FAQ

Functional Medicine is not just for the wealthy. Most of our patients are working class people who want to get healthy and feel great. Our top patient bases are entrepreneurs, nurses, executives and blue collar people who want to get healthy. We do not accept every patient. We only want to take on patients we believe we can improve their overall health. The application process would start with setting up an initial free webcam or phone evaluation. If you are accepted into the program, price depends on several factors, including the complexity of your condition, the extent of lab testing required, the combination of natural medicines and other therapies needed during treatment, and the number of consultations you receive. We do everything we can to make Functional Medicine affordable to the average person. Again, most if not all of our patients are normal, working class people who want to improve their health.

The way that Dr. Crifase works with patients differs considerably from the conventional medical model you may be accustomed to. Our clinic focuses on Holistic and Functional Medicine. We DO NOT prescribe medication nor are we to take the place of your Primary Care physician. Instead, we will focus on the root cause of your health problems by implementing a holistic Functional Medicine approach. Functional Medicine looks at how to nurture your body back to health with diet, nutritional supplementation, lifestyle changes and education.

We are passionate about what we do and feel that it is our calling to provide you with the highest quality functional health care possible. We also emphatically know that we will be saving our patients thousands of dollars of healthcare costs down the road by preventing and treating diseases from a whole body approach, sometimes even before you see outward signs of disease.

Many of our patients have been able to come off expensive prescription medications, been able to go back to work, no longer required surgery, and staved off many illnesses ranging from the common cold to more debilitating, chronic diseases. While we fully understand the financial challenge not billing insurance may present to some patients, we have chosen not to for a variety of reasons.

When medical practices participate in insurance, the physicians must sign a contract that allows the insurance company to decide the type of care the doctor will provide. Insurance companies are often NOT interested in preventative/wellness/holistic care, but are highly invested in the conventional model of drug based medicine.

Prescription medication and surgery are often covered charges. We, on the other hand, are devoted to treating the whole person in a Functional Medicine approach. In addition, physicians that are participating partners in insurance companies must accept the fees designated by them. These fees cover only the briefest of appointments (15-30 minutes with the doctor), and in essence the lowest quality of care. Individuals who suffer with chronic health problems need a doctor who will spend more than 15-30 minutes understanding their health history and the kinds of testing that individual needs.

In a traditional/conventional medical setting, Physicians are forced to see as many patients as they can per hour in order to keep their offices financially sustainable. We don’t believe long-term health and the best care for the patient can be provided with these time and fee constraints. This is why we are seeing many physician groups merging with larger hospital settings, where high-tech surgical and diagnostic procedures are priced to keep them financially afloat.

The frequency of follow-up visits will depend on the nature of your illness and your health challenges which vary from person to person. This can only be determined when all recommended tests are completed and Dr. Crifase understands the complexity of your case. While these are only general guidelines, a patients recovery is also dependent on how well they incorporate Dr. Crifase’s recommendations (diet, nutrition and lifestyle changes). We view health recovery as a team sport – We do our part just as you need to do your part.

This is a great question and one that can be difficult to answer. This varies from patient to patient and depends on many factors including the problem(s) at hand, the number of areas where problems have been identified, the patients compliance to dietary changes, the compliance with taking the supplements/natural medicine, the patients level of discipline, support network at home and finally the patients attitude. In general, health programs for chronic illnesses last between six and twelve months, but most patients start seeing improvement within the first month.

However, if a program is correct and effective, the body will be regaining its ability to heal itself right from the start. This would result in less stress on the body. When the body is less stressed, there is symptomatic improvement in nearly every case. We track all symptoms in each consultation, and expect to start seeing significant improvements in many areas from very early in a program. Our experience has been that as the body continues to heal over time, most symptoms do improve or completely resolve.

If you are not progressing as well as we would like to see, we may need to investigate further. Additional testing may be ordered to look for any permanent damage or other things that have developed or have been missed such as infections, etc. We may, at this point, refer to other doctors if needed to help pin-point why you are not getting better and adjust your program. Every patient is different as can be their symptoms.

That depends on what you are currently taking and how much progress you can make. Patients who Consult with Dr. Crifase are often able to eliminate medications or significantly reduce the amount of medication they are on. With that being said, we do not monitor drug therapy. If you are to discontinue your medication that will be done by your prescribing physician, not by Dr. Crifase.

You will receive your lab kits in the mail. You’ll take them to your local laboratory (which we will provide directions for you) where the phlebotomist will draw your blood in the provided tubes, and ship it off for you!  Easy as that.

Nope!  You will have the flexibility to eat to nourish your body, and indulge when desired. Your food plan will be highly customized to what your specific body inflames to (we determine this via blood testing, NOT guessing or following a one-size-fits-all guideline). You will know exactly what to eat, when to eat, and how to eat for your body and goals.

Yes, of course! I work 100% virtually and see clients all over the world. You will simply log into zoom for a video meeting for your appointments.

Functional Medicine is not just for the wealthy. Most of our patients are working class people who want to get healthy and feel great. Our top patient bases are entrepreneurs, nurses, executives and blue collar people who want to get healthy. We do not accept every patient. We only want to take on patients we believe we can improve their overall health. The application process would start with setting up an initial free webcam or phone evaluation. If you are accepted into the program, price depends on several factors, including the complexity of your condition, the extent of lab testing required, the combination of natural medicines and other therapies needed during treatment, and the number of consultations you receive. We do everything we can to make Functional Medicine affordable to the average person. Again, most if not all of our patients are normal, working class people who want to improve their health.

The best way to determine whether you would be a good fit is to schedule an initial free webcam or phone evaluation. This gives us an opportunity to learn more about your goals and needs, and gives you the chance to ask us any questions you might have. There’s no obligation. Then we can find out if a full Functional Medicine consultation with me is right for you. During the comprehensive consultation with me we would go over your health history in detail, and go over your past labs that you would send us before your consultation, in detail. We would also find out if Functional Medicine is right for you, and if it is, in what capacity. We love our job and take Functional Medicine very seriously and care for our patients deeply. Working with them over the months they are with us, they become our friends and like family to us. We are humbled and honored to be a part of their journey into health.