Integrative Medicine
Physician Consultations
Integrative medicine differs from conventional medicine by considering all aspects of your lifestyle when diagnosing and prescribing treatment. Its goal is to support your body’s natural healing processes and promote lifelong health and well-being.
For more information, call (858) 616-5600
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What is Integrative Medicine?
Learn about what Integrative Medicine is and how it can help you.
What do you get in your consultation?
Explore what you may experience in a typical consultation.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions about Integrative Medicine.
Interested in an Integrative Medicine appointment?
Book an Integrative Medicine Physician consultation!
What is Integrative Medicine?
Integrative medicine is a holistic approach to healthcare that combines conventional Western medicine with complementary and alternative therapies to address the physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual aspects of health. It focuses on treating the whole person rather than just the symptoms of a disease, aiming for optimal health and healing. Integrative medicine is often used for managing chronic conditions, reducing stress, improving overall quality of life, and enhancing recovery from illnesses.
Key features of integrative medicine include:
- Patient-Centered Care: Emphasizes a partnership between patient and practitioner, considering the patient’s preferences, values, and lifestyle.
- Combination of Modalities: Combines evidence-based conventional treatments (like medication or surgery) with complementary therapies such as acupuncture, yoga, nutrition, herbal medicine, mindfulness, or massage.
- Focus on Prevention: Encourages lifestyle changes and preventive strategies to maintain health and well-being.
- Holistic Perspective: Addresses not just physical symptoms but also emotional, psychological, and spiritual dimensions of health.
- Scientific Basis: While it incorporates complementary therapies, it prioritizes treatments supported by scientific evidence.
What do you get in your consult?
- Your consult includes a 60 minute face to face visit with an integrative physician. This time allows us to dig deeper into aspects of your health and health history you may never have considered before.
- Prior to your consult, your medical history (if a Kaiser member) and your submitted health history questionnaire as well as your 3 day diet history will be thoroughly reviewed to best understand how we can help you reach your goals, and what may be standing in your way.
- After your consultation, your doctor will design your personal plan for achieving your health goals, and share this with you both virtually and with a summary packet that will contain materials outlining your recommendations.
FAQs:
Does my consult include an exam? What about labs?
A focused exam may be performed, but the majority of the information our doctors need will be in your extensive health history questionnaire and your diet history. Labs are not ordered. Integrative Medicine services do not overlap with any covered benefit (such as labs) that are part of your traditional medical insurance.
I got labs done by another integrative doctor. Can your doctor interpret these for me?
There are thousands of labs that are ordered in integrative medicine and no one doctor can interpret them all. We suggest asking the doctor who recommended and ordered those labs to interpret them.
Will I be able to communicate with my doctor after my consult?
Yes! Simply reach out to Positive Choice and our staff will relay any questions or help you arrange a 30-minute follow-up consult.
Do you offer virtual consults?
Yes! Both by phone and video–your choice.
Can people who are not Kaiser members request a consult?
Yes! Our consults are open to everyone, Kaiser Permanente member or not, or even those without insurance. That is because we are fee-for-service and our services are not part of any insurance plan.
Do I have to live in San Diego to have a consult?
No! You don’t even have to be in our time zone. We would recommend a virtual consult for those far away.
Interested in an Integrative Medicine Physician Consultation?
To begin the process of an Integrative Medicine physician consultation, please fill out the following Health History form and Three Day Diet History form.
Integrative Medicine physician appointments are not covered by the Kaiser Permanente Health plan and $495 fee is required for initial appointment, $250 for follow-up appointments. Call if you have questions or need assistance, 858-616-5600.
Once our team receives these forms, you will be called for scheduling and payment.
Health History Form
Your Integrative Medicine physician wants to learn more about you as a whole person, please complete a Health History form.
Three Day Diet History Form
Nutrition is the cornerstone to health, and for that reason your we ask that you complete a detailed 3-day diet history. You will need to download and save this file in order to complete it. Please email your completed Diet History to [email protected].