SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Mayson Bedient, is a South Dakota doctor of osteopathy. He works with MyMarijuanaCards (MMC), a business that came to South Dakota to help connect patients with doctors who will assist them is assessing their need for medical marijuana.
Bedient estimates that he has so far recommended around 400 patients to the state.
This is an important number, 400, considering that as of the most recent update, the state has reported a total of 1,150 total patient cards authorized. This means that Bedient alone could be responsible for about 34.78% of all South Dakota state patient cards issued.
Two other doctors work with MMC in South Dakota as well, making up the remaining 300 patients that have been recommended by MMC.
With three doctors being responsible for roughly 60% of all cards issued by the state, the remaining 40% is split between 103 other physicians approved by the Department of Health (DOH).
Some may raise an eyebrow at the idea that the man who has assisted 400 people in getting medical cards is an osteopath, and not an M.D. KELOLAND News asked Bedient about this.
“There’s not a lot of differences (between D.O.s and M.D.s),” said Bedient. “The main difference is in our training. We are credentialed and licensed to do the same things as an M.D., we just get a little bit of extra training in musculoskeletal medicine.”
Bedient wants to make it clear…
