What is Naturopathic Medicine?
An Integrative Approach to Medicine
Naturopathic Doctors can treat many common medical conditions and can provide both individual and family health care. With the ability to prescribe medicines, order labs or diagnostic imaging, we can bill insurance for primary evaluation concerns. Where we shine is our functional medicine approach with behavioral medicine focused lifestyle changes, hands-on therapies, and integrative treatment options to make your health sustainable.
We can provide primary medical care or we can offer supportive care in conjunction with other health care providers including other medical doctors, nurse practitioners, or specialists. Here at Rebel Med NW in Ballard, Seattle, our providers take a mind body medicine focused approach to primary care, the way medicine should be, to treat the whole person.
Naturopathic Medicine
The Rebel Med NW Approach
Among the most common ailments we treat are allergies, chronic pain, digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, obesity, respiratory conditions, heart disease, fertility problems, menopause, adrenal fatigue, cancer, depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
At Rebel Med NW, we additionally specialize in musculoskeletal disorders that are treated through naturopathic physical medicine techniques such as spinal manipulation similar to what a chiropractor does, or more gentle approaches including myofascial stretching and release techniques, hydrotherapy, craniosacral, and visceral manipulation.
We also have a strong emphasis on supporting mental health. The providers at Rebel Med NW provide an integrative approach to mental health by addressing depression, anxiety, stress, and their consequences with mental health counseling, coaching, nutrition support, and medication support including assisting in medication tapering. We take referrals for Mind-Body Medicine coaching, Biofeedback, and mental health behavioral coaching for establishing foundations of health.
Primary Care
What to Expect
According to a 2007 NIH study, the average length of a primary care visit was 17.4 minutes with most private practices falling below that and education-based establishments allowing for more than that. The actual speaking time between physician and patient was 5.2 minutes and 5.3 minutes respectively. After that, your doctor may give you a prescription or a referral to yet another facility or doctor, and yet another appointment that you will have to set up. At Rebel Med NW, we allot 45-60 minutes for our First Patient Visits and 30 minutes for our return visits. Your Naturopathic Physician will be able to provide you with what you are looking for within a conventional Primary Care setting: medication management, labs, imaging, and referrals but can also provide other methods to address your concerns at the moment.
Naturopathic Medicine Primary Care Provider FAQ
Rebel Med NW primary care physicians are licensed in the state of Washington as primary care providers with many state and employer-based health plans. The scope of practice includes the ability to diagnose, prescribe most major medications, determine medical necessity for referrals, diagnostic imaging, and specialty care services. While Naturopathic physicians cannot prescribe scheduled substances including opioids, certain sleep or anti-anxiety medications, or ADHD medications, we can prescribe several primary care medicines for hormonal health, blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol management, infections, or anti-depressant medications for example.
A Rebel Med NW physician’s goal is to find the best medicine for your safety, efficacy, and cost-effective care including both natural and medical options based on the research and evidence available.
Our physicians regularly stay up to date with primary care conferences provided by UW Medicine, Bastyr University, and Swedish Medical systems, and regularly provide communication with providers within these systems to coordinate care or medical services.
Your Naturopathic Primary Care Physician will help you with:
- Management of your overall general health
- Management of any chronic conditions you may have
- Help with managing and organizing medications including the evaluation and re-evaluation of medications, updating medications, or changing medications and dosages as your personal health needs change
- Referrals to appropriate and trusted modalities for healing support
- Orders for labs and imaging
- Trust and a therapeutic relationship that can last a lifetime
Where a Naturopathic Primary Care Physician (ND PCP) differs from conventional PCPs is in philosophy and style of practice. A Naturopath is right for you if you want the following things as part of your PCP care:
- Someone to keep you accountable, supported, and empowered
- A provider that can hold space and take the time to counsel when necessary
- A provider that is informed and sensitive to mental health needs
- A provider that can offer different tools to help address your health needs other than medication when medication may not be the best tool for the situation.
- Takes a foundational approach to help you create sustainable healthy living skills for present and future health
- Skilled in a variety of modalities that include: Physical Medicine, Spinal Adjustments, Biofeedback Therapy, Virtual Reality Biofeedback Therapy, IV Nutrient Therapies, Vitamin Nutrient Injections, Education & Counseling, Supplement, and Herbal therapies, even dual-licensed acupuncturists.
- Time and Accessibility. It is getting harder and harder for healthcare providers to provide the quality time necessary to really help their patients. The Naturopathic Principles of building foundations of health through education and empowerment make it so that your ND PCP will allow for quality face time with you.
- Supportive non-judgemental approach to medical care
- Discuss side effects and intended effects of medications with informed consent and education
- Collaborative care with your other care providers
- Appropriate and safe medication tapering, reduction, when appropriate using natural tools
- Prevent overutilization, poly-pharmacy, and drug-nutrient interactions
- Treat Hypertension, Diabetes, and Hyperlipidemia safely and appropriately
- Safe and appropriate use of medication & natural therapies
- Dietary & lifestyle counseling to optimize your nutrition & exercise
- Using the latest technology in Heart Rate Variability training, Glucose monitoring, and laboratory monitoring of inflammation and lipids
- Structured dietary and exercise plan education to optimize your cardiovascular risk profile
- Learn how to prevent microvascular damage caused by sugar, fats, stress, and the environment and treat naturally
The Naturopathic Primary Care Providers at Rebel Med NW want to make their medicine accessible to people who need it. In Washington State, we take most of the major insurances in the area. We can bill your insurance “In-Network” if we are contracted or “Out-of-Network” if we are not contracted with them. Services that you don’t have insurance benefits for are called Non-Covered Services and are the patient’s responsibility in addition to your Copay/CoInsurance.
For those who don’t have insurance or whose insurance does not pay for our services, we have generous Direct Pay Rates and Packages available for your convenience and budget.
Rebel Med NW also has a Rebel Membership Program that is a great option for those who have insurance that does not pay for our services or if you want an easy comprehensive program to invest in your health. Please contact us directly if you are interested.
Telemedicine
When You Can't Make it into the Office
Since the 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic, now more than ever, telemedicine is a vital force in patients being able to access their doctors when they need them.
Rebel Med NW utilizes one unified platform for communication to ensure secure patient communication and interaction. Telemedicine provides improved medical care while saving you time and headaches from traveling to the doctor’s office. Imagine not having to travel in traffic or risk exposure to Covid-19, and still being able to get direct medical advice, save time and money, and feel better faster.
Invest in your health by working with a licensed naturopathic physician that can answer many common health conditions, order labs, prescribe medications, or research safe herbal or nutritional supplements to address your health concerns.
Rebel Rules Blog
