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Live Webinar

Esketamine vs. IV Ketamine in Mental Health Care: Clinical Decision-Making in Practice

Brian Boyle, MD
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Information

Date & Time

Description

As interest in treatment resistant depression treatment grows, providers are increasingly faced with a critical question: how do you choose between intranasal esketamine and intravenous (IV) ketamine?

This webinar will provide a clear, evidence-based comparison of these two treatment modalities for treatment-resistant depression and related conditions. Participants will explore key differences in mechanism, administration, efficacy, safety, cost, and accessibility. We will also review current research, including head-to-head comparisons, and discuss real-world considerations such as patient selection, treatment goals, and practice integration.

By the end of this session, providers will be equipped with practical guidance to confidently evaluate when each treatment may be appropriate—and how to align these options with individualized patient care.

Educational Goal

The goal of this presentation is to provide healthcare providers with an evidence-based framework for comparing esketamine and IV ketamine, enabling informed clinical decision-making and appropriate integration of these treatments into comprehensive mental health care.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Compare the mechanisms of action, pharmacologic differences, and administration methods of esketamine and IV ketamine.

  • Identify patient-specific factors (e.g., diagnosis, treatment history, access, and comorbidities) that influence selection of intranasal esketamine versus IV ketamine.

  • Apply evidence-based clinical reasoning to determine appropriate use of intranasal esketamine or IV ketamine within a comprehensive, individualized treatment plan.

  • Evaluate current evidence on the efficacy, onset of action, and safety profiles of intranasal esketamine versus IV ketamine in treating depression.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Nurse
  • Nurse Practitioner
  • Physician
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

Brian Boyle, MD
Dr. Boyle is the Chief Psychiatric Officer of Stella Mental Health and the Medical Director of Stella's Boston area clinics. He was previously an attending psychiatrist in the Neurotherapeutics Department at McLean Hospital, where he gained expertise in the use of interventional treatments like ECT, intravenous ketamine, and intranasal esketamine to help patients with severe, treatment-resistant depression. He completed his psychiatry residency training at MGH and McLean Hospitals, serving as Chief Resident of Psychotherapy and the Program in Psychodynamics. He also completed a fellowship at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute (BPSI) and trained in the Mentalization Based Treatment (MBT) clinic at McLean Hospital. He has served as a member of Two Brattle Center, a multidisciplinary consultation team that treats patients with personality disorders using evidence-based approaches such as dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). Additionally, he has practiced family therapy in consultation to the Gunderson outpatient program at McLean Hospital. A former finalist in the Harvard Innovation Lab's Dean's Health and Life Sciences Challenge, he has a strong interest in working with entrepreneurs and has served as Executive Coach in Residence at Techstars Boston, a premier startup incubator. Having studied systems psychodynamics at BPSI and led interpersonal groups for years, he employs a team-based approach to help founders succeed through insight into group process. Dr. Boyle graduated from Yale College with an honors degree in philosophy and earned his MD from Harvard Medical School.

Financially Sponsored By

  • Stella Mental Health