Please contact us if you have any other questions not found below.
FAQs
Some Frequently Asked Questions From Our Patients
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- If you have a leaky faucet, allopathic medicine will bring in a mop. Then that mop gets dirty and causes problems, so you bring in another mop, and another mop. We will work on finding the cause of the leak! We consider the full range of health including physical, mental, emotional symptoms, and help you make sustainable positive lifestyle changes. You are not just a number or a chart. We understand that you have thoughts and feelings, and that you know yourself better than we know you!
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- Insurance simply does not cover our services. We spend time with you (way more than 7 minutes!) and you will feel heard We understand this is frustrating and disappointing if you are paying for insurance. It’s great for acute care or emergencies, but for the chronic conditions that are making us miserable and taking lives – insurance simply gets in the way and often makes things worse.
- The fact is, your insurance company does not care how sick you are or how crummy or lousy or “off” you feel. They will not listen to you or hear your true concerns, or care how much treatment you really need to get better. The good news is, WE DO!
- We focus on finding the cause, and improving your symptoms, not masking them. This takes time and dedication, and insurance will not cover it.
- Insurance can be great for emergency and acute care. For those who want true health care and a higher quality of life, insurance won’t help. This is frustrating for us too. Hopefully there will be changes in the near future, because we all want them.
- READ MORE on how seeking care OUTSIDE of insurance can be so much more helpful!
We spend several hours outside of the office visit reviewing and researching your labs, your intake form, notes we took during your visit, and studying YOU. It’s important that you feel valued and heard. We don’t want you to feel like you are visiting a factory and you are just another body to push through. We also expect you to invest in your health, because you deserve it! We want you to feel great, and to experience happiness and joy in your life. You will be held accountable and be supported along the way as you journey toward greater health.
- The cost for the initial consultation is $375. During this visit, you will have one full hour to discuss your health and struggles with one of our practitioners. You will feel heard and validated – your symptoms are REAL, and we want to know all about them. We talk about poop, sex, stress, and all the things!
- During your initial consultation, you can expect a complete review of your history, what has helped and what has not, where you are now, and where you want to be. This may include a timeline of your life, starting from before you were born. The purpose is to understand significant events that may impact your health and behavior and help guide us in a personalized approach for you. Completing the intake form and questionnaire (s) ahead of time will allow for a smoother flow and better understanding before you even come in. This also helps us prioritize diet, lifestyle, supplement and lab recommendations and to begin a plan for you.
- You will be asked to complete several questionnaires, and we read them all! It’s important that you feel valued and heard. We don’t want you to feel like you are visiting a factory and you are just another body to push through. We understand this is an investment for you, and we are committed to helping you achieve your health goals and get relief from bothersome symptoms. You will be held accountable and have a team to support you along the way as you journey toward optimal health.
- Labs
- Based on our discussion during your first visit and a review of your intake and questionnaires and most recent previous labs (if available), we will decide on which functional test(s) and/or blood work may be most beneficial for you. The tests help us gain a better understanding of your hormone function, digestive system and gut/ infections, nutrition and genetics, methylation, and/or a metabolic snapshot of your overall health.
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- The second visit is scheduled 3-5 weeks after your initial consultation. It is at that time that we will discuss the review of findings. This includes what may be contributing to your health problems/symptoms, and what supplementation (vitamins, minerals, herbs), diet, and lifestyle changes may be needed, as well as any or other hormones or medications that may be appropriate for your care. Follow-up visits are usually scheduled every 4–8 to evaluate progress and make any adjustments in your treatment.
- How often you see us after that will depend on why you are being treated. Minimally, if hormones are being prescribed, we need to see you every 3 months (usually 30 min visits). Many people who have multiple concerns are seen more often based on the severity of their condition.
- Most people get to “maintenance mode” within the first 6-12 months, and many start to feel relief from symptoms within the first month.
We know that MDs go to medical school and are board-certified in a specialty. NPs are required to obtain a Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) – even if a previous bachelors degree in a different subject was obtained- and a Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN), become board-certified as an NP and to maintain both licenses (RN and NP). The highest level of education as an nurse is a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP). While there are different requirements in education, one difference between MDs and NPs is that MDs study diseases and how to fix or “cure” them or the symptoms, while NPs study people and how to heal them. NPs are known for a wellness approach that emphasizes health education, risk identification and reduction, and preventive care through lifestyle modification.
I respect MDs and their education and experience, and do not compare myself to them. I just think that the general public’s understanding of the role of an NP is a bit muddy and could use some clarity. I believe in collaboration with an entire healthcare team and working together toward the same goal – to maintain and improve the health of our patients. I will personally never tell you “there’s nothing else we can do.” I will listen to you and be your partner in your journey toward a healthy lifestyle.
The following words are from Dr. Stephen Ferrera…
How does the NP approach differ from that of traditional doctors?
“We meld nursing and medicine into this hybrid of a profession. A lot of what we do as nurses, first, is patient advocacy and patient empowerment. We focus on health education and health literacy. As advanced-practice nurses, we bring that to the next level.
It’s partnering with the patient to set realistic expectations, and it’s taking a holistic approach — whole body and mind. We’re not just focusing on a disease process or one particular organ; we’re looking at the person as an individual but also as part of a family and seeing what psychosocial aspects come into play. That complicates things that might otherwise seem easy.”
How do NPs feel about traditional physicians?
“When it comes to nurse practitioners and physicians, we don’t practice ‘us vs. them.’ Some of the media will make it seem like we have this contentious relationship, but we really don’t. We do our best to [take] care of the needs of every patient. And [if that means] referring them to a physician, or physical therapist, or any other specialist, that’s what we’ll do and what we want any provider to do at the end of the day. We have a unique set of skills and education, and all we want to do is be able to care for the patient the way in which we were prepared to do so.”
We are happy to answer questions via email or through the patient portal; however, for something that requires an extensive answer, she may ask you to schedule an in-person or phone appointment.
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- The cost for the initial consultation is $375. During this visit, you will have one full hour to discuss your health and struggles with one of our practitioners. You will feel heard and validated – your symptoms are REAL, and we want to know all about them. We talk about poop, sex, stress, and all the things!
- Our programs are designed to last one year. The cost of an initial program ranges from $2,500 – $6,500 with different payment options. The initial program includes comprehensive blood testing; and some also include functional tests such as a comprehensive digestive stool analysis. Additionally, the program includes regular visits with our hormone expert and/or gut health/autoimmune expert, as well as a Body Composition Analysis.
- After your initial program, the cost is typically less because you won’t need as many visits. After your initial program, we expect your hormones to be optimized, symptoms under control and you are feeling good. We have options for membership programs, which include the cost of hormones in a monthly or annual payment plan.
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- Fit Logic Functional Medicine, PLLC is a primary prevention clinic. We ask that you have a separate primary care provider for screenings such as gynecological exams, prostate exams, mammograms, etc.. If you would like recommendations, we are happy to help.