UCHealth Refractory Depression Clinic - Longs Peak Hospital

Patients with severe depression or bipolar disorder, whom:

• Have treatment-resistant mood disorders and psychosis.
• Have failed numerous medications.
• Are experiencing medication side-effects, including weight gain.
• Have chronic, hard to control pain.
• Are seniors who cannot tolerate medication side-effects.
• Are pregnant and cannot take medications because of risk of harming the developing fetus.
• Require a rapid treatment response.
• Are at risk of suicide.

A thorough evaluation must be completed to determine if a patient is a good candidate for ECT and all patient referrals require medical necessity and a second opinion.

ECT involves a brief electrical stimulation of the brain while the patient is under anesthesia. It is performed by our team that includes a psychiatrist as well as a specialty-trained nursing and anesthesia team.

ECT initially requires three treatments a week, eventually transitioning to treatments every few months and then limited maintenance.

Our clinic at UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital offers ECT on an outpatient basis.

ECT is the most evidence-based treatment for psychiatric disorders and can have life-changing benefits for those with treatment-resistant depression or bipolar disorder:

• Highest percentage of patients who attain remission, in addition to response.
• Strongest anti-suicidal effect of any psychiatric intervention.
• The treatment gives real-time evidence if it is working.

Our psychiatrist is certified by International Society for ECT and Neurostimulation (ISEN) with over 20 years of experience, and has administered over 25,000 ECT treatments.

• We can manage additional co-existing medical conditions.
• We use a state-of-the-art machine based on how one neuron communicates with another.
• We provide services related to ECT, such as medication management and exercise plan monitoring.
• Flexible scheduling, with treatments offered five days a week.