Our new call center is open 9-6 Monday through Friday.  The number is 989-339-4464.  Our electronic medical record system is also up and running, so give the center a call and update your records in our system.  

We have 8 full time offices open, will open in the Soo in June, and are adding clinics in Ironwood and Manistique to complete our coverage of the UP.  Our new office in Muskegon opened this month and our next clinic there is May 25, but the office is open 5 days a week for renewals and paperwork.  

Be sure to join our twitter feed for the latest news and articles from Denali Healthcare https://twitter.com/DrBobTownsend and like our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/DrBobCertifications

Thanks and looking forward to seeing you all in 2013-

Dr. Bob

We were in clinic in Vanderbilt and a patient came in with a worried look.  He had just gotten a colored piece of paper in the mail, asking him to do his renewal through the mail in exchange for a check.  Once he paid for the paperwork, he could stop at a hotel room and get a 'complimentary visit'  with a doctor and pick up his filled out paperwork for the state.  He thought it was shady- paying for the paperwork and getting a free visit with a doctor to make it 'legal'.

The law changed April 1st, with the goal of shutting down the signature mills and making medical marijuana certifications just like any other visit with the doctor.  But, as the old story goes, good doctors don't need to be forced to be good doctors with a change in the law, and those that found the loopholes before the law change would continue to find them afterward.  Pay for the paperwork, get a free visit with the doctor to make it legal.

At Denali Healthcare, our physicians and medical staff evaluate patients.  We make decisions and recommendation based on training and experience.  We stand behind our patients and can justify our decisions and recommendations in court if need be.  THAT is what we charge for.  The paperwork is 'complimentary'.

Are you paying for a doctor visit, or are you buying paperwork and the doctor is an afterthought to make it 'legal'?  What did the voters intend?  What does the law require?  What protects you in court?  We as a community have to decide what we are comfortable with- do we do things right or do we see what loopholes we can find?  It isn't hard to do things right.

It has been brought to my attention that many patients have received denials from another certification clinic, MMMCC, due to the physician continuing to sign certifications months after his license to practice medicine in Michigan expired.  This clinic is active in Gaylord and Grand Rapids and is based out of the Detroit area.  

Many of these patients are coming to me to have their certifications done again, correctly.  While I charge for certifications, I don't feel it is right to charge these patients again after they already paid the internet clinic for an invalid certification.  I've contacted that clinic and they refuse to cover the cost of the repeat certification.  Accordingly, I will see these pateints free of charge to correct their certifications in my Muskegon Office (for the GR patients) on May 11th, and in my Gaylord office on May 17th.  See my clinical calendar for locations, times, and contact numbers for these clinics.

Due to changes in the certification rules, this kind of activity will no longer protect patients in court.  Accordingly, I've decided to step forward for the community and take corrective action to protect the patients that got invalid certifications from this clinic.  We DO require medical records, so bring them with you when you come to our clinics, along with your old certification documents.  You will see me personally for your recertification, a valid one.  You must bring the certification paperwork from this clinic and Dr. Gonte (signed between 1-1-13 and now) to receive the free 're do' of the certification.