Question 1

What can I expect at my first visit?

Accepted Answer

Your first appointment will last approximately 45-60 minutes. Please bring in your medications, supplements and any recent labs, and have your intake-forms completed prior to arrival. The doctor will take a comprehensive history, discuss your health concerns, perform any pertinent physical exams, and determine if any laboratory/diagnostic imaging work needs to be completed.

We take time to listen to what you have to say and take pride in providing you with answers to your questions, treatments options and an assessment of your condition including how long we think it will take you to get well. The doctor will provide you with a treatment plan on your first visit which will be reviewed with you.

Question 2

What can I expect on my follow-up visits?

Accepted Answer

Your second visit will be approximately 30 minutes (1-4 weeks later). We will review all laboratory results and/or diagnostic imaging that was performed. You will be provided with an updated and more comprehensive treatment plan custom-tailored for you. You will also be provided with copies of all laboratory results.

All further follow-up appointments will range from 15-30 minutes, depending on complexity. These are necessary to ensure your health is improving and make adjustments to your treatment plan.

Question 3

Will my appointment be on time?

Accepted Answer

We understand that our patients have busy lives and we like to be considerate of their time. You will not sit in the lobby for an hour waiting for the doctor. We try our best to stay on time, and we appreciate the same courtesy in return. Appointment length will not be extended due to late arrival. If you are more than 15 minutes late, our cancellation policy will go into effect.

Please complete the intake forms prior to your first appointment. The forms are available electronically through the patient portal. We are happy to assist you with this process. This policy helps maximize your appointment time.

Question 4

How is my visit different at PWC than with a conventionally-trained MD?

Accepted Answer

There are certainly many similarities in the practice of medicine whether you see a naturopath, an osteopath or a medical doctor for your healthcare needs. However, seeing a naturopath is fundamentally different in the delivery of the care. This is much more of a patient-centered approach where the care is custom-tailored based on your needs. At PWC the doctor-patient relationship is more of a partnership than a ‘do what I say or get out’ approach. You work together as a team and are guided throughout the process of getting well. The doctor and staff are here to serve you. When you see a doctor at PWC, he or she will spend sufficient time with you, and you will leave the clinic with a written out treatment plan that the doctor reviewed with you. You will have time to ask whatever questions you like and will be treated with respect throughout. We pride ourselves on our doctors listening to what you have to say and taking it into consideration.

Question 5

Do you stock supplements/natural medicines at your clinic or will I have to purchase them elsewhere?

Accepted Answer

We have a fully stocked medicinary in our office. We pride ourselves on carrying only the highest quality supplements and natural medicines. The physicians at PWC spend a lot of time researching and testing the products to ensure they are clinically effective. It is of utmost importance you use only physician-grade supplements for several reasons:

1. The supplement industry is unregulated which means many brands contain inferior quality ingredients that simply do not have therapeutic efficacy – in other words, they don’t work as well.

2. In the majority of OTC supplements the quantity of an ingredient is too low to have therapeutic value.

3. Many supplements contain needless, and at at times, harmful additives.

4. The supplement may contain impurities that are harmful, for example cheap fish oil will likely contain pollutants from the ocean such as PCBs or heavy metals.

5. At worst, many have been shown to not even contain what’s on the label.
This is why we stock only brands that we trust. Also, in Washington State a supplement that is prescribed by a Naturopathic Physician is not subject to sales tax, therefore you save 10% with every purchase from us. Lastly, you may use your flexible spending account or health savings account to purchase prescribed supplements.

You may purchase products directly from our medicinary or online through our website. Just click on the link, set-up your account the first time around and you will have instant access to not only the natural medicines that we stock in our in-office medicinary, but to thousands of supplements, health-related products, including healthy foods and snacks. Depending on which vendor you purchase from you will enjoy discounted costs and/or free shipping!

Question 6

Do naturopathic physician order labs and can they prescribe meds?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and yes. In Washington State, naturopaths are one of the three types of doctors (besides MDs and DOs) that you can chose to be your Primary Care Provider. As such, they can order and interpret laboratory testing, x-rays, MRIs, etc and can prescribe most drugs that MDs prescribe. In addition, they order food allergy tests, adrenal hormone and comprehensive thyroid panels that MDs typically do not order.