What is functional medicine? Functional medicine (FM) is a transformational healthcare model that involves a comprehensive, focused approach to disease prevention, health promotion and excellent health. Functional medicine looks for and treats the root causes of disease and restores health function through a unique individualized treatment plan in conjunction with traditional medicine. Darden Functional Health will not take the place of your primary care provider, you must be up to date with your preventative wellness (e.g. colonoscopy, pap smear, lab work, etc.). We will share your diagnosis and treatment plan with your primary care provider with your permission.

Direct primary care (DPC) is an innovative alternative payment model that focuses on improving access to high-quality, high functioning healthcare with a simple, flat, affordable monthly membership fee. With DPC you have unlimited access to your provider via in-person visits, secure messaging system/text messages, secure emails, and telemedicine visits. With a DPC membership you will have more time with your provider to explore your medical history and find appropriate solutions to your healthcare problems. You will also have more time to discuss ways to promote your health through comprehensive preventative visits. For more information on our DPC membership plan see the DPC membership page. Our members also get discounts on other services or products offered at Darden Functional Health.

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Functional Medicine	Traditional/Conventional Medicine
Addresses the Root Cause of illness	Addresses symptoms of illness
Focuses on the whole person	Focuses on parts of the person
Focuses on prevention and reversal of illness	Focuses on illness and treating every person with the same symptoms the same way (cookie-cutter approach)
Provider spends more time	Provider is limited on time (mostly due to low insurance reimbursement rates)
Not usually covered by health insurance plans	Insurance dictates what treatments are offered and covered
Improved outcomes in chronic disease, reversal of disease and improvement in quality of life	Some improvement in disease but not necessarily an improvement in quality of life
Focuses on prevention and reversal of illness	Focuses on parts of the person

Credit Card-there will be a 3.5% service charge.
Bank draft (preferred)- no additional service charge.

Yes, while the practice is expanding, we will see patients for a one-time fee if you are not ready to commit to a monthly membership package. However, this may change in the future once the practice becomes busier. Please call before coming in for an appointment.

Intravenous nutrient therapy is a way of delivering certain nutrients directly to the body’s cells via the veins in your body. A small tube will be inserted into your vein to deliver the nutrients. Most sessions last about 30 minutes.

In some patients taking nutrients by mouth is sufficient, however there are many patients that do not absorb nutrients very well or lack an enzyme to convert inactive vitamins and nutrients into the active forms that the body’s cells can use.

You will be required to upload your previous lab work if available (no more than 1 year old), complete certain forms that will be emailed to you and above all you have be willing to answer many questions about your health-related concerns.

No, we do not accept any form of insurance for functional medicine. Insurance reimbursement does not allow us the time necessary to solve your health problems. Also, your health care insurance dictates what care you receive and what tests they want to pay for. However, your health insurance may be used to pay for some tests whereas other tests your health insurance will not cover. We will help guide you in using your health insurance for any tests that can be covered.

No, the current health insurance model does not provide effective reimbursement for spending extended time with you. Many providers that accept insurance must see a patient every 15 minutes to make ends meet financially.

Some labs may be covered by your insurance plan. However, you would need to ask your insurance provider about certain specialty labs such as the DUTCH (dried urine test complete hormone) test.

Please cancel your appointment before the 24-hour period to avoid being charged a $50 late cancellation/no-show fee.