At Sanford Behavioral Health, we have a history of adapting to the needs of our patients and the community around us. Given the depth of our collaborative care team, we saw an opportunity to serve a larger population of patients with treatment-resistant (TRD) depression and acute suicidal ideation at our behavioral health campus. The Sanford SPRAVATO (esketamine) Clinic will enable us to provide life-changing and potentially life-saving treatment to more patients in West Michigan. This initiative addresses a critical need in our area, where few clinics offer this treatment. The SPRAVTO (esketamine) service gives access to both new patients seeking innovative care and current patients who can benefit from esketamine treatments. Additionally, it strengthens and diversifies our medical and psychiatric service offerings, enhancing our comprehensive patient care. Clinically, the well-trained providers at our SPRAVATO Clinic provide a life-changing option for clients who have not responded to traditional therapies, improving mental health outcomes and enhancing quality of life. 

 

"We have a history of adapting to the needs of our patients and the community at Sanford. We experienced higher acuity and a shift in the type of services our patients needed after the pandemic. With this amazing behavioral health campus, we have psychiatric, medical, clinical, dietary, recreational, and integrative programming under one roof." Katie Vokes, Chief Operating Officer, Sanford Behavioral Health

 

Sanford SPRAVATO (esketamine) Clinic

Sanford Medical Specialists, PLLC, work together with our clinical team to provide mental health primary treatment programs for patients with treatment-resistant depression, suicidal ideation, and other mental health conditions. These services are provided in outpatient treatment or for extended periods in residence and fill the gaps between psychiatric hospitals and individual counseling. We can also address these conditions when they present in our addiction or eating disorder patients. All of our programs incorporate medical and psychiatric services, including medication management, therapy, and support services that "follow you home" when you leave Sanford Behavioral Health. We also provide referrals for follow-up medical appointments and coordination of treatment for primary care or medical specialties.

 

 

What to Expect at the Sanford SPRAVATO (esketamine) Clinic

Clients can come to the Sanford SPRAVATO Clinic in different ways. They can be referred to us by their outpatient psychiatrist or their primary care provider. Or, they can hear about SPRAVATO, conduct research, and find us as a Spravato provider on their website. Once you call our welcoming admissions specialists, you will have a brief prescreen process, which includes questions about whether you have a depression diagnosis. During the prescreen, we ask if you have a treatment-resistant depression diagnosis and some basic questions about your mental health.

SPRAVATO (esketamine) is not for everyone:

  • Designated Driver:  We also ask if you have somebody to accompany you to these treatments. We must see the driver pick the client up and take them home, as SPRAVATO may cause sleepiness or dizziness.
  • Scheduling 1: Once you finish the prescreen, we will schedule an initial evaluation with our psychiatrist, which can be virtual or in person.
  • Appropriateness: At the initial appointment, a Sanford provider will determine whether Spravato is appropriate for you. If it is, we will begin the pre-authorization process.
  • Psychiatric Care: If SPRAVATO is not appropriate,  you can still stay with Sanford and continue to see our psychiatrist in an outpatient setting. We also offer medical management.
  • Pre-Authorization: The treatment team starts the pre-authorization process, which can take 24 hours to a week to receive. At this time, we also verify Insurance benefits, let you know what your out-of-pocket costs might be, help with co-pay assistance programs, and order medication.
  • Scheduling 2: Once the medication is ordered, we will set your schedule. It is usually two times a week for four weeks and weekly thereafter.

 

When you arrive for treatment:

  • Once you've been approved through your insurance and we have the medication, you will come in for your first treatment day. At that time, you will get a drug screen and pregnancy test (if appropriate).
  • The first thing you will do is fill out a Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) form, which indicates the severity of a patient's depression. You will fill out a PHQ-9 at every treatment appointment, which helps measure the efficacy of the treatments.
  • When you arrive, we take your vitals (temperature, blood pressure, etc.), and you receive your doses of  SPRAVATO (esketamine) CIII nasal spray.
  • You will recline comfortably in a chair and self-administer your dose under the supervision of a Sanford-trained healthcare professional. Doses are 5 minutes apart, and the healthcare professional will check on how you are feeling after administering them. A trained professional will monitor you (without disrupting you) throughout, and there will be another check at the 40-minute mark, during which vitals will be taken. Each session is 120 minutes at minimum. Vitals are taken again at the end of each session.
  • We decide when you are ready to leave the healthcare setting.
  • We encourage you to bring headphones so that you can listen to music during your treatment session and relax. The room is very comfortable and dark, and we use essential oils to enhance the feeling of well-being.
  • How you feel during the treatment is patient-dependent. Sanford providers say they mostly see individuals who are relaxed or tired.

 

Group Therapy and SPRAVATO (esketamine)

Sanford's Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) can be attended in conjunction with esketamine treatment. Group therapy allows those in treatment the opportunity to share information with hopefulness and a sense of connection. Sharing in groups helps to dispel the stigma and shame associated with mental health conditions. Likewise, by receiving feedback from a therapist and other group members, an individual can gain a greater understanding of their strengths and themselves. Our mental health program is virtual, 3 hours per day, 3 days per week. We are in-network with most commercial insurance companies. Please contact our team today to better understand how our programs can help. Our goal is to manage your symptoms effectively and improve your daily functioning!

 

Benefits of Group Therapy

  • Group therapy allows the members to relate to each other in healthy ways.
  • And practice underutilized social skills
  • Members of the group are accountable to each other.
  • The group provides a sounding board.
  • Group therapy promotes self-reflection.
  • Group therapy also offers a much-needed support system and companionship.
  • A group therapy session lets every individual know they are not alone and reduces feelings of isolation.
  • Group therapy gives a voice to each member.