Frequently Asked Questions
Please review the frequently asked questions below. If you don’t find the answer to your question, feel free to call, or set up a FREE discovery consultation.
Is this Family Practice?
No, this is not a family practice. Although I am trained as a general practitioner / family doctor, I am limiting my practice to personalized, functional and anti-aging medicine. Patients are still required to have a family doctor. My intention is to help you achieve your health goals by going beyond what is available through the conventional medical paradigm.
Are you a specialist?
My additional specialized training has been with A4M, the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. I completed their fellowship in Functional, Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine and am board-certified in Anti-Aging Medicine. This is recognized as a specialty in the US but not in Canada.
Specialists generally limit their practice to one organ or system in the body, for example, the heart or the nervous system. I consider myself a “super-generalist” in that I specialize in connecting the dots between your symptoms and the various systems in the body.
How is this different from Naturopathic Medicine?
Training
Medical doctors and Naturopathic doctors have different training backgrounds. Medical doctors spend many years honing their skills working in hospitals, treating the sickest of patients. The interventions used are primarily medication and procedures. MDs are very well trained to recognize and to intervene in the worst case scenarios.
Naturopathic training generally is based in outpatient settings and generally does not deal with acute, urgent scenarios that are life-threatening. Their approaches focus on more natural and lifestyle interventions.
Regulations
MDs and NDs are regulated by different Colleges with MDs being the most heavily regulated health professionals.
Scope of Practice
Scope of practice means what your license allows you to do. The scope of practice is different between MDs and NDs. Medical doctors have broadest scope of practice which means we can prescribe all medications and hormones, order lab testing and imaging, and refer to other doctors and hospitals.
Naturopaths are able to order some lab testing and some are able to prescribe. However, there are limitations on what medications and hormones they can prescribe.
Why work with me?
Working with me, you get the best of both worlds – conventional medicine and lifestyle medicine. I’ll use every tool at my disposal to get you back to your best health.
Billing & Insurance
Is this covered by MSP or Extended Health?
The BC health plan (MSP) does not cover the lengthy appointments required for personalized medicine, nor does it cover advanced specialty testing. The patient is responsible for all private medical and lab fees.
Personalized / Functional / Anti-aging medicine is generally not covered through Third Party Insurers within Canada. If you have out of country coverage, the fees may be reimbursed. In some cases, the patient’s employer provides a Health Spending Account.
Through setting up a Private Health Services Plan, self-employed or incorporated individuals can generally claim their health care costs as a tax-deductible expense.
Individuals who do not have any of the above options can still use their out of pocket medical expenses towards a tax credit.
About Lab Tests
If considered medically necessary, some basic lab testing through LifeLabs may be covered by MSP.
I rely heavily on advanced functional medicine laboratory testing. These tests are NOT covered through MSP and are
Who can become a patient?
My license allows me to treat patients who are physically located within the provinces of British Columbia and Manitoba.
Scheduling & Visits
Email Etiquette
The purpose of the email communication is for
Scheduling & Cancellations
24 hours notice is required to change or cancel an appointment; the full appointment fee will otherwise be charged.