Hello again and welcome. It is Susan from myketaminestory.com.
I am a huge Ketamine for Treatment Resistant Depression Advocate. I write about my experiences and journey with Ketamine Therapy on my personal website and also for The Injection and Infusion Clinic of Albuquerque. I have a long history with treatment resistant depression and anxiety disorders.
A brief look at my personal mental health report card includes numerous failed medication cocktails, ECT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Talk Therapy and hospitalizations, just to name a few. I admit I understand how all of these treatments could potentially help, but they never did for me.
It was a little over two and half years ago that I was introduced to Ketamine for depression. I am alive today because of a drug that is raising many questions and concerns from the professional world.
I recently spent a couple hours conversing with the founder of The Ketamine Academy, Mr. Jason Duprat. I asked him an array of questions, probably more than he expected to answer in my phone call to him. I asked a slew of questions in order to compile as much information as I could to help interested parties understand better why this online training program is one of a kind. I highly recommend it.
I am sticking with my standard Q & A format based entirely from my personal interview and the notes I scribbled down during my phone interview last week with Mr. Duprat. I would love to make an eloquent transition from these few sentences acting as an introduction straight into my dialogue and apologize for my laziness.
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine is basically an anesthetic drug that blocks pain. It was first developed in the 1960’s and was used to operate on soldiers during the Vietnam War. In the past, Ketamine has also been used as an animal tranquilizer. However, in more recent years, Ketamine has been a common theme in nightclubs and parties because of the “hallucination” element users have repeatedly enjoyed.
What types of illnesses can Ketamine help?
Ketamine can treat Treatment Resistant Depression and Neuropathic pain or nerve related injuries. There is a longer infusion time necessary for chronic pain conditions. Ketamine infusion for TRD is typically 45-50 minutes. Ketamine infusion therapy can last close to four hours for nerve or chronic pain diagnoses.
Will the Ketamine Academy have a community or forum for interested business owners to discuss the course and share helpful information?
Yes. There will be a discussion forum. We will also have a Facebook page for students to use to address questions, concerns, offer helpful tips, a space to share experiences, and a public forum to ask for suggestions.
What type of information do you wish you could have had available when you started the Injection and Infusion Clinic of Albuquerque, that the Ketamine Academy will provide?
I would have loved to have known all of the regulations I would need to look up and follow in order to establish myself as a Ketamine provider and open my clinic. I would have liked to know what the Ketamine protocol was and where to locate pertinent information for treating patients with Ketamine.
What do you mean by protocol?
Patient care and procedures, but more so I refer to the protocol for treatment. For example, what are the dosing ranges for Ketamine when administered by IV infusion to successfully treat depression and chronic pain? I had no idea where to locate the information. It would also have been nice to know what supplies I would need to have in my facility and how to order them.
Do you provide all of the forms needed to become a Ketamine provider?
No. We will direct our students to their state for licensing and regulation laws. We do not have any forms on The Ketamine Academy website, because each state has different regulations to follow.
Who can join the Ketamine Academy?
The Ketamine Academy welcomes anyone, but is geared towards Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA), Nurse Practitioners (NP), Physician Assistants (PA) and Physicians. I would like to mention that The Ketamine Academy’s training program can be used as continuing education by students.
What was the most frustrating element about becoming a Ketamine provider that you faced, and how does the Ketamine Academy remedy those discouraging delays?
The most frustrating aspect of becoming a Ketamine provider was definitely sorting through all the regulations. A close second would surely be webpage design and search engine optimization (SEO), an important element to improve business. I can confidently assure you that The Ketamine Academy training course will cover these issues rigorously. The Ketamine Academy accomplishes this goal by providing all of the information necessary to open your Ketamine clinic in one concentrated location. I would have loved having this training program available to me and feel this course has purpose, and practitioners will greatly benefit from my experience and the comprehensive online Ketamine Infusion Therapy training course.
Will students of the Ketamine Academy have access to new information, if available, after the completion of the course?
Yes. I am planning to implement email notifications to students on updates to the website.
Interesting. I really like being informed of changes and updates to a website. When The Ketamine Academy is using its mailing list, what will be included in these emails?
The Ketamine Academy will send website updates and all relevant course changes. When we discover new and exciting Ketamine related stories or studies, we will share these with our students, too.
