Facts

Ketamine Infusion Therapy intake process

Ketamine treatment requires a thorough assessment. The approval intake process is crucial to the success of any potential treatment.

  1. Schedule an initial no-charge, 15 minute telephone consultation with our clinic director, Steve Gittelman.  He will discuss your specific situation, explain the treatment protocol and pre-screen for contraindications to determine if Ketamine may be an appropriate treatment in your specific situation.
  2. Once the initial consultation is complete and it's determined that you may be a good candidate for treatment, we email you a link to our patient portal to complete a full medial history, answer several mood questionnaires, complete a records authorization release form (ROI) and complete patient privacy and clinic policies forms.
  3. Steve Gittelman reviews your submitted medical history and provides a recommendation to move forward in the intake process by requesting a Ketamine treatment referral from your current psychiatric provider or scheduling a psychiatric assessment to provide a medical/psychiatric clearance specific to Ketamine treatment.
  4. A full psychiatric assessment is scheduled with our psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP).
  5. Once the psychiatric assessment is complete and if you are approved and cleared to receive Ketamine infusion treatment, you schedule your initial telehealth preparation appointment with our certified psychedelic integration guide and your initial 6 infusion appointments.

The intake process must be completed before any Ketamine treatment is approved and scheduled

Will you accept my current psychiatric provider's referral for Ketamine treatment?

All new mood patients must complete a thorough psychiatric assessment and be cleared for Ketamine treatment. We happily accept referrals from your current psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner if they meet the following requirements.

  • an evaluation specific for Ketamine that includes a full medical/psychiatric assessment and clearance to screen contraindications of Ketamine treatment
  • all applicable psychiatric or medical diagnosis and corresponding diagnosis codes
  • all current medications
  • specific referral for Ketamine treatment
  • must be current within the previous 6 months

Once we received your psychiatric referral and a Steve Gittelman has cleared you for infusions, we then schedule your preparation appointment and initial series of infusions.

Please note: we are unable to accept psychiatric referrals from therapists who are not able to medically clear a person for a controlled substance treatment. We collaborate with therapists and other current healthcare providers for integration and continuity of care.

How long does it take to complete the Ketamine infusion intake?

If you choose to schedule your psychiatric assessment with a Rocky Mountain Mind and Body Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, the intake process typically takes 3 to 5 days if you complete all the required intake forms, medical history, and consents.  If you choose to use your current psychiatric provider, the intake process time line can significantly increase due to the time it takes to send out, verify, and receive a Ketamine specific referral.

How quick can I schedule Ketamine infusion appointments?

Once your intake process is complete and you are cleared for Ketamine infusion therapy treatment, we are currently scheduling initial infusions approximately 3 to 7 days out for 90 minute mood appointments.

Do you accept insurance?

Rocky Mountain Mind and Body does not currently contract with any insurance carriers. This means we do not accept insurance plans directly. Our psychiatric services are currently out of network and self pay.  We do require medication management payment for services paid on the day of all medication management appointments and prepayment for all Ketamine infusion treatments.

While we do not accept insurance, we can provide you with a "superbill," which is a detailed receipt for services that include all applicable insurance billing codes.  Some insurance plans may reimburse you for a portion of the cost. We recommend contacting your insurance company prior to your appointment to see if submitting a superbill is an option and to address any other questions you may have. We will happily provide the applicable billing code to speak to your insurance company about.

We understand that paying out-of-pocket can be stressful, and we strive to minimize unnecessary appointments for medication management services and Ketamine infusion therapy. The frequency of your visits depend on your individual needs. In the case of psychiatric medication management services, typically, if we are working to stabilize your symptoms or manage medication side effects, we may request to see you every 4-6 weeks. Once you are feeling better and more stable, appointments may be spaced out to every three months or longer for ongoing medication management. We collaborate with you regarding your care.

For Ketamine infusion services, the typical protocol is to start with an induction series of 6 infusions for mood disorders. After the induction phase of Ketamine infusion therapy, a patient enters the maintenance phase of treatment.  Some patients may feel the need to return within a few weeks to months to continue to stabilize when others may push out their maintenance infusions to several months or longer.  Each patient's individual needs and situation determines the frequency of maintenance infusions.

What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept credit cards, FSA/HSA/HRA cards, cash, and the Advance Care Card accepted. Please check your FSA/HSA/HRA accounts for eligibility requirements.

