Don’t get me wrong, I think that functional medicine is well worth the money and may actually save you money. However, that doesn’t negate the fact that the ability or inability to pay is a big factor in whether or not people come to see somebody like me. Some people really do need to re-evaluate their priorities like the woman below, but that is not always the case.
The problem is, up to this point I haven’t been able to do much about the price of my services. It’s not fair to me or my family to not charge enough for my time and expertise… unless somebody can pull some strings and ask the US government to pardon my giant student loan. I can’t control how much my labs cost, nor do I have a lot of control over the price at which I sell my supplements. So what’s a young doctor with a bleeding heart to do? How do I gather the information I need without breaking the bank?
Here’s how what I do normally works:
1. Talk with and examine the patient
2. Run blood, saliva and stool testing
3. Find something to address
4. Initiate treatment such as dietary and lifestyle changes
5. Re-run tests to determine if treatment is working
6. Adjust the plan if needed
7. Rinse, lather, repeat as required
Now with my new training in Nutritional Therapy, I will be adding an additional step:
1. Talk with and examine* the patient
2. Run blood, saliva and stool testing
3. Find something to address
4. Initiate treatment such as dietary and lifestyle changes
5. Re-examine the patient
6. Adjust the treatment plan as needed
7. Re-run tests to determine if we have reached our end goal
8. Adjust or continue with care if needed
9. Rinse, lather, repeat as required
The difference here, is that this new training will allow me to use laboratory testing a little less frequently than I have in the past. Learning new ways to examine the body and use that information to adjust my treatment protocols will no-doubt save my patients money. With the information I am learning at the Nutritional Therapy Association, I will be even better equipped to help my patients and get them on the road to healthy eating!
If you or somebody you know is interested in working with a functional medicine doctor please call my office at (919) 238-4094 and see if we are the right fit for you. Infinity Holistic Healthcare is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, part of the Raleigh-Durham “triangle” area.
