How To Tell If A Ketamine Clinic Is Trustworthy
Thinking of pursuing ketamine therapy? Then you will want to be able to tell whether a ketamine clinic is trustworthy or not. No two ketamine clinics are alike. They can differ in many ways, varying in their credibility and quality of treatment, for example. It is relatively easy to set up a ketamine clinic. This has caused experts to voice concerns about unscrupulous or low-quality health centers opening, providing ketamine therapy without putting proper oversight.
In this article, we will detail all of the features that influence the trustworthiness of a ketamine clinic. This will help when choosing a clinic that will ensure treatment is safe, respectful and caring.
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“When deciding if a ketamine clinic is right for you, make sure you do your due diligence by taking some preliminary inquisitive steps,” says Dr. Rafael Cruz, founder of Kentuckiana Integrative Medicine outside of Louisville, KY. “Call the clinic and ask to speak to the physician in charge. If he or she is too busy to speak with you, then they may not be the right fit.”
First, Check the Credentials of the Ketamine Clinical Team
A ketamine clinic will have a psychiatrist who will determine if any prevalent symptoms are appropriate for ketamine treatment. These mental health conditions include major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
It is important to speak to a psychiatrist who has experience when it comes to mental health assessments. This is because a misdiagnosis could be risky. Some mental health issues do not mix well with psychedelics, with schizophrenia being one of them. Research has demonstrated that ketamine can exacerbate psychotic symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. If a psychiatrist fails to discern that a patient has a psychotic disorder (e.g. schizophrenia), or that he/she is at risk for one due to family history, then ketamine treatment could worsen mental health.
Many people have comorbid psychiatric disorders, such as both depression and schizophrenia. Others possess a condition combining symptoms of two disorders (e.g. schizoaffective disorder, which involves both schizophrenic and mood disorder symptoms). Ketamine therapy could help with only depressive symptoms, treatment becomes riskier with signs of schizophrenia which go unnoticed by a ketamine clinic psychiatrist.
Also, ensure that the psychiatrist is well-experienced when it comes to providing ketamine therapy. He or she should be knowledgeable about all aspects of ketamine. This includes safety, efficacy, dosage, risks, side effects, preparation, and aftercare. Reputable psychiatrists at a clinic should be ready to respond to issues and concerns in an attentive and personalized fashion.
Make Sure the Ketamine Clinic has the Right Staff
Some ketamine clinics are run by anesthesiologists, who have the most experience in administering ketamine. However, they may have no experience in dealing with mental health issues. This means they will merely provide you with the drug, without assessing your mental health. Treating mental health issues with ketamine therapy involves more than just the drug. It also needs to include therapy treatments, which can address the underlying issues. Any trustworthy ketamine clinic should have medically (MD, NP, PA credentialed and ACLS-trained) staff on site during dose administration.
On the other hand, psychiatrists may operate clinics as well. These professionals can address the mental health needs of patients but who have no experience in administering ketamine infusions. This means they will rely on nurses to provide and monitor infusions. Unfortunately, nurses do not have the same level of experience and training that anesthesiologists have in this respect. Nurses will not understand the drug treatment and its dangers to the same extent, nor will they be as equipped to deal with rare possible reactions.
When looking for the most trustworthy clinic, one which offers the best and most effective treatment, opt for a facility run by anesthesiologists, psychiatrists or emergency physicians.
Dr. Cruz adds, “Emergency Medicine Physicians and Anesthesiologists are generally the most experienced in the use of ketamine and how to handle any rare complications.”
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Check That the Clinic Has Positive Testimonials
Another way to check if a ketamine clinic is trustworthy is to make sure that the center has positive testimonials and referrals. This will help to bring you some peace of mind before undergoing treatment. There are many factors to keep an eye out for while reading reviews of a ketamine clinic. These include the following.
- Trust. Get to know the skills, knowledge, experience, and personal qualities of the psychiatrist.
- The level of care provided by other staff at the clinic. Nurses and assistants should be friendly and caring, making patients feel comfortable when going to the ketamine clinic for treatment. If reviews generally indicate that the staff looks after patient needs, it instills confidence about the ketamine clinic.
- Safety and cleanliness. These factors also reflect the trustworthiness of a ketamine clinic. Any respectable ketamine treatment center should place a high priority on safety and cleanliness, as your health and comfort levels deserve the utmost consideration.
- Transparency. The degree to which concerns, questions, and issues are adequately addressed, throughout the treatment process (from consultation to aftercare).
- The quality of preparation and aftercare. For preparation, this means that staff at the ketamine clinic provided comprehensive, evidence-based information on how you should prepare for your ketamine infusions, addressing topics such as medications, fasting before treatment, and anything else that might affect treatment. In terms of aftercare, your ketamine provider should help you deal with any side effects or after-effects of treatment, as well as keep in touch with you after your infusions to gauge your response.
- The success rate of the ketamine clinic. If reviews generally show that a ketamine treatment center significantly improved — or resolved — people’s conditions, then you can feel assured that this clinic will be able to offer you relief as well.
“Visit the clinic to get a feel for the environment to make sure it’s right for you. Does the clinic feel warm, healing and inviting or is it a ‘mill?'” says Dr. Cruz.
In Conclusion
There are many different factors that influence the trustworthiness of a ketamine clinic. Remember to keep these points in mind before choosing a particular facility. Also, if there are any doubts about one or more clinics, always book a consultation for further information. This gives a chance to see the clinic and speak with the psychiatrist in person. If you don’t feel comfortable with the facility or staff, for whatever reason, it’s worth considering some other clinics.
“No other mental health treatment provides as rapid relief from suicidal thinking, depression, PTSD, OCD, severe anxiety, reactive depression, migraines, fibromyalgia, neuropathy as quickly as ketamine therapy,” add Dr. Cruz.
The more options one has, the easier it will be to know which provider is likely to offer the safest and most effective treatment. A trustworthy ketamine provider should always be willing and available to assist with your questions or concerns, both before and after treatment. There are plenty of options available, so make sure to find the best ketamine therapy clinic near you.
