Precision Medicine

The Short Version: 

Functional Medicine is an individualized, science-based approach that investigates each patient’s unique genetic, biochemical, and lifestyle factors to identify and address the root causes of disease, rather than just treating symptoms .

The Longer Version:

The Functional Medicine model is an individualized, patient-centric, science-based methodology that enables collaboration between patients and practitioners to address the fundamental etiologies of disease and cultivate optimal well-being. It is predicated upon a comprehensive understanding of each patient's genetic, biochemical, and lifestyle determinants, and utilizes this information to facilitate the development of tailored therapeutic regimens by the physician, thereby enhancing patient outcomes.

By targeting root causes as opposed to symptoms, a greater understanding of the intricacy and interdependence of chronic illnesses is achieved. A singular condition may arise from diverse causative factors, and conversely, a singular causative factor may precipitate multiple conditions. Consequently, Functional Medicine interventions are directed at the specific manifestations of disease within each individual.

Watch this video by IFM: What is Functional Medicine?

Integrative Medicine is a holistic approach to healthcare that combines conventional medical practices with evidence-based complementary therapies. It focuses on treating the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—rather than just the symptoms of a disease. This approach emphasizes the therapeutic relationship between patient and practitioner, promoting optimal health and healing.

Integrative Medicine incorporates a variety of treatment modalities alongside traditional medical treatments. The goal is to create a personalized care plan that addresses the unique needs of each individual, empowering patients to take an active role in their health and well-being.

By considering all aspects of lifestyle and health, Integrative Medicine aims to prevent illness, enhance quality of life, and support the body’s natural healing processes.

Watch this video: Dr. Andrew Weil on What is Integrative Medicine?

Conventional medicine focuses on diagnosing and treating specific diseases, often relying on standardized protocols and medications.

Functional and Integrative Medicine focuses on identifying and addressing underlying drivers of illness for each individual patient. This means that work-ups and treatment plans can vary from person to person because while each person may have similar symptoms or diseases, the reason why they have them can be much different.

Some examples:

Symptom: Someone has chronic headaches

Conventional approach: They've had several examinations, labs, brain scans, and are being told everything is normal. 

The treatment options are to take ibuprofen or tylenol as needed or try a migraine medication.

Functional medicine approach: We would start with a thorough intake that includes their birth history, family history, and their health journey up to this point. Through lab testing and lifestyle, we would investigate common nutritional and exposure drivers of chronic headaches—like vitamin & mineral deficiencies, toxic exposures, food sensitivities, and gut health status. Maybe we need to see if they have a genetic variation that makes them more sensitive to toxins in the environment, or maybe we need to check their cortisol levels to see if stress might be part of it. It all really depends on the clinical picture of that individual.

We adjust the workup (types of testing) and the treatment plan (diet, exercise, stress management, supplements, etc.), based on the individual patient's clinical response (e.g. are they getting better?). 

Disease: Someone has high cholesterol...or diabetes...or hypertension…

Conventional approach: Lab testing reveals they have this particular condition. 

They’re told they have to change their diet and exercise more (which may be true) and eventually they would need to go on medication (which might also be true). 

They will have repeat testing to see if medication or lifestyle changes are helping their condition improve. This concludes their work-up and treatment plan.

Functional Medicine approach: We do a thorough intake that includes their birth history, family history, and their health journey up to this point. We would investigate common nutritional and exposure drivers of their condition—like vitamin & mineral deficiencies, toxic exposures, food sensitivities, and gut health status—through lab testing and lifestyle changes. Maybe we need to see if they have a genetic variation that makes them more sensitive to toxins in the environment, or maybe we need to check their cortisol levels to see if stress might be part of it. It all really depends on the clinical picture of that individual. 

We adjust the workup (types of testing) and the treatment plan, based on the individual patient's clinical response (e.g. are they getting better?). 

Sound familiar? That’s because we approach all patients with a quest for answers, rather than solely resorting to medications. 

