Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
Shelbyville – An organization that says too many doctors still aren't on board with Illinois' medical-cannabis program is opening clinics of its own to get eligible patients certified.
Medical Cannabis Outreach will open its fourth and newest pain-management and wellness clinic Feb. 4 in Shelbyville, and it plans to offer nursing house calls in the East Central Illinois region, according to founder and CEO Caprice Sweatt.
She said Shelbyville was chosen as a central location for the clinic so it can serve communities such as Champaign-Urbana, Mattoon-Charleston and Effingham – where, she contended, too many eligible patients can't obtain certification from physicians for medical-cannabis use.
The clinic will be staffed with its own doctors who can certify patients, she said.
"So many doctors are saying no," she added.
Under Illinois law, doctors don't write prescriptions for medical cannabis, but rather certify that patients have one of the medical conditions that have been approved to use it.
Sweatt said many physicians "fall back" on the fact that marijuana continues to be federally illegal for all purposes, including medical use.
Both Carle and Sarah Bush Lincoln health systems leave decisions about certifying medical cannabis up to their individual physicians, spokesmen at both providers said.
"We're letting our providers make their own decisions, as long as they do it in a way that is compliant with the law," said Dr. James Hildebrandt, vice president of medical affairs at Sarah Bush Lincoln in Mattoon.
He said that health system wanted to proceed with caution on this issue.
"We certainly don't want to be seen as a destination by people who are seeking marijuana for recreational purposes," he said. "But we recognize that there are people who have a good therapeutic response to marijuana for certain situations."
Carle spokesman Mark Schultz said it doesn't restrict physicians who want to certify patients, and physicians are just as free to decline when patients ask.
"While we can't speak about specific patient cases, we can say that the decision to certify a patient for medical cannabis rests solely between the patient and their physician," he said.
In addition to providing "cannabis-friendly physicians" who can certify patients, the Shelbyville clinic will assist patients with the application process, the fingerprinting required for the application and a customized cannabis therapy program for first-time medical-cannabis users, according to Sweatt.
"We're a full-service, one-stop shop for the patient that wants to get in the program," she said.
Many patients who are already using medical cannabis need the help clinics such as this one can offer, she said.
There's an older generation getting into this program that either never used cannabis before or only used it recreationally many decades ago, and these folks now need help with dosing guidelines and advise on drug interactions, Sweatt said.
And, she said, "we have patients 85 and 90 that are on this program and are on their own."
Services for the Medical Cannabis Outreach Pain Management and Wellness Clinic will be charged on an out-of-pocket basis since they aren't covered by insurance, Sweatt said.
She's offering half-price to veterans and people on disability.
The Shelbyville clinic will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for walk-ins, but appointments will be encouraged, according to Sweatt.
Medical Cannabis Outreach is the education and outreach organization that helped launch the opening of the first medical-cannabis dispensary in Champaign County last year – Phoenix Botanical in Champaign.
There are now two medical-cannabis dispensaries in Champaign-Urbana, including NuMed Rx in Urbana.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Marijuana-Friendly Clinic Setting Up Shop In Area
Author: Debra Pressey
Contact: 217-351-5252
Photo Credit: Dan Pelle
Website: The News-Gazette
Medical Cannabis Outreach will open its fourth and newest pain-management and wellness clinic Feb. 4 in Shelbyville, and it plans to offer nursing house calls in the East Central Illinois region, according to founder and CEO Caprice Sweatt.
She said Shelbyville was chosen as a central location for the clinic so it can serve communities such as Champaign-Urbana, Mattoon-Charleston and Effingham – where, she contended, too many eligible patients can't obtain certification from physicians for medical-cannabis use.
The clinic will be staffed with its own doctors who can certify patients, she said.
"So many doctors are saying no," she added.
Under Illinois law, doctors don't write prescriptions for medical cannabis, but rather certify that patients have one of the medical conditions that have been approved to use it.
Sweatt said many physicians "fall back" on the fact that marijuana continues to be federally illegal for all purposes, including medical use.
Both Carle and Sarah Bush Lincoln health systems leave decisions about certifying medical cannabis up to their individual physicians, spokesmen at both providers said.
"We're letting our providers make their own decisions, as long as they do it in a way that is compliant with the law," said Dr. James Hildebrandt, vice president of medical affairs at Sarah Bush Lincoln in Mattoon.
He said that health system wanted to proceed with caution on this issue.
"We certainly don't want to be seen as a destination by people who are seeking marijuana for recreational purposes," he said. "But we recognize that there are people who have a good therapeutic response to marijuana for certain situations."
Carle spokesman Mark Schultz said it doesn't restrict physicians who want to certify patients, and physicians are just as free to decline when patients ask.
"While we can't speak about specific patient cases, we can say that the decision to certify a patient for medical cannabis rests solely between the patient and their physician," he said.
In addition to providing "cannabis-friendly physicians" who can certify patients, the Shelbyville clinic will assist patients with the application process, the fingerprinting required for the application and a customized cannabis therapy program for first-time medical-cannabis users, according to Sweatt.
"We're a full-service, one-stop shop for the patient that wants to get in the program," she said.
Many patients who are already using medical cannabis need the help clinics such as this one can offer, she said.
There's an older generation getting into this program that either never used cannabis before or only used it recreationally many decades ago, and these folks now need help with dosing guidelines and advise on drug interactions, Sweatt said.
And, she said, "we have patients 85 and 90 that are on this program and are on their own."
Services for the Medical Cannabis Outreach Pain Management and Wellness Clinic will be charged on an out-of-pocket basis since they aren't covered by insurance, Sweatt said.
She's offering half-price to veterans and people on disability.
The Shelbyville clinic will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for walk-ins, but appointments will be encouraged, according to Sweatt.
Medical Cannabis Outreach is the education and outreach organization that helped launch the opening of the first medical-cannabis dispensary in Champaign County last year – Phoenix Botanical in Champaign.
There are now two medical-cannabis dispensaries in Champaign-Urbana, including NuMed Rx in Urbana.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Marijuana-Friendly Clinic Setting Up Shop In Area
Author: Debra Pressey
Contact: 217-351-5252
Photo Credit: Dan Pelle
Website: The News-Gazette
