Though Young at first just seemed to go along with the project, he grew more invested after the first visit, the cameraman told me. Multiple surveys show that people tend to trust health-care workers more than they trust many other professionals, including police officers and clergy members. They learned to ignore it. In 2018, a woman told police that Young put his hands down her pants during an office visit, but that apparently led to nothing. Khazan: Like, for example, here he is sniffing a pair of womens underwear with his sidekick, a friend named Kevin. A former employee said that staffers had to go to Youngs houseanother McMansionto drag him out of bed, and that he would occasionally arrive at the clinic drunk. Longoria: And one of those worst of the worst providers stood out from the others. Because he prescribed my opiates, and I took them as prescribed, and I had no problems with it. The next morning, the office manager, Kristie Gutgsell, would clean up after them. Stephanie had been in an abusive relationship and dealt with a slew of other traumas. He remarried in 2006. Thats not my fucking problem, all right? On April 17, 2019, officials swept through Appalachia, charging 53 medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. At least 50 women are thought to have come to the clinic to have sex with Young, some of them allegedly doing so in exchange for drugs, according to court testimony. Longoria: There are many pieces to the puzzle of how opioids found their way into so many medicine cabinets. Khazan: Christi Calles was the patient who loved listening to Stairway to Heaven.. And were gonna send a message. They called it the single largest crackdown on prescription opioids in history. Though many of these deaths have been caused by street drugs such as heroin and illegally manufactured fentanyl, the nations opioid epidemic was sparked by the kinds of painkillers medical providers prescribed. Many told me that they didnt want to talk on the record. In July 2016, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation began looking into allegations that Young was overprescribing opioids. We cant live if hes out, she said. Hed wear Halloween masks and make off-color jokes. Long after the criminal charges against him became known, many of Youngs patients and friends came to his defenseincluding some whom he had seemingly wronged. #saturdays at noon est to hear #nikkidarling chat with the #RockDoc Jeff Young II #musicmeetmedicine Starts at 12pm est. (A long moment of music with no narration before it fades out. And most doctors youve seen, they give off this persona as like, Im too cool. It fit neatly, at least, into a story I was already really familiar with: It was the greedy provider who was allegedly taking advantage of his patients. How was a nurse practitioner whose behavior was so outrageous allowed to treat patients for so long? Khazan: Jeff had been good to Tanya in the clinic, which was an experience that she didnt usually have with doctors. Young seemed eager to hire lots of staff, but would end up firing them later. She became his patient around 2016. And Im like, Oh. [A beat.] Young: Hi, my name is Jeff Young. Even if the treatment doesnt work, it feels good to be listened to when youre used to being ignored. I said, um, So what are yall doing after-hour? It moved so slowly in punishing drug-addicted nurses that some were able to get new jobs and steal narcotics while under investigation, an eastern Tennessee news station, WJHL, found in 2016. Throughout the opioid epidemic, a distressing number of doctors have seen a perverse opportunity in Americans suffering. The former patient told me she became afraid to leave her house. But the board has a history of letting suspicious providers go on practicing for years. Theres clear evidence that opioid manufacturers knew the drugs were addictive, yet they marketed them aggressively anyway. Naylor: And I remember him saying, Bring him to the office. Some of Youngs dalliances with his patient-friends similarly took a dark turn. Khazan: When I first started talking to Jeffs former patients, I thought I understood this story. In another, he totters around with an empty bottle of bourbon and pans the camera over to Phillips, who is asleep on the couch. Young was indicted on drug-trafficking charges in April 2019. It surprised her, but Jeff was attuned to all that. Several people suggested suing for defamation a news station that reported on the incident. Calles: Yes. Not that half of the, you know powers that be are on some sort of whatever. Young: Whats up, my friend? Heres what I can tell you. The allegations, when they started coming, though, really started coming fast. At the beginning of the opioid epidemic, the autonomy of doctors to prescribe opioids was almost limitless, Keith Humphreys, a Stanford University professor who researches mental-health policy, says. And even then, I didnt want to hear it. You may not like what I stand for. Jeff wanted what was best for his patient. Phillips popped off to a friend.). Young was among them. While Youngs antics could be a nightmare for his staff, his pool of patients increased as word about his practice spread. It was just rocked out. Copyright 2021 The Atlantic and New York Public Radio. I just asked him. Young had an active channel on Periscope, where he and Phillips drank and waxed philosophical. In 2011, the couple got in a fight while visiting Panama City Beach, Florida, and it was determined that Young did throw, or