Will you be continuously adding to the course content?
We are currently adding content regularly to the training program. However, once the course is completed and launched on December 1, 2017, very little will be added to the course outline. There are discussion forums that will be active and worth reviewing for additional support.
Will direct access to the instructor be available?
Absolutely.
The Ketamine Academy will also have an active Facebook page.
Once a business has been established, is that the end of the Ketamine Academy’s involvement?
Yes and no. Once you enroll in our course you will be placed on our mailing list and you will continue to receive updates when there are changes to the course content. The Ketamine Infusion Therapy training course includes 5 hours of mentorship. We also have additional consultation offers. You can purchase extended one-on-one time with the instructor. Don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have, and I will be happy to address them.
How did you decide to put together a training course to help individuals become Ketamine providers?
I had an overwhelming amount of inquiries requesting information on how to become a Ketamine provider. There were so many questions being sent my way. I decided to investigate the internet, and through my research, I discovered there was no online program available to help practitioners set up a Ketamine clinic to provide Ketamine infusions for Treatment Resistant Depression and chronic pain. I wanted to create a program that would walk a health care professional step by step through the process of becoming a Ketamine provider. I also saw a value in making my program an online course that would have open access, 24/7, to cater to the needs of all types of students. I finally decided to move forward with The Ketamine Academy when I determined that there was really no reasonably priced training course available. I found a couple of doctors offering to help you establish a Ketamine center with two major drawbacks: you have to apply and be accepted, and the cost was over 10,000 dollars. I felt this limits the potential to reach more sufferers because the reality is there are not too many CRNA, NP, PA or doctors that can afford such a steep price, and that is if you are accepted as a client. I wanted to help interested people avoid the mistakes I made, as well as give a comprehensive, step by step, proven method to assist practitioners in becoming business owners and Ketamine providers.
If anyone is interested in becoming a Ketamine provider, what is the first thing they should do? I mean, besides reserving a spot in the Ketamine Academy training program, what is the first thing you suggest students starting the Ketamine Infusion program do?
I guess if you are a nurse practitioner, you should start by reading the Practice Act. Doctors can start by analyzing the market. They do not need to read the Practice Act. The program will have open access, so you can literally start anywhere. You can hop around and read what interests you or select the first link and work your way through the program systematically.
Now that they have signed up for the course, what is the first thing they will learn?
I suggest reading down the list and start with the selection that covers your most pressing questions and concerns. There really is no right or wrong way to approach the program. I built this program to appeal to all learning styles. I have videos, written content, template forms that have proven to work, audio clips, interview with a ketamine patient, quizzes, and more. I tried to address all learning styles.
You can begin at any spot in the program and cherry pick what information you specifically need or you could start with our topic list. It is built in the order you would benefit and your new business too. The first topic is All About Ketamine, but like I said you can freely select the information that is most relevant and skip around the topics in the program list to suit your personal needs.
How much money is involved in running a Ketamine clinic?
That is an open ended question because it will vary state to state based on the laws in the state where you reside. I would say as low as $20,000 if you are a do-it-yourself kind of person. If you outsource, it might be as high as $50,000. You have several initial costs, such as for equipment like chairs and medical supplies. You will need a computer system, and employees. There is the cost of obtaining a trademark and logo. There are licensing fees, marketing, and insurance costs. You will have a rental agreement and most require a security deposit, adding to the set up costs. You will have monthly and annual expenses and that can vary from state to state. If you hire a lawyer or accountant, that will increase the amount you pay out each year. The training course will cover these issues in depth, helping each provider avoid costly mistakes.
How long did it take your clinic to recoup it’s startup costs?
It took me about three and a half months, but I worked non stop. I might go as far to say maybe it took five months, but that is mainly because I did everything myself, and I tend to be very focused and driven. An average person working 40 hours per week may take longer to recoup the start up costs; six to eight months. If you outsource all the preparation and business elements, you are probably looking at a year or more to find yourself in the black, but it is pretty subjective and could be more or less depending on the person.
That’s pretty impressive, given that most startup businesses can take years to accomplish being in the black. Do you feel if you had had a training course like the Ketamine Academy, you might have been capable of saving money?
