Blog

Now and always, the health and safety of our clients and employees is our top priority. Sunbelt Wellness Institute remains committed to delivering the highest quality of care and are living that commitment more than ever in these uncertain times.

Our group, along with Sunbelt Anesthesia Services, has been monitoring this ongoing situation with extreme diligence and working with the recommendations of the CDC, state, and local officials to ensure we’re doing all we can to keep our clients and employees safe.

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) released a statement on June 19th questioning the efficacy and cost effectiveness of treating resistant depression with esketamine (Spravato). The “report-at-a-glance”, linked *here*, summarizes the *full report*. ICER believes a reduction in price of 25-52% would be needed to improve cost-effectiveness. Spravato’s current list price of $32,400 per year exceeds the standard cost effective ratio that ICER has put in place.

Spravato (esketamine) was approved this year (2019) by the FDA in the treatment of refractory depression.  Sunbelt Wellness Institute is proud to offer this treatment that may improve the affordability of care through insurance coverage.  While we understand that evidence surrounding its efficacy is underwhelming, there has been a growing portion of anecdotal reports directly from patients that it “works for them”.  

We’ve come a long way as a society in de-stigmatizing mental illness–depression, PTSD, anxiety, etc. Still, those with mental health issues often struggle to find sufficient treatment. Enter Ketamine Infusion Therapy. Long since approved by the FDA for its use as anesthesia, Ketamine has been found more recently to help with pain management and mood disorders.