Controversial doctor takes to the skies to tackle opiate addiction

A controversial central Newfoundland doctor is expanding his addiction clinic — and he's doing it by air.

Dr. Todd Young operates Main Street Medical Clinic in Springdale. He also runs a satellite clinic in Stephenville and services patients across Newfoundland by telemedicine.

Starting this month, he will be flying to treat those patients with opioid addiction in person.

He hopes this will provide them better care.

"In the Marystown area, we have about 80 patients that we see through telemedicine and we have others in Clarenville and St. John's," he said.

"We wanted people not to have to travel long distances and [felt] a good face-to-face appointment was better."

Young said there is a huge need for the care in the province. "There's not a community, I would suggest, in our province that's not affected by opiate addiction."

Young notes travelling by air makes the most sense when it comes to time and money.

"We're fortunate to have an excellent airstrip [in Springdale]. And a friend of mine is a pilot. And so that's what we're going to be doing."

In 2015, Young made headlines when he was sanctioned by the provincial College of Physicians and Surgeons after admitting to having sex with a former patient and inappropriate conduct with another.

He regained his medical licence but was denied hospital admission privileges by Central Health, a battle he took all the way to the Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court, and lost.

Young subsequently put together his satellite clinics and, later, a virtual clinic via telemedicine.

After a long battle with Central Health, Young's hospital privileges were reinstated in September.

Young said opiate addiction is best treated with two medications, Suboxone and methadone. But many physicians in the province are uncomfortable prescribing them. He isn't sure why there is such a stigma, because for him, the end results make it all worth it.

"Personally, I love it. It's been very rewarding. I see the biggest changes in patients when they're on treatment. You know, really good things happen."

Creating healthier communities

Young said it isn't just the lives of the patient that changes, but it also creates healthier communities.

"We know that with treatment, [the] crime rate goes down in your community. Families end up staying together."

It's not just medication that helps his patients. Young says working with local pharmacists for patients to have support and counselling services is also key to care.

He hopes to see other physicians prescribing Suboxone and methadone in the future.

But for now, he'll be racking up the air miles as he treats patients across the island. His first flight will be to Marystown on Friday, December 14.