Yes. I would have saved time and money. I truly believe that.
Do you feel that with the Ketamine Academy, you could save money long-term by avoiding expensive pitfalls? If so, how?
I do. The Ketamine training course will help you read and understand the Nurse Practice Act. It will assist you in determining your scope of practice. This alone will save you hours of research; time spent in locating the information needed to give the answers you will benefit from; saving you time and money. The Ketamine training course will allow you to move forward with your new business opportunity. The course will cover taxes, creating an employee handbook, hiring techniques, insurance costs and it will even offer steps for picking a location and negotiating rental agreements. The Ketamine Infusion Therapy Training Course will cover licensing and could possibly save you time and money by directing you to what forms to fill out for your business, thus avoiding fees from filling out unnecessary paperwork.
Is it your hope that the Ketamine Academy will become a central location for all things Ketamine?
No, not really. I am more interested in providing training and education to interested health care professionals. I will add that each Ketamine center is privately owned. This is not a franchise or an extension of the Injection & Infusion Center of ABQ. The Ketamine Academy will help you, step by step, in opening your own private Ketamine business. It will offer assistance but your practice is private and patient care is personalized per clinic and provider.
Will the Ketamine Academy have any services for patients, or is the course mainly for health care providers?
The Ketamine Academy is primarily for practitioners looking to invest in themselves and provide a wonderful service to a much needed community.
What is Ketamine used for?
Ketamine has only been FDA-approved as an anesthetic for surgery and diagnostic procedures. That status has not really changed over the last few years, as some might expect, given the fact Ketamine has been featured in medical journals and news magazines.
In 2017, Ketamine is now being successfully used to treat depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, OCD, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other mood disorders, and nerve-related pain.
Do you feel that the Ketamine Academy is really necessary for someone to become a provider? Why?
Yes. The average person that works a full time job does not have the time to invest in researching state regulations and licencing laws. An average practitioner may lose time and money on costly mistakes such as filing unnecessary papers that your state doesn’t require you to file. This also causes delays in opening your clinic, punishing your bottom line more than necessary.
Will the Ketamine Academy provide Continuing Education credits?
Yes. We are excited to be able to have submissions possible for several continuing education accreditation programs. Once the training course is completed it will qualify for Continuing Education Units (CEU).
What type of continuing education credits will the course offer?
There are several divisions or classes that offer credits that can qualify for continuing education. There arre Class A and Class B – categories – for lack of a better term right now. The difference is based primarily on whether a program or course includes comprehensive exams. There are also different types of accreditation based on job titles. For example: an allergy clinic might issue CME credits, a nurse will apply for CE credits and CRNA’s apply for CEU. If you are unsure if The Ketamine Academy can be submitted and used to fulfill your employer’s continuing education requirement, email Jason for clarification.
It states on The Ketamine Academy website that participants will receive five hours of mentoring following completion of the course. Could you elaborate?
Sure. I am dedicated to helping each person that enrolls in the training course. I will be available to help via video chats, email, the Facebook Ketamine Academy page, phone calls- in fact, I supply my personal cell phone number for more direct and easy communication. The mentoring/consult is designed to help assist in the complete set up of your Ketamine clinic. We also offer on-site training for an in-depth, hands on approach to covering the Ketamine protocol.
What is on-site training?
Clinical rotation. On the job training. We will travel to your new Ketamine clinic and provide hands on clinical training. We demonstrate the day to day tasks. It is face to face, in-house training to further assist a client with our clinic’s protocol, but it will be conducted primarily in their office. The course provides clinical rotation training in our Albuquerque clinic, but we are open to traveling.
Please email Jason if you are interested in arranging special on-site training.
I have now enrolled in The Ketamine Academy, will all of the content be immediately available to me?
Yes. All the course work has been uploaded to the Ketamine Academy website. Once you have enrolled in the ketamine infusion training program, all of the course content and information will be accessible to each student 24/7.
Once I am enrolled in the course, what type of content can I expect to see?
