How It Works…

Functional Medicine isn’t like most medicine.

I take extensive time to hear your whole story. Don’t be surprised if I ask about your childhood… every aspect of your diet… how often you poop… your relationship with your family. Nothing is off the table as my goal is to get to the root cause of your symptoms.

Ultimately I want you to not only feel better, but to get to the point where you feel in control of your health and body (rather than the other way around).

Step 1: Initial Evaluation

Your first visit will be quite different from the doctor’s appointments you’re used to.

For starters, we’ll spend 90 minutes together. Yes, a full hour and a half. (When’s the last time you spent that much time with a doctor?)

These 90 minutes will allow for a deep dive. We’ll review your whole history – from birth to now. I want to understand what may have influenced and triggered your current symptoms so we can get to the root cause. We can also review any old medical records or test results (please upload at least 48 hours before the visit).

By the way, all of this will be online – Zoom to be exact. While it may seem unorthodox to see a doctor online, I’ve been seeing patients online since March of 2020. Even after the pandemic restrictions eased up, the vast majority of patients chose to continue seeing me online rather than in person. I can promise you it’s not only more convenient, but it is also highly effective.

After this visit, I’ll give you a written plan which will guide you down the path to feeling better. In addition to diet and lifestyle recommendations, this plan will likely include comprehensive laboratory tests, specialty testing and eventually supplements. (Generally, I prefer to start with lifestyle and diet recommendations and wait until the second visit to layer in supplements.) But each patient is different so we’ll just have to see.

Step 2: Testing

After your Initial Evaluation, I’ll likely order a panel of advanced bloodwork and speciality testing, so we’ll get a big picture view of your body systems and how they interact with each other.

Note that labs and specialty testing are not included in the cost of the visit (but many labs are eligible for insurance coverage and specialty tests are eligible for FSA/HSA coverage). For this reason, I’m very selective about which specialty tests I choose for you and I like to only order tests when I think the results will directly inform my plan of action.

Step 3: Nutrition Plan

Based on your symptoms, we’ll get to work on dietary recommendations during the first visit. Sometimes, the initial Nutrition Plan is also a diagnostic test!

At the second visit, we’ll see how you did with the initial recommendations and take your bloodwork results into account to refine your Nutrition Plan further. Your Nutrition Plan will evolve over the time that we work together.

Step 4: Supplement Regimen

Based on your symptoms and testing results, I’ll create a comprehensive Supplement Plan at the first follow-up visit which we will continue to modify over the course of future visits.

Supplements are not included in the cost of the visit but are also eligible for FSA/HSA coverage. I also have a relationship with my preferred supplement provider that will provide you a 15% discount from the retail price. I’m also happy to direct you to the reputable supplements available on Amazon.

Almost all prescriptions I write will be covered by insurance.

Step 5: Our Initial Follow-up Visit

To allow time to fully explain the results of your labs and specialty tests, our first follow-up visit will be an hour and 15 minutes long.

You read that correctly. After your initial visit of an hour and a half this visit will be almost as long. In my experience, your best chance at a happy resolution to your health challenges require this meaningful investment of time.

At this visit, I want to check in with you, see how you’re doing both emotionally and physically, and find out what changes are and are not helping. I also want to hear how the plan we created together is fitting into the realities of your day-to-day life. Most plans need at least a few tweaks.

Step 6: Additional Follow-up Visits?

The second follow-up visit (and all future follow-ups if needed) will be 45 minutes long.

It’s important that we have enough time for us to explore the nuances of how the plan is working – both working to make you feel better and working for your life routines. With each visit, we’ll discuss how you’re feeling, monitor old symptoms, discuss any new symptoms and make adjustments to your routines.

How many follow-up visits will you need?

It depends.

I have some patients who needed only one – I’m always delighted when a simple solution does the trick. I have others who have been working with me for years – some because they have deeply complex, chronic issues and others because they decided to keep working with me to address lesser health concerns. Functional medicine is slow medicine – in a good way – like the slow food movement. Unpacking symptoms that have accumulated over years and making lasting changes takes time.

So, How Much Does This Cost?

Now, you’ll notice you read this far without my mentioning the cost.

I won’t mislead you – I’ll be investing a substantial amount of time in helping you with your health challenges. It’s not just the length of your visits. There are extensive lab and speciality tests to review. There are written Nutritional and Supplement Plans to document.

• The initial visit — which will be an hour and half long – costs $975.

• Your first follow-up visit — which will be an hour and 15 minutes long – costs $825.

• Additional follow-up visits after that are 45 minutes long and cost $550.

While I don’t accept medical insurance, I do provide the paperwork (a “superbill”) you’ll need to submit your visit to your insurance for whatever reimbursement they provide. And even if they don’t reimburse, most plans will count these expenses towards your annual deductible.

I recognize this represents a serious investment in your health and I don’t charge these prices lightly.

There are a few ways to make the costs more manageable.

• If you’re fairly confident this is the right path to feeling better, you can pre-pay for your first three visits (The “Initial” visit, the “first follow-up” visit and one follow-up visit) and get a 10% discount. And if you change your mind I’m happy to bill you the regular price for the visits that occurred and refund the cost of any visit you didn’t use.

• After your first few visits if you choose to continue working with me I also offer a 10% discount when you pre-pay for 3 or more visits.

That’s it.

That’s how I’ll work in partnership with you to put you in control of your body and your health.

What do you say?

Ready to feel better?