shove, Mrs. Young from the bed to the floor, the police report reads. Im like, Im as outspoken as he is. To get from pharma lab to medicine cabinet, the drug needed to pass through one of the most sacred spaces in America. In August 2015, Young prescribed MY what the letter calls a dangerous combination of an opioid, a benzodiazepine, and a muscle relaxant. But, in theory, there should have been a check on all this. Christi Calles: His doctors office was just rocked out. She texted Jeff. Khazan: Christi had really appreciated what Jeff did for her. Calles: I mean, the whole deal of him being in jail this long is completely unfair. Through his lawyer, Michael R. Working, Phillips did not return several requests for comment. Never give up God is full of second chances, one woman wrote. Otherwise, fledgling practices, in particular, risk losing patients. Thats okay. On my trip, I strolled by a glass case near the federal courthouse that held a large Bible opened to the Gospel of John. Rather than call for help, Young walked away and left me on the ground, she told me. You could see, almost, when you were talking to him, he was listeningand he was thumping that pen to the beat of the music. Khazan: The way I first got to know Jeff Young was through videos he posted online. They married in 2014 and lived right above his vet clinic in Denver. When you got all kinds of money, said Jon Benjamin Sharp, a local musician who used to see Young around town, you got all kinds of friends. (Sharp made clear that he himself wasnt a fan of Youngs.) Use the hashtag #TheExperimentPodcast, or write to us at theexperiment@theatlantic.com. But that did not put a stop to Youngs ambitions. Actually very nice, yeah. I had had back surgery, and I really had real problems that no one wanted to listen to me about. But tonally, much of the footage betrays him. Thats okay. Despite the accumulation of evidence suggesting that Young was running his practice recklessly and endangering patients, he remained licensed to write prescriptions for five years after PreventaGenix opened its doors. And that was not the case at all. Naylor: (A long beat and a breath.) I dont wear underwear. Young grabs them and takes a big whiff. From that day on, he saw him for everything. 0:04. She doesnt think Young was the one who drugged her, but she believes nevertheless that she was drugged. Kevin: Jeff and I are full of antics. The clinic mostly offered cosmetic treatments, and it was located in a strip mall in a more industrial part of town, next to a chiropractor and a place called Genes Tire & Wrecker. Nurses are consistently rated higher in honesty and ethics than all other professions that Gallup asks about, by a wide margin, the polling firm said in a January 2020 survey. Music by Parish Council (Dabbles), water feature (ariel), Arabian Prince in a UK World (The Feeling of Being on a Diet), Keyboard (Being There and My Atelier), and Column (The Art of Fun (Raj) and Sensuela), provided by Tasty Morsels. He helped her a lot with her pain. His wife also loves animals and works in the same clinic. (The DEA declined to comment on Youngs case for this story.) In fact, he avoided doctors at all costs. Young would call these liaisons nooners or say it was tap-that-ass Tuesday, according to court testimony. A year later, the Tennessee nursing board suspended his ability to prescribe most opioids and other controlled substances for two years, saying that he had prescribed them irresponsibly. Obesity and diabetes are rampant; so is chronic pain. Its heavy, and it loops. 1,274 likes. Khazan: In 2016, Jeff tried to broadcast his world even more widely. Yeah, thats prettythats very distressing. Defending himself in one of his on-camera interviews, Young acknowledges that he is maybe a little untraditional and that he might like to drink a little bit after hours. But, he says, Im very passionate about what I do I work hard, but I play harder. Youngs practice was, for a time, an inexpensive, reliable option for medical care in Jackson. [Chuckles.] She told me that while she was a patient at the clinic, she had a front-row seat to Preventagenix getting more and more popular. Calles: Oh my gosh. Like, all these doctors who are really out of line and just writing so many scripts for so many addictive drugs, theyre really not being careful at all. He didnt mind saying a curse word or two.. If a patient would text him a compliment, he would blast it all over Facebook, one former employee told me. Im in the middle of a life-saving procedure here. Young put his name behind charity projects around town, took health insurance, and offered discounts for people who otherwise couldnt afford care. Other female patients checkout sheets simply said No charge., Though he portrayed himself as harmlessly vulgar, Young could, in fact, get violent with women. Mellow and slow, it moves under the narration the way water moves through a stream.). Heres what I can tell you about the JY2, all right? The clinics aim would be to halt the parade of miseriesheart attacks, early deaths, hospital billsbrought on by the obesity epidemic. Sometimes the two men would fight, and broken glass would litter the floor. One patient she knew kept a cane in the trunk of her car and visited doctors offices with it in order to appear disabled so she could get more pills. Young began arriving at the clinic smelling rancid, with greasy hair, and the clinics money problems mounted. His lawyer also declined to answer any specific allegations. Though criminal