An inside look at what it takes to launch a ketamine clinic including first steps, navigating hurdles, potential pitfalls, which patients benefit from ketamine, and an exhortation about why you should (and shouldn’t) go into this type of business. 

Guest Bio: Dr. Samuel Ko is a Board Certified Emergency Physician and medical director of Reset Ketamine in Palm Springs, California. In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Ko is Co-Creator of an online course - Ketamine StartUp - which teaches other physicians how to start their own ketamine clinic.  During his free time, he practices yoga, meditation, reads voraciously, and relaxes with his amazing wife, daughter, and four-legged son. Find Sam on the Insta and Facebook.

Here is the link mentioned in this episode with some ketamine clinic startup SWAG (the ultimate checklist and business plan template) from Sam Ko for Stimulus listeners. 

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We Discuss:

• Why Sam started a ketamine clinic [04:45];
• What patients report after awakening from a ketamine procedural sedation in the ED [09:30];
• What it takes to open a ketamine clinic [11:45];
• How ketamine is administered [17:30];
• Adverse events during the infusion are rare [20:55];
• What happens when the patient enters the clinic [23:05]; 
• Mental preparation prior to the ketamine session [25:50];
• The 4 stages of ketamine therapy [28:10];
• Monitoring the patient during the experience [28:50];
• Liability, price, insurance coverage, and intranasal ketamine [30:10];
• Online telemedicine ketamine prescribing and therapy [35:30];
• What people get wrong when they start a ketamine clinic [40:40]; 
• Indications for ketamine therapy [43:20];
• Ketamine for neuropathic pain [44:50];
• Ketamine vs. antidepressants for mood disorders [49:15];