Oregon is ranked as one of the worst states for mental health. An April 2020 Kaiser Family Foundation poll shows that 45% of adults in the U.S. reported that their mental health is negatively impacted due to worry and stress over the COVID-19 pandemic. Hoping to provide more options for treatment, Salem Active Recovery TMS, an Oregon-based clinic specializing in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to treat depression, is opening an office in the capital city.

Active Recovery TMS is scheduling patients for August appointments at its Boulder Creek clinic on 12th street in South Salem. The clinic will provide people struggling with severe depression with a valuable option for managing their mental health. TMS can reduce symptoms of depression or bring it under control with minimal side effects. It is a Food and Drug Administration-cleared treatment covered by many insurances, including Medicare, the Veterans Affairs Tri-Care/Tri-West, and the Oregon Health Plan.

TMS is particularly helpful for patients with treatment-resistant depression with response and remission rates that are significantly better than traditional antidepressants, says Jonathan Horey, M.D. chief medical officer and co-founder of Active Recovery TMS. This non-invasive treatment has been shown to help patients struggling with depression, particularly those who have not found relief with antidepressants, talk therapy, or have found the former intolerable side effects.

Active Recovery TMS currently has three locations in Hillsboro, Portland, and Tigard. The demand for the clinics services continues to increase. In 2020, the practice added 12 new hires, among them physicians, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and technicians, and is currently hiring additional staff for its Salem office.

We already have people from Salem driving to our Bridgeport clinic for treatment every day, said David Grano, CEO. This will be a welcome relief for many people who can continue their depression treatment close to home.

The clinic works with referring physicians to design treatment plans. As Dr. Horey explains, No one treatment will have the same effect on all patients. While TMS treatment alone may be successful for some, for others, it may be part of a standard treatment regimen of medication, psychotherapy, or a combination. Because we are providing TMS services exclusively, our goal is to work with each patients medical provider to find the right balance and achieve the desired outcome.

TMS uses a highly focused, pulsed magnetic field (similar to an MRI) to target the brain regions involved in regulating mood. Each treatment is approximately 20 minutes. While antidepressant medications may affect sleep or cognition, TMS causes minimal side effects in a small percentage of patients. The therapy is administered on an outpatient basis so that patients can resume their normal activities immediately.

The National Institute of Mental Health reports that depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the U.S., with an estimated 17.3 million adults (7.1% of all U.S. adults) suffering from at least one major depressive episode in 2017. Based on an internal review of patient outcomes, 79% of Active Recovery TMS patients have shown a measurable decrease in depression symptoms. These results are reported on the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9, a commonly used depression scale), and one-third achieve control of their depression and are free from symptoms. These numbers echo more rigorous national studies conducted in clinical settings.

About: Salems Active Recovery TMS clinic is located inside the Boulder Creek office complex on 2525 12th Street S, Suite #210, Salem, OR 97302. It seeks to provide a safe and effective alternative treatment for depression with transcranial magnetic stimulation. It is a compelling option for those who have not had success with standard depression treatments like medication and/or psychotherapy. Active Recovery TMS has been treating patients since Jan. 2017. Visit activerecoverytms.com for more information.

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Press Release: Active Recovery TMS Opens Salem Clinic New Salem-Area Clinic Will Help With Treatment For Depression - The Lund Report