Moving Interventional Psychiatry Forward with Dr. Rebecca Allen, MD, MPH, President of CTMSS

Dr. Rebecca Allen, a pioneering interventional psychiatrist and president of the Clinical TMS Society, is transforming mental health care delivery through her innovative outpatient clinic in Seattle. By offering a wide range of cutting-edge treatments like ECT, TMS, ketamine, and running COMPASS clinical trials for psilopsybin under one roof, she aims to expand access to life-changing treatments for patients with treatment-resistant conditions. In this interview, Dr. Allen shares her experiences growing a leading interventional psychiatry practice, spearheading groundbreaking research on psychedelic-assisted therapy, and navigating the challenges of insurance reimbursement and unregulated treatment models. She offers candid advice for fellow psychiatrists looking to enhance their practice and make a meaningful impact in the lives of their patients. Through her leadership and unwavering commitment to evidence-based innovation, Dr. Allen is paving the way for a brighter future in mental health care.

Timestamps and Shownotes:

[00:00:00] Introduction to the Psychiatry Tomorrow podcast and today's guest, Dr. Rebecca Allen

[00:01:46] Dr. Allen's background and role as an interventional psychiatrist offering ECT, TMS, VNS, esketamine, IV ketamine, and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy at Seattle NTC

[00:03:52] How Dr. Allen got started offering outpatient ECT and the logistics of partnering with Swedish Hospital

[00:09:46] Seattle NTC as one of the largest outpatient ECT programs in the U.S., ECT stigma and underutilization

[00:13:02] Busting myths about modern ECT and efforts to minimize cognitive side effects

[00:16:15] A day in the life at Seattle NTC - ongoing treatments and clinical trials

[00:19:45] Seattle NTC's involvement in the COMPASS trial on psilocybin-assisted therapy for treatment-resistant depression

[00:20:26] How Dr. Allen's clinic got involved in clinical trials (BEAM study, VNS trial) and became a top enroller for COMPASS

[00:27:52] Logistics and challenges of the COMPASS protocol, DEA scrutiny for psychedelic trials

[00:29:33] Dr. Allen's concerns about Oregon's unregulated psilocybin program and the importance of robust clinical trials and medical oversight

[00:35:17] Psilocybin is powerful but not a panacea - the need for thorough safety monitoring and the dangers of broad unregulated access

[00:37:50] The advantages of offering multiple interventional psychiatry modalities to match treatments to patients

[00:39:44] Dr. Allen's role as president of the Clinical TMS Society and initiatives to grow the organization

[00:45:17] Balancing clinical work, research, and leadership roles

[00:47:50] Advice for psychiatrists looking to scale a private practice - seeking expert consultation, reading contracts thoroughly

[00:50:47] The importance of negotiating fair insurance reimbursement rates from the start

[00:52:12] Conclusion and thanks to Dr. Allen

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