cases against doctors and nurse practitioners like Young are still relatively rare, they are growing more common. (Court records do not contain the names of Youngs alleged victims.) The clinic sat on a quiet road crammed with other medical practicesa sleep doctor, a dentist, a nephrologist, an orthodontisteach in its own brick McMansion. I just didnt feel comfortable. An active and fun show following the life of FNP Jeff Young II at work and his life after work. So you got to be a good judge of character. The clinic sat on a quiet road crammed with other medical practicesa sleep doctor, a dentist, a nephrologist, an orthodontisteach in its own . The agency also searched Youngs cellphone. Do you feel safe with Mr. Young being out there? a prosecutor on the case, Andrew Pennebaker, asked Pickering in court. He did know exactly what to talk to him about to make him feel at ease, and he impressed that grumpy old man so much that that was his primary-care doctor and the only doctor he would see. Many medical providers are small-business owners who operate with limited oversight from authorities. He soon opened a new clinic, which he called GeneXis Health. But Young was eager to let the world know that he was no typical nurse practitioner. The agents seized about 350 of Youngs patient charts and every computer in the office, according to Gutgsell, the former office manager, and the notice of seizure states that about 10,000 individual doses of hydrocodone were also taken. Throughout Youngs year-long treatment of MY, Young failed to conduct pill counts, consult a state database meant to monitor the dispensing of controlled substances, and discuss with MY the risks of combining these drugs, according to the document. Longoria: And what part of the crisis were you most focused on? Khazan: In the pilot, he presents himself as more of a friend than a medical professional. They didnt have tattoos. Some sought counseling, slept under their beds, or carried guns. It was a story her daughter told her about a time she got sick. Later that month, M.Y. Nearly a fifth of the citys residents live below the poverty line, and many are afflicted with chronic diseases that often accompany the stresses of a low income. Young: (Moaning.) He was like, No, we do Botox and stuff for people, and dah-dah-dah-dah. Khazan: I had a lot of Why on earth? questions: Why would he do this? I asked to speak with him for this story, but because of a gag order on the case, his lawyer declined interviews with me. Young: (Serious, and a little angry.) Every single time I went to that doctor and I left, Stairway to Heaven played. The man says if he were ever shot, he would go to Young before going to the hospital. I am a, uh, nurse practitioner. He was the casual party guy, not the stuffy doctor. The Experiment is a co-production of The Atlantic and WNYC Studios. She was referred to Jeff by one of her friends. Purdue voice-over: Often, it will be an opioid medication. The first move of any significant consequence for Young came in early 2017, when the DEA raided the clinic. Khazan: The Rock Doc, Jeff Young, has been in jail for almost two years, awaiting trial. Tanya Ballard: I think people are Just didnt like Jeff. 40 members in the TDBauto community. 14:46. PreventaGenix had a back door, and before long employees started noticing that some female patients would come in through it and go directly to Youngs office. For the occasion of his detention hearing, Young wore a cerulean suit and a comb-over. (A moment of narrative silence. Jeffery Dale Young known as Dr. Jeff Young or Dr. Jeff is American Veterinarian and a reality TV actor. In March 2019, the health department received a complaint that Young had inappropriate sexual contact with patients, and sent him a letter of warning without disciplining him. The cause of death, according to the letter, was a probable cardiac event due to polypharmacy, or the simultaneous use of multiple drugs.. A few months into their new venture, Reitz and Young were supposed to meet to discuss the running of the clinic. Khazan: LeAnn Naylor was the secretary for the mayor of Jackson when she started seeing Jeff as a patient. Additional music by Nelson Bandela (04 HIDDEN FORCES and Auddi Sun 01 131). 1986-present. Calles: And I mean, he didnt dress like your average doctor. Part of the judges reasoning was that Youngs Facebook posts showed a propensity for violence., Young continued blogging from jail, somehow managing to write a few posts for a website that promotes medical providers rights to prescribe opioids freely. Thats the big joke. This social-media stardom appears to have helped inoculate him against concerns that his loose approach to medicine could harm anyone. In one scene, he and his best friend, a pharmaceutical representative named John Kevin Phillips, broadcast themselves on the video-streaming app Periscope. In November 2016, the health department threatened to file charges against Young before the board of nursing. We wont know if Young is guilty of everything the government says he is, or how much additional time, if any, he will serve, until later this year. ), (The intro to a rock song plays, with a driving, pulsing beat. Purdue ad doctor: They dont wear out. Have you ever been to a doctor and you just didnt feel comfortable? We put out calls and emails to dozens of Jeff Youngs patients. So it was kind of significant to me. Its a shame, he told me, that Young got into so much legal trouble; think of all the people he might have helped. As