Frequently asked questions about naturopathic medicine, telemedicine, billing and procedures.
Telemedicine
The practice of naturopathic medicine using enabling technology between a practitioner in one location and a patient in a different location. Evo Naturopathic Medicine and Wellness utilizes a HIPPA compliant technology that is integrated for visual and audio transmission for live consultations. The technology is easy to use by the patient and requires no software installation.
Naturopathic medicine lends itself beautifully to utilizing telemedicine as a practice tool because it emphasizes prevention, utilizes individualized treatments and optimizes health and wellness through counseling and comprehensive testing. Since Dr. Estrada does not have a physical clinic at this time, patients must have a separate primary care physician and Dr. Estrada will provide adjunctive, holistic health care.
Examples of how you can utilize telehealth include the following:
- Co-management of chronic diseases and established diagnoses
- Treatment of symptoms and conditions not resolving under current care
- Utilization of comprehensive laboratory testing - food sensitivity tests, micronutrient testing, neurotransmitter analysis, SIBO breath test, stool analysis and much more
- Dietary and exercise counseling
- Optimization of health and wellness
- Treatment of hormonal conditions – thyroid disease, female reproductive complaints, post natal depletion syndrome and more
- Treatment of gastrointestinal complaints – IBS, food intolerances, SIBO, dysbiosis/leaky gut
- Detoxification support
In order to utilize Dr. Estrada’s services, you must be located in Washington State. She is unable to provide medical services to individuals outside of the state. Dr. Estrada can only treat patients within the naturopathic medical scope of practice and cannot see a patient with the following:
- Severe symptoms or diagnoses that require a physical exam
- Emergency situations
- Language barrier
- Medical procedure or treatment needed
You will schedule your appointment online through the website and Dr. Estrada will assess your chief complaint and determine if you are a good candidate for telemedicine. If she needs any clarification, she will call to get additional details. After your appointment request is approved, you will receive an email with a link for the video consultation. In the email you will also receive the new patient paperwork and consent forms that must be filled out and sent back before the first appointment.
When you are ready to join your virtual appointment, simply click the link from a computer or smartphone and you will be connected with Dr. Estrada through a video conference. There is no need to download any software to initiate visit. During the appointment, care will be established through the following:
- New patient paperwork is reviewed
- Labs and past chart notes that are provided will be reviewed
- A comprehensive evaluation of current complaints, complete review of systems, health goals, past medical history, social history, family history
- If labs are needed, they will be ordered
- Treatment plan discussed and prescriptions for medications and supplements will be discussed
- Follow up appointment scheduled
Dr. Estrada's telemedicine platform is integrated into her electronic health records system, both of which are HIPPA compliant. All messaging between patient and physician are done within the secure patient portal which helps prevent any unwanted disclosure of pertinent health information. Dr. Estrada ONLY conducts appointments within her clinic office which is always private and secure, ensuring that the visit is confidential.
Dr. Estrada regularly utilizes laboratory testing in establishing a treatment plan and tracking patient progress. She will submit all lab requisitions to the necessary companies and give you instructions on where to go for blood collection. Luckily, most labs have draw sites throughout Washington which makes it very easy for you. Dr. Estrada also works with many companies that will mail lab kits directly to the patient; these tests do not require blood draw and are extremely convenient. Don’t worry about the specifics because all the details will be outlined in your visit.
Once you establish care, Dr. Estrada will grant you access to her online supplement dispensary through Wellevate. You can easily login to the online store any time and purchase the recommended supplements which are then shipped directly to the address you specify. When you purchase your supplements through the online store, you will also get a 10% discount.
About The Clinic
Dr. Estrada is currently contracted with the following insurance companies: Premera, Regence and First Choice. Most insurance plans do cover telemedicine, but it is the patient’s responsibility to check insurance benefits before your visit. Evo Naturopathic Medicine and Wellness will bill your insurance for the visit and then send you an electronic message if there is a balance, which can be paid online.
Accordion Sample Description
Evo Naturopathic Medicine and Wellness’ hours are currently limited but they will be expanding! Please be patient as we start to open up more times. Current patient hours are the following:
- Monday: 12:30am – 3:30pm
- Tuesday: 9:30am – 3:30pm
- Wednesday: 6:30pm – 8:30pm
- Thursday: 12:30pm – 3:30pm
- Saturday: 8am – 12pm
Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic medicine is a holistic, evidence based profession that emphasizes prevention, utilizes treatments individualized to each patient and attempts to work with the body instead of overpowering it. Naturopathic medicine focuses on finding the underlying cause of disease and removing the obstacles that prevent optimal health and wellness. Naturopathic treatment modalities include:
- Nutrition and dietary counseling
- Botanical medicine
- Supplement prescription
- Behavior change
- Physical medicine
In addition to utilizing all conventional laboratory tests that can be run from a simple blood draw, she also regularly uses the following:
- IgG and IgA food sensitivity testing
- SIBO breath test
- Comprehensive stool analysis
- Neurotransmitter testing
- Heavy metal and toxin testing
- Micronutrient and omega 3 fatty acid testing
- Comprehensive hormone analysis
- Telomere and oxidative stress testing
- MTHFR and genetics testing
- and much more...
Absolutely! Naturopathic medicine is extremely complementary to conventional medicine and most MDs in Washington are very open to having their patients utilize all types of medicine. Dr. Estrada regularly refers to specialists and she loves collaborating and communicating with her patient's existing physicians. She truly believes in patient centered health care and welcomes being part of a team of medical professionals.
Since Dr. Estrada does not operate as a primary care physician, she requests all patients to establish care with a PCP in addition to utilizing her services.