can make the choice to start!

There are many hurdles to opening up a ketamine clinic, but this is also a blessing in disguise. You don’t have to navigate the headache that is insurance. Sure there is risk in starting a business during such a time of uncertainty, but there is also so much untapped possibility.  At the end of the day it comes down to you. Do you want to take a chance practicing medicine aligned with your values to help those in physical and emotional pain? If so we say take the leap now.

If you are ready to start a ketamine infusion clinic or if you already have a clinic and want to add ketamine infusions but not sure where to begin, WE CAN HELP YOU! 

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Physician burnout is at an all time high due to the challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. Many are seeking alternatives such as starting a ketamine clinic. However, is now a good time to do so? Read our blog to find out.