Are there other financing options?

Rocky Mountain Mind and Body is listed as a Ketamine therapy provider under the Advanced Care Card which offers financing options for Ketamine Infusion Therapy.  Rocky Mountain Mind and Body does not set the terms of financing or have any control if you are approved for financing. We provide information on the Advanced Care Card as a courtesy only and have no other affiliation with them.  Please click the following link to research and contact the Advanced Care Card if interested in learning more.

Ketamine treatment contraindications?

There are several patient safety contraindications to Ketamine treatment for underlying conditions such as:

  • uncontrolled hypertension
  • certain heart diseases
  • certain types of stroke
  • bladder diseases
  • elevated pressure in the eye
  • schizophrenia
  • active psychosis
  • active mania
  • being in the hypo-mania stage of bi-polar

The issues listed above are not inclusive and not intended to convey every contraindication to Ketamine treatment. A thorough psychiatric assessment specific to Ketamine is extremely important and directly correlates to the potential success of Ketamine therapy.  Patient safety and providing the most effective treatment is our highest concern.

What are the age limits for Ketamine treatment?

We have extensive pediatric experience and treat patients from age 13 up. When considering treating patients under the age of 18, we collaborate closely with that patient's current medical and psychiatric healthcare providers to determine if Ketamine is an appropriate treatment.

Is Ketamine therapy a scientifically proven treatment?

The World Health Organization has listed Ketamine as an Ketamine WHO Essential Medicine. Additionally, The National Institute of Health has studied Ketamine for depression for more than 15 years. There is scientific research proving the effectiveness of this treatment, which means controlled, double-blind, peer-reviewed studies at major institutions. Researchers at Yale pioneered this research nearly 20 years ago and published the first major study in 2000. Since then, dozens more Ketamine studies have been conducted at Yale and other major institutions including NIH, The VA, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Mt. Sinai Medical School, Oxford University, and many more around the world.

Can Ketamine treatment relieve Depression, PTSD, Suicidal thoughts, bi-polar or OCD?

Approximately 75 to 80% of patients with treatment-resistant depression experience rapid relief after a low-dose Ketamine infusion treatment. Similar success rates have been seen in returning combat veterans suffering from PTSD.  Ketamine may work rapidly and may result in partial or complete remission of symptoms in a short period of time.

How long does Ketamine treatment last for depression and chronic pain?

Research shows a series of 6 treatments over 2 to 3 weeks may provide remission lasting months. Some patients may go 3-6 months before needing another maintenance treatment while some may need one treatment every few weeks to 1-2 months.  Each person's response to Ketamine infusion treatment varies. We work closely with you to determine the most effective and appropriate treatment plan.

 

What is Neuropathic Pain?

Neuropathic pain, also known as nerve pain, is a type of chronic pain that occurs when nerves in the central or peripheral (or both) nervous system become injured or damaged. It is a complex, chronic pain state that usually is accompanied by tissue injury. With neuropathic pain, the nerve fibers themselves might be damaged, dysfunctional, or injured. These damaged nerve fibers send incorrect signals to other pain centers. The impact of a nerve fiber injury includes a change in nerve function both at the site of injury and areas around the injury. If you or someone you care about has nerve pain, you know that it can erode quality of life.

What are some of the causes of Neuropathic Pain?

This is a partial list of causes:

  • Alcoholism
  • Amputation
  • Chemotherapy
  • Diabetes
  • Facial nerve problems
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Nerve or spinal cord compression from herniated discs or from arthritis in the spine
  • Shingles
  • Spine surgery
  • Thyroid problems

Does Ketamine treat chronic nerve pain?

Scientific research has demonstrated Ketamine may be effective in 75% to 80% depending your the specific pain diagnosis. The mechanism of action is different than the medications used for acute pain such as dilaudid, percocet, vicodin, morphine and others. Ketamine blocks the NMDA receptors in the brain from receiving a constant barrage of input from pain receptors. Results may be felt  in as fast as 1-2 hours after receiving high dose Ketamine Infusion therapy. Potential long term relief requires a series of infusions.

Ketamine is Mu Opioid Sparing

Ketamine produces an opioid sparing effect (mu opioid sparing and opioid potentiation) and many patients are able to reduce their opioid intake by as much as 50% or more. Some patients are able to permanently eliminate opioids.