Frequently asked questions
How many patients will you be taking?
Multiple studies have found that for primary care doctors to take "perfect" care of a typical patient panel of 2,500-3,000 people would require somewhere between 21-25 hours per day of the doctor's time. Obviously that's not possible.
In the interest of providing the best care of our patients that we possibly can while also adhereing to a balanced lifestyle ourselves, I will be capping the practice at a much lower number than is typical.
I'm young & healthy and rarely go to the doctor. Why should I join Sana Vita Health?
This is a bit like saying "I'm young and not in financial distress, so why should I worry about retirement planning?"
Just because you feel fine doesn't mean you are on track to stay that way, or even that you really are right now. As youth inevitably fades, health problems are more likely to crop up. How you live your life now plays a large role in determining your risk of future problems. Because we at Sana Vita are so focused on prevention and lifestyle modification, we can help not ony when you are sick with a short term illness like strep throat or pneumonia, but we can also help you optimize every aspect of your life to set you up for long term true health and vitality as you age.
Could I save money with Sana Vita Health?
While saving money is not a part of our marketing, it's quite possible that you could if:
1. Your deductible is higher than it would cost you to join Sana Vita Health for one year, as is often the case even with so-called low deductible plans. Traditional visits often cost nearly $300, somtimes more, plus enormous fees for any labs, procedures, or other services provided, so in many cases two visits per year would be more expensive than a year of Sana Vita Health membership. If you go to the doctor three times in one year, you're almost certain to have saved money at Sana Vita Health, though it depends on your insurance situation.
2. You are self employed and have been buying insurance for you and your family on the open market. Join a DPC clinic like Sana Vita Health and then join Zion Health, Sedera, or a health sharing ministry to cover the rest. You'll likely save hundreds every month.
Do you take my insurance / Medicare / Medicaid?
No, we don't take any other those. We are happy to see you if you have insurance, but we will not bill your insurance because we do not operate in a "fee for service" model, which is the only model the insurance industry accepts.
If you have Medicare or Medicaid, we are legally not allowed to provide you care under any circumstances without billing Medicare or Medicaid, which is presently not worth the hassle due to poor reimbursement and over-regulation, particularly in regards to Medicaid.
We may open a Medicare track in the future. Stay tuned!
Who is this for?
Sana Vita imay be for you if:
You want personal attention and care directly from your private physician who you have a real relationship with
You want a doctor who doesn't just treat your illnesses but helps you thrive and live a long, disease free life
You think conventional medicine is a little narrow minded and want more of a blend of conventional and alternative/integrative, evidence-based care
You would prefer that pharmaceutical drugs not be the first-line answer to every single problem, though you realize that they are appropriate treatments in some circumstances.
You like the idea of a private waiting area with no one else, instead of waiting in lobbies, with sick people, for a long time
You don't like waiting for weeks to get an appointment with your doctor or compromising and seeing someone who isn't your doctor just because they were available in a more acceptable time frame
You'd like it if your doctor talked with you about what you can do
now to reduce your risk of specific common diseases -- such as dementia, heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, etc -- in order to extend your potential healthspan to its maximum extend
You value privacy and think your doctor is the only person who needs to know what you're coming in for -- not the nurse, the receptionist, and certainly not anyone in the lobby who can overhear you.
You're sick of health insurance companies that influence your diagnostic and therapeutic options
You want your own private physician that doesn't share any of your information with
anyone without your explicit permission
What is Lifestyle Medicine?
Lifestyle Medicine is an evidence-based approach to preventing, treating, and sometimes even reversing many common lifestyle-related diseases (diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, colon cancer, breast cancer, Alzheimer's, etc) by optimizing habits and behaviors in six key research-proven pillars of health: diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and promotion of social connectedness.
Lifestyle medicine is not the same as herbal medicine, functional medicine, or other alternative modalities, though sometimes there is overlap. For example, evidence has shown strawberries to be effective as an adjuctictive treatment for esophageal cancer, so that might fall under the umbrellas of both lifestyle medicine and herbal medicine.
Where do I get vaccines?
Vaccines are expensive, come in bulk, expire, and require refrigeration, so we are not able to offer them. We will help keep you and your children up to date on vaccinations through the Polk County Health Department, local pharmacies, or Vaxi Taxi.
Who is this NOT for?
As a Lifestyle Medicine specialist with a holistic and naturalist bent, I'm not quite the typical doctor and am not practicing like most other doctors. If you'resatisifed with the state of conventional medicine for primary care but are simply attracted to the Direct Primary Care payment model or Concierge medicine service level, I would encourage you to find another doctor that offers those features and also practices conventional medicine.
It's also important to note that this is not a venue for gaining access to controlled substances at your leisure. I almost never prescribe opiates for chronic pain, and access to other controlled substance is highly limited. It is rare for me to prescribe controlled substances.
