BOUNTIFUL—In the midst of the opioid crisis a unique healthcare system, KindlyMD™ offers a way to help patients get off of the drugs and prescribe something different for pain. The clinic has also expanded its service to include mental health counseling and therapy and medication management for any type of prescription medication. 

“I worked in GI surgery, trauma and the ER for seven years,” said KindlyMD™ founder Tim Pickett, PA-C. “I contributed a little bit to prescribing opioids. We’re trying to help them get off of those.”

Pickett said they meet patients where they’re at. “We prescribe what’s needed and get rid of what’s not.”

The addition of mental health services helps treat the whole patient, he said. “We understand mental health plays a big role in outcomes for patients to improve. We’ve embedded a behavioral health clinician (BHC).”

They are a hybrid therapist, said Pickett. “Regular therapy is usually a 50 minute session. The BHC is a therapist by training but focuses on a 15-30 minute medical visit. Every patient sees a medical provider and a clinician every time.”

Medicine has always been top down, he said. “The prescriber or doctor says take this pill once a day. Patients don’t feel like they have a lot of control over when they take it. We try to understand what they’re suffering from by first listening to the patient.”

They can take control of their own healthcare, said Pickett. “It empowers the patient to have more of a say. When I go back over my visits patients have had an Ah Ha moment. They say ‘I’ve been taking this medication for depression for years.’ It’s not designed to be taken forever.”

With opioids the brain changes to where it doesn’t help the pain anymore, he said. “In fact over the long haul it may cause more pain.”

Pickett said the goal is to improve outcomes. “We’re not afraid to use alternative methods. We’re not going to oppose patients using things like Cannabis. If the prescriber and BHC think it’s a good idea we’ll support it if you do it in a legitimate way.”

Patients can come to the clinic first without a referral, he said. “People can talk through whether it’s a good fit and decide yes or no. We spend about an hour up front and make a plan with them on how to proceed. We can take over prescribing medications and can manage those.”

The clinic sees a lot of pain patients, said Pickett. “We’re more of a specialty clinic. It’s for all medications that are taken for symptoms. They see us once a month and decide whether they need more or less additional therapy.”

KindlyMD™ has two full-time BHC, two full-time prescribers and 20 part-time prescribers over six locations, he said. “I’m a PA (Physician's Assistant) by training. We have a physician on staff and our medical director is a physician. Most prescribers are PAs. We can manage meds and we can listen.”

Currently KindlyMD™ doesn’t take insurance, Pickett said. “But we should be in the next three months. We do take health savings. We also have a program for low income patients who can’t afford visits.”

The clinic focuses on the whole package, he said. “The patient decides what they want out of their medical care.”

Pickett said they’re having really good success. “We’ve found over the past few years that more than 85% reduce medication within six months and 40% reduce or remove one medication from the list. They’re able to stop a whole medication.”

It’s pretty exciting, he said. “I don’t know of anybody else in Utah that focuses on pain medication and mental health meds people are taking. I’m excited to do something that really helps. We have a lot of opioids in Utah. I hope we can make a difference.” 

KindlyMD™ has a clinic in Bountiful at 580 W. 100 N. Suite 4 in the old Carr Printing building.