There is no one size fits all in Functional & Integrative Medicine. We don't do "one pill for each ill". Many people can have the same symptom or disease. But there can be many different reasons for why they developed it in the first place, and thus, different tests and treatment plans.

Our other philosophy is “test don’t guess”. This is why we utilize multiple different avenues of data collection through in depth intake forms and advanced diagnostic testing in order to get to the underlying cause of peoples’ issues and effectively track progress.

Dr. Worzella offers functional medicine consultation only and does not function as your primary care physician. You must have a primary care physician for yearly physicals, wellness visits and for after hours or urgent care purposes. We are not able to respond to urgent medical requests of any sort outside of Dr. Worzella's treatment plan, including messages or phone calls, you must have a primary care doctor for this purpose. However, Dr. Worzella is happy to work with your PCP or specialists at your request.

Whether you have specific symptoms you are struggling with or are hoping to reduce risk of future illness, our ultimate goal is to help people optimize their health. That can mean different things for different people. Patients vary in complexity and health goals.

We don’t claim to cure any specific condition, but we are dedicated to meeting patients where they are and providing customized plans to empower people to make changes so that they can stay on track. We believe that addressing lifestyle and a “food as medicine” approach can foster healing from the inside out.

We are an out-of-network provider and do not bill insurance directly because insurance companies dictate aspects of patient care that put limitations on time, testing, services, and treatment modalities, just to name a few. 

Upon request, we can provide you with a superbill to submit for potential reimbursement. Insurance carriers may reimburse you for all, part of, or none of Dr. Worzella’s fees. Some of Dr. Worzella’s services, labs, and treatments may be Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA)eligible.

Contact your insurance provider to understand your out-of-network benefits and coverage. It is not the responsibility of the practice to understand your individual insurance coverage. 

We do not participate with Medicare. A patient can NOT submit superbills to Medicare for possible reimbursement.

Unfortunately, when doctors participate with insurance carriers, they enter into a contract that allows the insurance companies to dictate what services will be supplied, limiting the quality of care that we believe you deserve. Costs of keeping a clinic running has continued to rise and at the same time reimbursement from insurance companies (especially for small practices) has fallen. This has forced many clinics to see more and more patients a day, keeping office visits very brief.  Therefore, practices tied to the insurance model must see more patients for shortened visit times, trading quality care for quantity. This does not allow us to create the personalized plan of care that is necessary in a functional approach.

Most laboratory services provided by LabCorp or Quest can be billed directly to your insurance plans unless you don’t have out-of-network coverage. For those that do not have good lab coverage, we have negotiated a lower, fixed lab cost for our routine blood work with LabCorp and Quest. Sometimes this cost is less than when using insurance. Not using insurance for some labs also gives us the freedom to order a more comprehensive workup without concern for a denial of coverage or surprise bill. You are always welcome to ask for the lab order to discuss with your insurance what they might bill you and compare that to our estimate.

Some specialty labs may not be covered by your insurance plans. Please check with your insurance company regarding deductibles and reimbursement for out-of-network labs. It is not the responsibility of the practice to understand your individual insurance coverage.

Our Foundational Assessment is an initial consultation that provides a thorough evaluation that includes up to a 90-minute one-on-one consultation with Dr. Worzella, unlimited hours for records and lab review, and an implementation session to help you execute the treatment plan. After payment, you will complete intake forms and patient portal registrations.

Once completed, they will be reviewed by Dr. Worzella after which she will order labs for you to complete. After she receives your lab results, your Foundational Assessment will be scheduled. At the visit, Dr. Worzella will share her analysis of your intake and labs, then together, you will create a plan tailored for your health optimization and next steps are outlined for follow-up with your PCP or within the membership. The Foundational Assessment is the first step to becoming a potential patient in the membership.

**NOTE: advanced specialty testing is not ordered for the Foundational Assessment. Because these tests are often complex and often require several follow-up visits, they are only offered to those in the membership.

