Can any physician pivot to open a ketamine clinic, and what does it take to do it safely?

In this Echo Episode, Dr. Andrea Austin continues her conversation with Dr. Kim Chan Ko, about common questions on ketamine infusions for mood disorders and chronic pain. As an ophthalmologist turned creative director for her emergency physician husband's clinic, Kim shares insights on transitioning careers, required training, and ethical considerations. She discusses building a patient-centered practice, managing risks like emergencies and addiction, and navigating business challenges while prioritizing family and values.

You’ll hear how they:

• Clarify licensing and training needs for ketamine clinics, emphasizing specialties like emergency medicine, anesthesia, and psychiatry 
•  Address safety protocols, including emergency preparedness, patient monitoring, and addiction risk management
•  Explore staffing requirements, from nurses to administrative roles, and marketing strategies for attracting patients 
• Inspire physician entrepreneurs with tips on balancing business with personal life, values alignment, and avoiding burnout through intentional pivots

If you’re a physician considering ketamine therapy or entrepreneurial ventures, this episode provides honest FAQs and strategies for ethical, sustainable change.

About the Guest

“Action brings clarity.” – Dr. Kim Chan ko

Dr. Kim Chan Ko is a board-certified ophthalmologist, diplomat of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and co-founder of Ketamine Startup, an online course teaching physicians to open ketamine infusion clinics. After years as creative director of Reset Ketamine in Palm Springs, CA, alongside her emergency physician husband, Kim stepped away from academic ophthalmology to pursue a path aligned with her passions for patient education, mentorship, and innovative healthcare. Her journey through burnout and coaching has shaped her mission to help physicians find clarity and build fulfilling careers.

📍 Connect with Kim
Website: https://www.ketaminestartup.com

Instagram: @resetketamine 
Personal Instagram: @dr.kimberlyco

📚 Resources + Mentions

•  Reset Ketamine: https://resetketamine.com ·
•  Ketamine Startup: https://ketaminestartup.com
•  ·Free Business Plan and Checklist: https://ketaminestartup.com/revitalizingdoctor 
•  American Society of Ketamine Physicians, Psychotherapists & Practitioners: https://askp.org
•   PHQ-9 and Beck Depression Inventory  for patient monitoring 
• Revitalized: A Guidebook to Following Your Healing Heartline by Dr. Andrea Austin

🔑 Top 3 Key Takeaways

• Licensing and Training for Ketamine Clinics: Any licensed physician can start a clinic with a DEA license and business permits, but prioritize safety through self-directed training, especially if from non-emergency/anesthesia backgrounds—focus on ketamine protocols for mood/pain disorders to ensure ethical, patient-centered care.
• Safety and Staffing Essentials: Equip clinics with emergency tools like crash carts and AEDs, hire trained nurses for infusions, and implement monitoring like PHQ-9 for outcomes; mitigate addiction risks with thorough screening and collaborative care involving psychiatrists or therapists.
• Balancing Business and Life: Align your clinic with personal values by revisiting goals regularly with partners, avoiding over-expansion that strains relationships, and starting small to test market viability while maintaining work-life boundaries.

🩺 About the Host:

Dr. Andrea Austin is a board-certified emergency physician, educator, and passionate advocate for system-level change in healthcare. As the creator and host of Heartline: Changemaking in Healthcare, Dr. Austin brings curiosity, compassion, and bold honesty to conversations with leaders who are challenging the norms and reshaping medicine from the inside out.

With decades of experience in high-pressure clinical environments, Andrea has seen firsthand the cracks in the system—and the people working to repair them. Whether she’s mentoring residents, speaking on national stages, or recording with a fellow disruptor, she centers one theme: change doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens heart to heart.

💫 About the Show:

Heartline: Changemaking in Healthcare isn’t just a podcast—it’s a pulse check on what’s possible.

Hosted by emergency physician and educator Dr. Andrea Austin, Heartline features conversations with healthcare leaders, innovators, and quiet disruptors who are challenging the way things have always been done.

Each episode explores real stories of change—from redefining leadership and communication, to reimagining systems built on burnout and hierarchy. This is a space for truth-telling, for asking better questions, and for reconnecting with the reason we all got into medicine in the first place: to make it better.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress—with heart.

🎓 Upcoming Events & Opportunities

• 🔥 ⁠⁠Recalibrate: Group Coaching for Physicians⁠⁠

Starting  2026, I’ll be co-leading Recalibrate with psychologist and coach Sharee Johnson. This 6-month group coaching program supports physicians in rediscovering mindfulness, meaning, and wholehearted practice. I'm an alum myself—this program transformed my career. Learn more and enroll here, and please share with colleagues who may benefit.

• ⁠⁠⁠Women in Medicine Summit | Chicago, Sept 18–20, 2025⁠⁠
• FemInEM is leading a full day on Women’s Health. The Gala will be a can't-miss celebration of leadership and community.
•  ⁠⁠⁠AAWEP St. Lucia Retreat | March 5–8, 2026⁠⁠
• For women EM physicians. Sun, connection, and reflection in a stunning setting. Details coming soon via AAWEP.
• ⁠⁠⁠Women Physicians European River Cruise | May 18–25, 2026⁠⁠
• A scenic and soulful journey from Amsterdam to Basel with an inspiring community.

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🎧 Thanks for tuning into Heartline: Changemaking in Healthcare!

🌟 Learn more and book a free discovery call today at ⁠⁠andreaaustinmd.com/coaching⁠⁠.

Stay connected and keep making a difference:

✅ Subscribe to the ⁠⁠Heartline newsletter⁠⁠ for insights into reclaiming your well-being as a healthcare professional, improving teams around you, and transforming the system.

📱 Follow us on social: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠

📚 Discover Dr. Austin’s book Revitalized: A Guidebook to Following Your Healing Heartline on ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠Ingram⁠⁠.

Follow Your Heartline and transform healthcare today!

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