The course includes video tutorials, audio files, a photo gallery of the inside of our clinical shop, research, templates for clinic forms and employee handbook to name only a couple. The templates will be extremely beneficial. We will also have an interview with a Ketamine patient. I am sure I am forgetting to mention some aspect of the course. It will encompass everything you need to know and what you need to address in order to become a Ketamine provider. We will also offer clinical rotation in our clinic in ABQ; also the possibility of in-clinic, hands on training once your Ketamine business is established. We offer around 5 or 6 hours of mentoring. Consultations can be face to face, over the phone, or by video chat. We are open to traveling to assist as well, so feel free to contact me with any specific questions.
Will the Ketamine Academy be the type of program that employers might reimburse the tuition for?
Yes. I think some employers might pay for a client or employee to enroll in the program. I also know that if you self-pay for the Ketamine Infusion Therapy Course, you could get a tax write off.
In our discussion today, you mentioned mastermind groups. What are they, and how are they beneficial?
Mastermind groups typically consist of highly experienced business professionals and medical providers collaborating together. These groups are generally an excellent method for brain storming, sharing experiences, discussing successes and helpful tips for troubleshooting. I really want to put together a mastermind group that will meet a couple times a year in a central location. We could share our business and health care experiences and learn from one another. These groups help limit possible pitfalls because of the combination of talent and experience.
And everybody wants to know, will there be a test?
Yes, there will be comprehensive quizzes. It helps qualify the training course for continuing education units (CEU)
Many thanks to Jason Duprat for his time and candor. I enjoyed our Ketamine discussions and am looking forward to hearing about the success of your new venture. I am grateful for the time and passion you devoted to The Ketamine Academy and the training program. I am thrilled to know that there is now a Ketamine Infusion Therapy training course for interested practitioners. I absolutely love that health care professionals can participate in a program and gain intense personal satisfaction and knowledge that they will soon be opening a low cost Ketamine clinic that might just be a city in your area.
Feel free to visit The Ketamine Academy to enroll in your dream today. If you are fascinated, but not yet ready to commit, I recommend the free trial to help you determine whether you want to invest in yourself and in this is new online ketamine infusion training course.
If you are interested in educating yourself on Ketamine therapy for Treatment Resistant Depression, check out the four-part series I wrote answering questions about Ketamine use, based on my experience with Ketamine therapy over the past 2.5 years, for The Injection & Infusion Clinic of ABQ.
My first blog, Ketamine: Addressing Questions & Concerns focused on my early experience with Ketamine Infusions.
In part two of the series, Addressing Questions & Concerns About Ketamine Therapy for Treatment Resistant Depression I addressed questions and concerns about Intramuscular Ketamine verses Ketamine Infusion therapy.
In my third blog, Frequently Asked Questions: Redefining Depression With The Assistance Of Ketamine Therapy, I was a bit more random. I had emails with several questions and themes, and I addressed as many inquiries as I could.
In my final question and answer dialogue, Pondering Concerns & Questions: The Benefits Of Ketamine For Treatment Resistant Depression, I discussed research, clinical studies, and the need for changes to occur within our insurance companies and federal government so that maybe one day Ketamine will not be so difficult to afford or obtain, from any qualified professional.
I hope these personal blogs from a patient that suffered for over four decades with treatment resistant depression will be helpful in convincing you why enrolling in The Ketamine Academy‘s online Ketamine Infusion Therapy training course is an excellent decision. The Ketamine Academy online program will surely benefit you and the mental health community.
I want to know, after everything you have read, are you seeking a new opportunity and the personal freedom business ownership could offer you? If so, head over to The Ketamine Academy and get a jump on early enrollment specials.
In conclusion, If you know of anyone suffering with treatment resistant depression, like I do, let them know that Ketamine therapy may be an option worth looking into. It has been and continues to offer me relief from my symptoms. If you, or someone you know, are considering Ketamine infusion therapy, please visit Jason Duprat’s Ketamine clinic at www.infusionclinicabq.com for low cost ketamine infusion and injection options. If you are not in the Albuquerque, New Mexico area I also suggest approaching a local professional and start educating them on the benefits of Ketamine. Again, it doesn’t hurt to ask for what you need.
I have been generating a Ketamine Providers and Locations list and I update it regularly. The provider list can be found here and on my personal website. This list may help you find a clinic in your city or state.
Just think, if you enrolled in The Ketamine Academy your new clinic could easily be added to my directory for the grand opening!
Originally posted on The injection & Infusion Clinic of ABQ
