What to expect as a New Patient
On your first visit, you will be introduced to our integrative and lifestyle approach to chronic illnesses, which includes prevention. If you present with an acute illness, you will be treated appropriately by one of our practitioners. In addition to acute care, they can perform annual physicals including pap smears, and they can organize routine preventive screening tests such as mammograms, bone density studies and colonoscopies. Depending on need and readiness for change and driven by your personal health issues identified during your first visit, advanced, metabolic labs may be drawn in our lab, after which you will be given a follow-up appointment to see a medical provider specially trained in reviewing them. This follow-up lab review may take between 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the complexity of your lab results.
Often, because of these labs, we can recognize inflammatory changes and dietary patterns that are risk factors for future health problems. Sometimes additional testing may be prompted by your results, which may include (but not limited to) seasonal allergy testing and/or food allergy testing along with other gastrointestinal evaluations that may be playing a part in digestive issues or autoimmune disease development. We can also perform cardiac testing including cardiopulmonary stress tests, echocardiograms, carotid ultrasounds, carotid IMTs, vascular ultrasounds, and home sleep apnea testing. We may also perform functional brain scans where EEGs are used to establish baselines, which allow us to follow your progress in treatments for cognitive issues. Plus, a discussion on balancing hormones may ensue on a separate appointment with a practitioner specially trained in bio-identical hormone replacement, if warranted.
Once the testing has been reviewed with the patient and the readiness for change has been identified, a written plan of action is recommended. This may include a weekly referral to one of our Lifestyle Educators, where you will visit with them beginning on a weekly basis, which may turn into bi-weekly appointments, until you have reached the goals you have set.
