Becoming a Patient
It’s not hard to get started working with us, but it is important to go through a step-by-step process that’s designed to give you the best results with our care. Becoming our Functional Medicine patient involves the steps listed below.
Step 1. QUALIFICATION PHONE CALL
Call us at (864) 757-8500. One of our team members will ask you some questions to see if you qualify for our care. Not everyone is a good candidate to work with us, for a variety of reasons. One reason is the comprehensive nature of our approach; another is the patient’s condition. The patient’s expectations and goals may be a third determining factor. If you are a good candidate for our care, we will schedule a consultation.
Step 2. CONSULTATION – INITIAL VISIT
Your initial consultation will include a visit to our office to meet the team with your spouse or support partner, if applicable. If you’re at a distance, depending on your location, we may be able to meet with you virtually, by video call. Prior to your appointment, you’ll complete New Patient Questionnaires on your Patient Portal so we can get a good understanding of your current symptoms and concerns and learn more about your medical history. We also ask that you upload any recent test results in your Patient Portal in advance of your consultation appointment.
The consultation involves sitting down to discuss your case in depth. We will review the history of what is going on with your condition, including evaluation of any recent lab testing or diagnostics you have had done. We will then make recommendations for further evaluation and diagnostics through our office.
During your consultation, the team will answer any questions you may have. Three of the most common questions asked of us will be answered for you by the team:
What is causing me to feel this way?
Can you help me?
How much will it cost?
At this point, you can decide whether or not you’d like to go partner with New Life Health. If so, you move into Phase 1 of being a patient at New Life.
Phase 1 - Comprehensive “Deep Dive” Diagnostics
Our Diagnostic evaluation takes a “Deep Dive” analysis to determine the root cause(s) of why you’re feeling the way you do. We want to cast a wide net and see the whole picture of your health, rather than just a few pieces of the puzzle. Your Diagnostic testing will be specific to you and may include comprehensive bloodwork, Environmental Sensitivity Testing, Food Sensitivity Testing or Genetic Testing, to name a few. If you’re getting bloodwork done, your blood draws will be performed at separate facilities, and the results are sent to us. You may also collect some of your tests from the privacy of your own home.
Once we’ve received all your lab test results, we will contact you to schedule your Report of Findings appointment. At this visit, we lay out your individualized Care Plan based on the results of your Diagnostics testing. We ask that you, as well as your spouse or support partner, attend this important visit.
We will give you complete information on exactly what we have determined to be the best path forward for you in terms of care. We’ll also make sure you understand the “why” behind our recommendations. Any questions you or your support partner may have about your condition or your recommended Care Plan can be answered at this time.
The Report of Findings may include recommendations for exercise or therapies, nutritional support, lifestyle changes, dietary changes or other types of techniques, tools or interventions that are designed to help your body function better on the inside, so you’ll feel better on the outside. Ultimately, we seek to help you reach your health goals.
Every Report of Findings is unique, because it’s based on your specific history and test results. Every Care Plan is individualized, too, because it is based on the unique Report of Findings.
We do not take a “cookie cutter” approach to our patients’ care, even if symptoms seem on the surface to be similar from one person to the next.
At the end of your Report of Findings appointment, we’ll go over your next steps and how you’ll transition into Phase 2 of working with New Life – your Care Plan.
Phase 2 – Care Plan
Your first appointment in your Care Plan is your Food & Nutrition or “Onboarding” appointment. This is when our team will go over the “nuts and bolts” of your specific recommendations for food, nutrition, exercise or therapy and help you with tools for implementing changes. We are here to support and guide you on your journey to better health! Most patients work with us for 4-6 months to start. The length of time for your individual Care Plan is determined based on what’s reasonable for your needs and your goals.
Part of your care as our patient involves an in-depth re-evaluation after that set amount of time. Your re-evaluation involves retesting and careful measures of your results. From there, we can make any future recommendations for you.
If you’re not making progress or feeling better? We will make adjustments to your plan, as appropriate. In this way, we take a flexible, ongoing approach to your care that remains personalized and specific to your needs over time. We do not just wish you the best and send you on your way!
Over the past many years, we’ve found that our customized, patient-centric approach has led our patients to achieve their health goals, finally feel like themselves again, and have the quality of life they’ve been desperately seeking. If this is something you’ve been looking for, we can’t wait to meet you! Give us a call today so you can begin your journey to a New Life!