Improvement of Mental Health Symptoms in Response to Ketamine Therapy in Medicaid-Eligible Patients

Abstract

Since 2020 there has been an expansion in the number of studies highlighting the positive effect that Ketamine for Non-Anesthetic Indications (KNAI) can have on patients suffering with mental health disorders. Medicaid programs cover a large community of patients that face significant health disparities and suffer more frequently from mental health conditions. Many of these conditions are exacerbated due to socioeconomic stressors, lack of access to care, and poor support systems. Our case study focuses on 289 Medicaid-eligible patients and the effect ketamine treatment had on their mental health symptoms. These participants had an established diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and/or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) prior to beginning treatment. The GAD-7, PHQ-9, and PCL-5 surveys were utilized for assessment of symptomatology in this cohort of patients. These instruments were all deployed prior to beginning treatment and at the end of the six-session Induction Series of ketamine treatments. The comparison of scores on these screening instruments pre-and post-treatment demonstrated a clinically significant reduction in symptomatology in the three diagnosis cohorts of patients listed above.