The purpose of the initial office visit is to gather the information necessary to determine how to best attend to your health. This visit can last 45-75 minutes and includes a comprehensive health and medical history intake, any necessary physical exam, ordering of pertinent diagnostic tests (blood tests, imaging, etc.), discussion of your short- and long-term health goals, and the development of an individualized treatment plan.
It typically takes the initial office visit and one return office visit to begin to refine an individualized treatment plan. If there is a health issue that requires more immediate attention, an acute office visit may be more appropriate.
The purpose of the return office visit is to assess health progress, provide support, review diagnostic test results (blood tests, imaging, etc.), address any questions about your health and your treatment plan, refine the treatment plan as necessary, and continue the collaboration to optimize your health and wellness. This visit typically takes 30 to 45 minutes.
An acute office visit is for non-emergency health issues (such as common cold, ear infection, urinary tract infection, etc.) requiring more immediate attention than those that are chronic.
Recent outbreaks of coronavirus or COVID-19 have prompted many patients to obtain care through virtual appointments. Most insurance companies do cover telemedicine appointments—but are “policy specific.” Please contact your insurance company to see if your particular policy covers telemedicine.
Yes. Naturopathic doctors are primary care physicians and can prescribe pharmaceutical medications as allowed by the state in which they are licensed.
There is no difference in education. Each state that has a naturopathic medical board determines the designation of ND or NMD. For example, in Arizona, naturopathic doctors use the designation NMD and in Washington, they use the designation ND.
Licensed naturopathic doctors attend a four-year, graduate-level naturopathic medical school and are educated in all of the same basic sciences as an MD or DO, but also study holistic and natural approaches to therapy with a strong emphasis on disease prevention and optimizing wellness. In addition to a standard medical curriculum, naturopathic medical schools teach clinical nutrition, homeopathic medicine, botanical medicine, hydrotherapy, and counseling, as well as physical medicine techniques such as joint and spinal manipulation. In order to obtain a medical license, a naturopathic doctor must pass the national professional board exams to be licensed by a state or jurisdiction as a primary care general practice physician.
Be very careful whom you seek out for medical care. In some states, there is no formal path for licensure for naturopathic doctors. This may be referred to as an “unregulated or unlicensed state.” Although there are many well trained naturopathic doctors practicing in unregulated states, who may maintain medical licenses in another state, individuals can use the term “naturopath” and have absolutely no medical training at all. If a state does have a naturopathic medical board and license trained physicians, the use of the term naturopath should be limited to doctors with a medical education and who have passed the NPLEX examination. Know the laws of your state.
Maybe. Depending on the laws of the practicing doctor’s state the laws of the state in which the patient lives, it may be considered a medical visit or the naturopathic doctor may act as a consultant only, which means that any information provided to you should be discussed with your medical provider prior to use or implementation.
Yes. While all naturopathic doctors are trained as primary care physicians, some doctors choose to specialize in naturopathic endocrinology or hormones, while others may specialize in pediatric populations, and still other doctors specialize in musculoskeletal and orthopedic conditions. Some doctors may have additional training or have done residencies in their respective specialties.