- Extensive detailed intake review

- Lab review – Advanced Biomarker Testing: in-depth diagnostic panel measuring inflammation, nutrient status, expanded thyroid assessment, heart health, cholesterol and more*

- Extended Virtual Appointment with Dr. Worzella

- Customized Integrative 8-Part Health Plan

- Supplement Discounts

- Follow-up virtual implementation appointment

- Various payment options including use of HSA/FSA debit card; super-bill provided upon request for possible insurance reimbursement

*Cost of labs not included in purchase price.

Our membership model takes a holistic approach to health that goes way beyond standard reactive care. We know that healing doesn’t happen in a vacuum—there are always internal and external factors that can make it tough to stay focused on your health goals. Our membership is designed to keep you on track by providing ongoing access to care through appointments, direct messaging, and a supportive community.

This consistent support keeps you accountable and makes it easy to adjust your plan whenever life changes. With regular check-ins, we can monitor your progress together and tweak your health plan so you have the best chance of reaching your goals.

You’ll also get access to educational resources and patient forums. These tools help you dig deeper into health topics, empower you to make informed decisions, and connect you with others on similar journeys.

Membership also opens up access to optional nutrigenomic analysis and advanced specialty testing. Since these tests often uncover complex, hidden imbalances, they aren't included in the Foundational Assessment—they work best when we can provide the ongoing support needed to address what we find.

Ultimately, our membership model keeps your care plan personalized and flexible. As your health needs evolve, your plan evolves with you, ensuring your care stays relevant and effective every step of the way.

- Sustained Access: 5 virtual appointments with Dr. Worzella, up to 5 virtual implementation sessions, monthly educational content, access to recordings, and more.

- Personalized Nutrigenomic Analysis: Membership includes a detailed nutrigenomic analysis and risk assessment, allowing us to tailor a sophisticated health plan based on your genetic blueprint.

- Direct Physician Communication: Direct, timely communication with the healthcare team via our HIPAA-compliant portal.

Advanced Diagnostics: Access to advanced lab testing for biomarkers, the gut microbiome, hormones, and more. **

**The cost of advanced testing and supplements are not included in the membership price.

Our treatments are all about helping you feel your best. We focus on lifestyle changes like nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, and building healthy relationships. Depending on what your body needs, we might also use supplements or prescription medications to support your health.

We mix functional and integrative medicine to create a plan that fits your unique goals and preferences. Most importantly, we prioritize a strong, trusting relationship between you and your care team, because we believe that connection is a key part of your healing process.

Supplements, if deemed a necessary part of your treatment plan, will be discussed during your appointment(s).

While you are under no obligation to buy your supplements through us (and we, of course, respect your decision if you’d prefer to buy your supplements elsewhere), we must stress the importance of buying quality brands, as not all supplements are created equally. Everything we recommend is well-researched and NSF-certified, ensuring it is of the highest quality. All patients are eligible for a discount off of the retail price at their Foundational Assessment and in the membership. Orders can be placed online at any time and will be shipped to you.

We do not specifically offer financing. Foundational Assessments are a one-time fee. The cost of the membership can be billed for the full price up-front or put into monthly payments.

Patients may seek financing from a number of companies offering it for healthcare related expenses such as:

- https://www.carecredit.com

- https://www.advancecarecard.com

- https://www.denefits.com

- https://flexxbuy.com/patient-financing

These are just examples. We do not endorse any specific company and only list commonly used ones as examples. Typically these companies have very high interest rates if not paid off in full by their deadline.

Supplements, if deemed a necessary part of your treatment plan, will be discussed during your appointment(s).

While you are under no obligation to buy your supplements through us (and we, of course, respect your decision if you’d prefer to buy your supplements elsewhere), we must stress the importance of buying quality brands, as not all supplements are created equally. Everything we recommend is well-researched and NSF-certified, ensuring it is of the highest quality. All patients are eligible for a discount off of the retail price at their Foundational Assessment and in the membership. Orders can be placed online at any time and will be shipped to you.