We caught up with the brilliant and insightful David Crabtree a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

David, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

Fresh out of fellowship training in addiction medicine in Salt Lake City, I took my first big boy job with a large California based physician group. I was excited to return to SoCal and work with patients suffering from drug and alcohol addiction. The position was outpatient based and afforded me the opportunity to “run my clinic,” as I was the only addiction doc in the group. I served the western half of LA as well as Ventura counties, so there were a lot of people in need of my help. All was peachy, until it wasn’t. Fast forward a couple years and I found myself confronted with a medical condition that needed surgery and rehabilitation. Upon asking for time off to take care of me, I was met with resistance. In fact, the direct quote I received from the “chief” was: “I have a clinic to run…” (referring to her, not me). So, what did I do? I told, not asked, the higher ups that I would be taking care of myself. And, at the end of my contract, I would be quitting. It happened exactly as I told them. After surgery and taking time off to rehabilitate my body, I returned to work and resigned a couple months later. The lesson? Do not put up with crap. Stand up for yourself. If you aren’t taking care of yourself, or if you aren’t allowed to take care of you, then how can you effectively help and care for others?

David, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I went into medicine thinking I would be an emergency medicine doc, where critical moments in life are witnessed and lives are saved – sort of. Upon rotating in psychiatry and experiencing the loss of a friend to suicide, though, I decided mental health is the critical stuff worthy of my time, effort, and energy. Now in private practice, I work mostly with patients experiencing drug and alcohol problems. I have also carved out special services such as contingency management and interventional ketamine services, the latter being reserved for patients with certain conditions refractory to other treatments (think severe depression with suicidality). I’m proud to offer these services and have the ability to set fees that are significantly lower than so-called “ketamine clinics” (unbelievably some charge $1,000 per session). I am a solo private practice doc and have the ability to work closely with patients. There is often minimal wait for a new patient appointment; less than a week usually, not 3 months like your in-network provider! For patients pursuing ketamine treatment, I only work with a small number clients at a time to ensure quality service and outcomes. Unlike “ketamine clinics,” I am not driven by volume and can focus on a small number of patients at a time. An effective medication like ketamine combined with a dedicated and driven doctor helps people the most!

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start?

This answer is easy. I am entirely self funded. No business loans. No strings attached to insurance or another health care group or system. With all these extraneous factors absent, I am able to focus entirely on patient care and treatment.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Creating a safe and inviting space for patients has been the best thing for promoting business and attracting new patients. Keeping in mind that patients are vulnerable and reluctant to open up, it is my job to help patients become comfortable and engage in care. When you want to see a doctor about your mental health, you don’t want to wait 3 months. When you realize that your in-network coverage is lackluster and not meeting your needs, I am able to step in and fill that void.

Contact Info:

• Website: davidcrabtreemd.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcrabtreemdmph/
• Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/psychiatrists/david-crabtree-md-san-diego-ca/927077