the nursing boards investigation of Young inched along, another agency launched its own probe into the Rock Doc. He pleaded not guilty to the . Before long, the three men hatched a plan to found a network of health clinics that would check patients cholesterol levels and offer diet and exercise advice. M.Y. Whats up kids? So hes a little out there. They are often too under-resourced and understaffed to keep a watchful eye on all medical providers. JACKSON, Tenn. The end is nowhere close for three medical professionals charged in a federal opioid crackdown earlier this year. At the same time, building himself up as a renegade nurse practitioner seems to have allowed Young to sweep his faults under the rug of unconventionality. (Somber, reflective droning notes play up. Then it rewinds into nothingness.). Theres actually a diagnosis called white-coat hypertension. Its when your blood pressure spikes in a doctors office because the whole experience is nerve-racking. Khazan: So Ive written a million stories about this. Make and Model: The only Billboard Hot 100 entry for new wave greats The Cars with an automotive title to match their band name . In 2013, she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic disorder that is usually accompanied by widespread pain and fatigue. Other doctors dont post pictures of themselves with motorcycles and scantily clad women, either. Many people in Jackson seemed to see themselves in Young. The biggest blow came in 2019, when Jeff was indicted by the federal government for overprescribing opioids, often in order to get, quote, money, notoriety, and sexual favors., In a court hearing, investigators described several Facebook messages between Jeff and his patients, identified only by their initials. Even when they do, the boards are mainly composed of doctors and nurses peers, who can be reluctant to throw the book at one of their own, says Rebecca Haw Allensworth, a Vanderbilt University law professor who has studied medical boards. Jackson, TN USA. Without doing a physical exam, Young diagnosed MY with chronic lower-back pain and anxiety, the letter details. Rumors started to spread in town that strange things were going on in Jeffs office. Young: Very nice. Khazan: Part of making her feel better was prescribing her opioids. (Fades under.). Khazan: Do you feel like Jeff has done more harm than good? After PreventaGenix shut down, Young told his patients on Facebook that they could contact Reitz and Patels attorney to get their medical records. Young did seem to be famous enough in Jackson, however, to reinforce his own grand vision of himself. He tied the knot with his beautiful wife Dr. Petra. Sometimes patients seeking opioids go to different providers until they find one who is willing to prescribe to them. One employee recalled him sometimes being too drunk to see patients. But as I talked to more patients, they started saying things that really surprised me. Khazan: In his Periscope videos, Jeff insisted it was all fun and games, and people were just criticizing him because of his style. Women were drawn to Young; he had a big house and was the first to buy everyones drink. Scott Deberry: Kinda made it start seeming like he was unprofessional. You may not like my rock and roll, you may not like my piercings, you may not like my sexy-ass beard, but you know what? Rather than suffer any real consequences for his allegedly reckless prescribing, Young continued to work as a medical provider for years. Young cries at his sons fifth-grade graduation, then explains that hes so emotional because his nurses are having their periods. Jeffrey Young wanted to give you a real look inside his clinic. It doesnt sound like much of a sella middle-aged man doling out medical advice in a city midway between Memphis and Nashville. Theres this moment in one of the videos that I keep thinking about: Young: (Over more pool filtration.) But I was willing to overlook all that, you know? Khazan: Not long after Jeff opened Preventagenix, the Tennessee nursing board started to investigate him for prescribing high doses of opioids to his patients, even when he didnt have a good medical reason. When I visited the clinic shortly before the hearing, Young had just finished up with a patient. Patients would spend an hour or two in the waiting room, only to get a rushed exam and prescription. Scott Deberry: And, you know, once you get around the tattoos and the way he talkscause he talks to you as if hes talking to you on the streets As long as he was going to take care of me and make me feel okay, or make me feel better, I had no problem with that. Prosecutors say Young used his rebellious persona to take advantage of patients, distributing highly addictive painkillers on demand and in large quantities for profitand, often, his own sexual gratification. Phillips, Youngs best friend, would often stop by the clinic to hang out and drink, according to former employees. Jackson nurse practitioner Jeffrey Young will await his opioid trafficking trial in jail, an appeals court decided Thursday. Of course other doctors dont write as many prescriptions, the implication seemed to be. I swear he didnt look at my leg for 30 seconds, and he told me exactly what it was, he says. Jeffrey Young was one of those people. Automated News Feed Subreddit No Censorship, Just News. FNP Jeff Young Jr. shares his life with his fans and promotes a healthy and fun lifestyle to make you "young" at heart! You can all suck my d***. Looking for Jeff Young online?