Connect
To Top

Meet Kevin Nicholson of Ketamine Wellness Centers

Avatar photo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Nicholson.

Kevin, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Over six years ago, Dr. Mark Murphy, Board Certified Anesthesiologist, and Dr. Ellen Diamond, Psychologist, were working with a company called Depression Recovery Centers treating patients with chronic depression, PTSD, OCD and suicidal ideations with low dose ketamine. Later, I joined the group as the CEO along with my wife, Julie, COO, as partners and formed a new company. Throughout the years we learned how to better evaluate patients and modulate the patient treatment plan to ensure the best possible outcome. In 2015, we became Ketamine Wellness Centers and moved to central Phoenix. At the same time, we added the treatment of neuropathic pain conditions. Within 10 months we had outgrown our 2000 sq./ft office and moved to a larger location in Mesa. When we first opened we had two full-time staff. We now we have 14 full time and part time staff. In April of 2017, we added our first satellite office in Tucson and are actively pursuing additional satellite locations in Colorado, Minnesota, Texas, and Nevada. We pride ourselves on our clinical program and the care we deliver to our patients. We have completed over 10,000 infusions with 0 adverse effects and our success rate in treating patients with treatment-resistant depression is >80% and >90% success with certain neuropathic pain conditions.

Has it been a smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road. The biggest challenge along the way is breaking the stigma of mental health and getting people to recognize that depression, PTSD, and suicidality are real, and they need to be treated like any other health condition. Just because you can’t see it, it is still very real.  We work hard to help patients and loved ones understand that it is okay to seek help.

The 2nd biggest issue is the medication ketamine. Ketamine is FDA approved as an anesthetic. It’s been around since 1970 and is still used in hospitals and veterinary offices. However, it has also been a drug of abuse (special K) because at large doses it causes significant hallucinations and out of body experiences. The challenge we faced and continue to face is people’s lack of understanding that with very low and safe doses of ketamine, administered in a controlled setting, and supervised by properly trained medical personnel, it can have immediate and dramatic effects on patient’s symptoms. We have seen lives completely changed when there was no hope.

The 3rd biggest issue is since ketamine is not FDA approved as an antidepressant, Ketamine Wellness Centers cannot bill insurance for treatment, so we are a cash-based business. For many people the cost is difficult, however the operating cost of the facility due to legal risk and private one on one care, the costs can be higher than some can afford. The challenge there is, as this treatment becomes better known other physicians are adding it to their established office practice.  However, many are not providing the appropriate monitoring, supervision, and follow-up at a discounted price. Unfortunately, based on our experience the treatment must be supervised and modulated for the best possible outcome or it may just not work for that individual and that is not fair to them if it’s possibly their last hope.

So, let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Ketamine Wellness Centers story. Tell us more about the business.
Ketamine Wellness Centers mission is to provide personalized, high-quality care for people suffering from afflictions where ketamine infusions have proven a successful treatment option while actively researching Ketamine’s efficacy to treat additional conditions.

I am most proud of our team. We have the most passionate and compassionate staff who truly care for each and every one of our patients. The hardest part of this business is when the treatment is ineffective or not as effective as hoped. Our staff are still able to maintain a personal relationship with the patients and if/when another option may be available, we will continue to be a part of their clinical family. I think our personalized care for every patient is really what sets us apart.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Currently, there are two large pharmaceutical companies in the process of completing clinical trials on a ketamine-like drug. Which, if successful, will be brought to the market and will be possibly covered by 3rd party payers. The hope of the community is that this medication would allow the patient to take it at home and not require in-clinic care. However, based on research, no matter the route of administration of the new drug it will require the patient to receive it at a clinic and will have to be monitored post administration for no less than two hours.

For some people, if insurance covers the treatment, it will provide them access to treatment when in the past the treatment was too costly. However, if the medication is very similar to ketamine and its mechanism of action, then the gold standard delivery method will still be IV for best dosage control.

Either way, Ketamine Wellness Centers is situated to continue to deliver the current ketamine infusions or anything new. If a patient would want the new medication, and their insurance will agree, Ketamine Wellness Centers will execute 3rd party payor agreements with those payors who are willing to add the new ketamine medication to their formulary.

Pricing:

  • Medical and Psychological screening = $100
  • Mental Health / Depression infusions = $625/treatment for first four infusions then $500 thereafter for maintenance treatments (2 hours)
  • Pain Treatments = $750/infusion (4-5 hours in duration)
  • Veteran and 1st Responder discounts available with proper ID.

Contact Info:

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

Related Items

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in