What Can I Expect From an Initial Visit?

 

• Consent and intake forms: First you will need to complete the New Patient Intake form and Policies, Privacy & Consent form through your online patient portal or by paper copy (available at front desk).  Make sure to fill these out and submit to Dr. Nicole at least 3 days prior to your visit.  This way, the time during your visit can be used most effectively to address your health concerns.  These forms are very thorough and longer than an average medical form and typically require about 30 minutes of your time to complete.

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• Timing: Initial visits are approximately 90 minutes.  Depending on complexity, Dr. Nicole may take up to 120 minutes for your first assessment. Follow-up appointments are typically 1 hour.  It is common courtesy to show up on-time for your visit (or early).  Your time is valuable and Dr. Nicole strives for little or no waiting times in her office.  When arriving early, you can relax in the sitting room near the fireplace or at the juice bar.  If you arrive late, your visit may be shortened.

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• Intake: Naturopathic doctors are unique in our intake assessments.  Dr. Nicole acts as a health detective who is detailed in her approach to discover the root cause of your imbalance, illness or medical condition.  Be prepared to be asked a wide range of questions that you may or may not think are relevant to your case.  It is in your best interest to be as honest as possible so that Dr. Nicole can obtain a holistic and individualized understanding of you.  The goal of the initial visit is to thoroughly collect information to serve as the foundation for Dr. Nicole to understand you as a holistic and dynamic human being.

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• Review of supplements and medications: If you are currently taking any supplements or medications, bring them to your first visit with the correct dosages and duration for taking each. If you’ve taken any medication in the past for a significant amount of time, it's also important to list what it was, the dose and when you were on it.

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• Focused physical: ND’s are trained to do physical examinations. At your first visit, your vitals will be taken (temperature, pulse, blood pressure and respiratory rate) and a focused physical exam will be done for your specific concerns.

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• Lab work and assessments: Laboratory work-ups are often requested to identify a cause for your concern and to track progress.  Dr. Nicole is thoroughly trained to assess blood work results and determine that results are not just "fine," but instead within an optimal range - to prevent symptoms, health issues and illness.  Please bring any lab work you have within the last year and additional labs will be ordered when necessary.  Most labs are billed to your insurance, so please bring your insurance card to your first visit.

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• Treatments*: You are what you eat!  This is why Dr. Nicole is known to utilize food as medicine as the foundation for her treatment plans.  She will provide nutritional or lifestyle recommendations and may prescribe* supplements or botanical medicines.  Depending on your concerns, acupuncture may be indicated and included in your treatment plan.  As mentioned, much of the first visit is spent getting to know you but a preliminary treatment plan is often developed.

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• Follow-up visits: The number and frequency of visits to expect varies depending on the person and condition.  Dr. Nicole supports a proactive and preventative approach to wellness.  This focuses on health-care and keeping you well, rather than waiting for you to be sick to provide care.  Naturopathic medicine is not about “quick fixes” or suppressive treatments.  Healing from the root of the cause takes more time and effort than the conventional reactive model, but it is sustainable and preventative for future ailments.

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• Timeline: It’s often estimated that for every year you’ve had a condition or symptom, it will take approximately 1 month to reverse.  For example, someone suffering from fatigue for 5 years, may take 5 months to clear symptoms.  However, often times the correct diet and lifestyle changes can remove a symptom almost immediately.  Consistency is the key for healing so always stick to your treatment protocol for at least 1 month before deciding if it is helping or not.

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• Insurance coverage*:  Dr. Nicole is considered an Out-of-Network (OON) provider.  Check with your insurance company to verify your Out-of-Network (OON) benefits for your naturopathic medical visits.  Some companies specifically allocate health insurance for ND’s while others give a broad “alternative," "specialist" or "complementary” health category.  If you are at all unsure, call up your insurance company and ask.  Insurance coverage is not necessary to see Dr. Nicole and practical, self-pay options are available.  Click here for more information on insurance reimbursement and a list of questions to clarify with your insurance carrier.

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• Optimal mindset: It’s important to enter your appointment with an open mind.  Many patients have seen multiple practitioners without success but naturopathic physicians are different. Dr. Nicole is an evidence-based practitioner with extensive safe and effective clinical tools.  With a holistic approach, Dr. Nicole empowers patients to take back control of their health through patient-focused and results-based care.  Your health is a process and a journey.  It requires your time and effort to get the greatest results for restorative and preventative medicine.  You are worth the time, energy and commitment.

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• To learn more about Naturopathic Medicine, click here. 

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• To learn more about Acupuncture, click here.