New Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Office Opens Up in Ketchikan

Alaskans are well-aware now of the opioid crisis that is hitting our communities and because so many communities (particularly in Southeast) are so rural, there are few treatment options that are available to people that are effective and fiscally responsible.

As of February 21st Ketchikan is now home to a new Medication Assisted Treatment program offering medications such as Suboxone, Vivitrol and several others for individuals suffering from addiction to opioids, alcohol, and tobacco. This program is offered by Ideal Option PLLC which has offices in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Kenai, Wasilla and now for the first time Ketchikan.

Who is Ideal Option?

Ideal Option PLLC was founded by two Board Certified Emergency Medicine physicians, Dr. Jeffrey Allgaier and Dr. Kenneth Egli. Dr. Allgaier and Dr. Egli identified the severity of Substance Use Disorder while working shifts in the Emergency Department. Unfortunately, those stricken with Substance Use Disorder do not have many affordable and effective treatment options available to them. Dr. Allgaier and Dr. Egli embarked on a mission to create a program to increase access to care for this underserved patient population.

Ideal Option began providing treatment for Substance Use Disorder in 2012. Since then, Ideal Option has deployed a tremendous amount of resources towards expanding access to treatment for communities ravaged by the Opioid Epidemic throughout the United States. A major component of Ideal Option’s ability to expand treatment has been the recruitment and retainment of quality healthcare providers. Ideal Option has recruited and transplanted healthcare providers from a variety of areas of medicine into it’s group practice.

We asked Justin Kohler part of the Nurse Care Team based out of Washington what exactly Suboxone is:

Suboxone binds to the same receptors in the brain that any opioid (Heroin, Fentanyl, prescription pain pills) would. In fact, it binds to the receptors so strongly, that with regular use it removes any other drug and prevents it from binding. Because is binds to the same receptors in the brain, it helps prevent withdrawal symptoms and cravings without giving the person a "high" euphoric feeling, as well as helps protect against overdose. The medication for alcohol and tobacco work in different ways, but Suboxone is the Ideal Option uses most, as most of our clients are dealing with an opioid addiction. Some of our clinics offer on site addiction counseling, but we can always refer to outside agencies. Our providers use motivational interviewing techniques and are engaged in the patient's recovery process.

We are always accepting new patients and never have a wait list. Most people are able to be seen same day, and at the very least, next business day.

We would like to welcome Ideal Option to their new home office located at 3159 Tongass Ave and encourage everyone who has been struggling with addiction to stop by or give them a call at (877) 522-1275 or visit their website at https://idealoption.net/ketchikan/

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