Q: What is Integrative Medicine (IM)?
It is a healing-oriented form of care that takes into account the whole person – including all aspects of lifestyle. IM emphasizes the therapeutic relationship between patient and practitioner, as they are partners in the healing process.
Good medicine is based in good science and open to new paradigms; IM is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapies, neither rejecting nor accepting conventional medicine or alternative therapies uncritically.
- All factors that influence health, wellness, and disease are taken into consideration.
- Appropriate use of both conventional and alternative methods facilitates the body’s innate healing response.
- Effective interventions that are natural and less invasive should be used whenever possible.
From the University of Arizona’s Integrative Medicine Department
Q: Is Integrative Medicine care covered by insurance?
In many cases, yes. Most health insurances reimburse a portion of my professional fee as a medical doctor. I will provide you with a bill to submit to your insurance plan. Contact me for my fee schedule.
Q: What will a typical visit be like?
Your initial visit will be 90-100 minutes long, and will be quite comprehensive. Our conversation will be thorough and detailed – whether you bring records and results for me to review or not. I will get to know you as a person as well as a patient. Together we will devise an initial encompassing strategy or “path forward” that meets your needs. Follow up visits are typically shorter check-ins of 30-45 minutes. In my experience, rushing quickly through a visit usually results in missed opportunities for excellent healthcare.
Q: What sort of conditions can integrative medicine help treat?
Common conditions that I help people with include (but are not limited to):
Diabetes
Thyroid disease
Headaches
Fatigue
Mood (Stress Management, Depression, Anxiety, OCD, others)
Sleep Disturbances
Hormone Imbalances
Arthritis
Pain
Overweight / Obesity
Digestive Conditions
Allergies
Cancer
Neurological Conditions (e.g. Memory, Stroke, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Dementia, others)
Skin Conditions
Celiac Disease