- What is functional medicine nutrition?
I use the terms “functional medicine nutrition” rather than “functional nutrition” to describe what I practice because it is important to me to distinguish functional medicine from other nutritional approaches or nutritionists who use the now-popular term “functional.” The Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine master’s program I completed at UWS utilizes curriculum directly from the Institute for Functional Medicine, a forward-thinking, systems biology-based approach which educates practitioners to address the root causes of dysfunction and disease by exploring the biochemical imbalances along with the unique genetic and environmental circumstances of each individual person. I believe this approach is the future of medicine.
I am not a medical doctor, and it is beyond my scope of practice to diagnosis or treat diagnosed medical conditions, so I cannot act as a primary care provider and you must retain a primary care doctor if we are working together. What I can do is identify and treat nutritional and biochemical imbalances, which impact every area of your health. A medical diagnosis can sometimes be a limiting thing because it sometimes reduces the range of treatment options offered to you in a conventional medicine setting. By focusing on nutrients and whole body well-being, we positively impact disease states from multiple angles and work to rebuild complete health. I can work in collaboration with your primary care physician and any other care providers on your team to help provide you with the most comprehensive care possible. Please follow the link below to learn more about functional medicine.
2. How much do appointments cost?
My pricing structure is very simple and includes a reduced price option to allow me to serve those for whom the full price presents a significant financial burden.
Initial Consult and Therapeutic Plan Session: $300 (Please note: This includes 2 appointments–the initial 75-minute consult and a 60-minute Therapeutic Plan Session to go in depth into your initial treatment plan and strategize where and how to begin).
Reduced price for financial burden (and available to everyone in 2024 only): $150 (fee includes both initial appointments as listed above)
Follow-ups: $125 (45 minutes). Follow-ups are scheduled on an as-needed basis to implement next stages of your treatment plan, check in on progress, address in-depth questions, or read labs together. Reduced price: $60 (45 minutes).
For any questions about my current offer, please email me at becky@osaintegrative.com or schedule a discovery call to talk about how we can work together toward your goals.
3. How many appointments will I need?
All clients need at a minimum the first two appointments to begin implementing therapeutic changes–this is why I have made them a package deal. After the second visit, you will be on your way implementing the very first steps of the plan we’ve created together. However, it is important to keep in mind that lasting change does take time and commitment. Most plans will have short- and long-term goals and are best implemented in stages. Depending on what your plan entails, we may decide to meet again in the next 2-4 weeks to check in, make any adjustments, and proceed with the next stage. Lifestyle and nutrition plans are dynamic and change based on emerging data from lab work and from your experience. If you have a very simple plan, perhaps 3-5 visits will get you to where you want to be. For most clients, we may meet periodically over the course of 6-12 months or longer, or as desired. Success is best supported with intentional, meaningful, achievable steps. A majority of clients come for several follow-up appointments because it is usually not feasible nor optimal to implement an entire therapeutic plan after just one visit, and clients benefit from the dynamic and supportive process of working together to carry out and evolve the original plan.
Bottom line: I want to provide you with comprehensive care and see you through to meeting your goals, but I do not have a requirement for clients to commit to anything beyond the first two visits.
4. Can I pay with HSA or FSA funds?
The answer here is probably, but you will likely need to obtain a “letter of medical necessity” from your primary provider detailing that you are receiving nutritional care to address a specific medical concern or diagnosis. Please contact your benefits administrator to find out what your eligible expenses are.
5. Can I contact you between appointments?
Absolutely! I am available to answer quick questions via email, messaging through the electronic health record service, or scheduled phone calls (5-10 minutes). If you have more in-depth questions or concerns that cannot be answered in a 5-10 minute conversation, or which are about new topics we have not yet discussed in session together, you may be asked kindly to schedule a follow-up appointment so that we can have adequate time together to get your questions fully answered.
6. What happens after I book my first appointment?
After you book an initial consult, I will send you several forms to complete at least 1 full day (24 hours) prior to your visit. It is important that I have this information prior to our visit for legal and practical reasons, so if you are not able to complete them in time, we will need to reschedule. The forms you will receive are: an intake form, a medical symptoms questionnaire, 3-day food journal, a privacy notice, and a consent form. Based on any preliminary conversation we may have had, I might also send other forms if I think they are particularly applicable to your case, such as a toxicant exposure questionnaire. If you have any lab work to share with me, you will be able to upload that into the electronic health record along with the forms. I understand that it can feel cumbersome to fill out a bunch of paperwork, but do please know that this is all in the service of providing the most personalized care possible for you.
If this page did not answer your questions, please reach out! I would love to hear from you and personally reply to all inquiries. Email me at becky@osaintegrative.com, or reach me by phone: 206-390-0747