Nature’s Way Medicine opens Lewes office

First State Compassion Center’s Sussex County dispensary is expected to open next month. In anticipation of a new patient base, Dr. Matthew Roman has opened a new Nature’s Way Medicine office just up the street.

Located in a first-floor suite in the Nassau Commons development just west of Five Points, Nature’s Way is a medical practice that specializes in medical marijuana prescriptions.

Roman isn’t shy about the medicine his practice uses. The company’s website has pictures of marijuana buds on every page. The phone number is 855-420-DOCS.

“I’m the marijuana doctor,” was the first thing he said during a recent interview in his new office.

Roman, a young-looking 32, said he grew up in Philadelphia, got his undergraduate degree at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., went to Poland to get his medical degree and did his residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

He opened his original location in Wilmington in October 2015, about six months after First State opened its Wilmington dispensary. He said business has been steadily increasing as word spreads, but at first there were long periods when there would be no patients, and he was left wondering if he had made the right decision.

“I was just sitting there waiting for patients,” he said. “It was a struggle.”

Roman said he opened his marijuana-based practice because he wanted to try something different. He said insurance companies have a hold on the medical field in the United States, and he doesn’t think the patients are getting the best treatment.

“It’s a problem when Tylenol at the hospital costs $200,” he said.

In addition to the new location, Nature’s Way is expanding the number of employees. One of those new employees is Carrie Fischer, president of operations. She’s a former drug sales representative with a master’s in business administration who was turned on to medical marijuana after years of chronic back pain and medications that didn’t work. She said she was getting regular epidural shots to alleviate the back pain, but it always came back. Now, she said, it’s been over a year since her last shot, and she attributes the change solely to using medical marijuana.

Fischer said some regular primary care physicians are not comfortable recommending patients for a medical marijuana card, but they have slowly begun referring patients to Nature’s Way.

The demographics are varied, she said. It’s all ages, races and backgrounds, she said.

“It could be the old lady in church or the lawyer you’re speaking with,” Fischer said. “This is not about getting stoned and sitting on your couch all day eating munchies.”

Andrea Wojcik, Department of Health and Social Services spokeswoman, said as of Feb. 16, 367 participating physicians have certified patients for the program. She said state law requires physicians and patients to have a bona fide relationship.

Roman said he’s fully aware of state requirements and of the stigma associated with medical marijuana. He said a patient can expect to have multiple visits before he moves forward to write a prescription for medical marijuana. Sometimes, he said, he sees patients more than three times to establish that relationship and to make sure the diagnosis is correct.

“We’re trying to destroy the taboo of medical marijuana,” he said.

Insurance companies still do not cover medical marijuana treatments, and because of that, Nature’s Way works on a cash, check or credit system. The cost is $150 for a consultation visit.

For a few weeks, Roman has been seeing a limited number of patients in the Cape Region for a couple of weeks, first at a location in Paynter’s Mill, which is now closed. Questions about the Paynter’s Mill location led to the news that First State would open its Sussex County dispensary in The Vineyards at Nassau Valley. During a Jan. 30 budget discussion of the Eastern Sussex Republican Club, a woman who lives in Paynter’s Mill asked Sen. Ernie Lopez, R-Lewes, and Rep. Steve Smyk, R-Milton, about what she thought was the dispensary opening up in her neighborhood. It was Nature’s Way.

Roman smiled when he heard the story. He said the Paynter’s Mill location was opened quickly, but had to change locations, mainly, he said, because it was on the second floor and not accessible to people with disabilities.

“This is our home now,” he said, motioning toward The Vineyards. “It couldn’t be more conveniently located.

For the immediate future, Nature’s Way Medicine will be seeing patients on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, got to natureswaymedicine.com or call 855-420-3627.