By Lindsay Kluge

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April 1, 2021

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A Naturopathic Doctor (ND) is an expert in natural medicine. They blend natural, non-toxic therapies under current advancements in the study of health and human systems. They cover all aspects of family health and utilize cutting-edge medical knowledge, research and tools to resolve a client’s health concerns. Naturopathic doctors work alongside their patients as partners, taking the time to listen to their needs and ensuring they are part of the healthcare solution. NDs provide clients with the time, space, and answers they need to show they are cared for and supported.

Below are some commonly asked questions regarding what is included and what to expect in our naturopathic appointments at Richmond Natural Medicine. Please note, we are a Virginia based naturopathic office and some services that are not available here may be available in naturopathic offices in licensed states.

Read More: About Richmond Natural Medicine & Our Practitioners

Do you accept insurance?

Unfortunately, we do not accept insurance for payment of our services. This is because naturopathic medicine is not covered by health insurance in Virginia at this time. The current medical model does not fully recognize the strengths of preventative holistic medicine. Steps are currently being taken here in Virginia and across the country to give more recognition to naturopathic medicine. You may check with your insurance company to see if they offer out-of-network coverage for alternative or complementary care.

Fortunately, those individuals with a HSA (health savings account) or FSA (flexible spending accounts) are often able to use these plans toward naturopathic care. In these cases, we can provide you with necessary paperwork and itemized receipts. You should check with your HSA or FSA Provider for more information and specific rules.

How long is the initial appointment and follow up appointments?

The initial appointment will be 2 hours, and is an in-depth review of your past and present medical history. Over the course of two hours, your practitioner will aim to obtain a full overview of who you are and what your needs are during this time. You can expect a discussion that looks beyond your presenting symptoms to the overall picture of your health, in order to best determine the best possible treatment for you. Your practitioner will inquire about your long-term expectations while working with our clinic, as well as considering your current lifestyle choices and habits.

Follow up appointments are initially 1 hour, and sometimes 30 minutes for a brief check-in if and when needed.

Can my naturopathic doctor be my primary care doctor?

In Virginia, your ND cannot serve as your primary care doctor, however they are trained in primary care medicine. Your ND however can work seamlessly with your PCP when needed to provide you the most holistic, comprehensive care possible over your health journey.

Can my naturopathic doctor order lab work for me?

In Virginia, your ND is unable to order specific lab work for you, however they can do affordable self-referral lab work. Additionally, since your ND works collaboratively with your other health providers, often your PCP or specialist is willing to write for the labs that are needed.

Is my naturopathic doctor a specialist for particular conditions?

A naturopathic doctor approaches treating people – not diseases. Although they are well versed and trained in multiple conditions, they are approaching the entire person – from health history to stress management, to assessing your diet and your barriers to healing – before they are focusing on the condition specifically. They are taking a wide angle approach to your health first, while also considering all of the inputs that have gone into the development of that condition in order to work towards balancing health and increasing patient vitality. Often, they are doing this in collaboration with your other specialists or physicians.

At Richmond Natural Medicine, we are also unique in that we work together as a collaborative team, sometimes putting two or three of our heads together to work on a case that may be a bit more complicated. We also see many complicated cases that have not responded to modern or conventional therapy.

At the core of naturopathic medicine lies the body’s ability to heal itself. Symptoms of any illness serve as an indicator that there is an imbalance within the human body. Your body works to communicate with you that it is not functioning as it should. The imbalance could be cumulative or based on a lack or excess of nutritional factors, daily habits, infection, or environmental issues. Naturopathic medicine works to support the body in dealing with these imbalances in a more comfortable and efficient way. It works with the body, helping to re-balance the issue. The goal is to find the cause of the imbalance and use the symptoms to guide one in finding the cause of the disease.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact us and we will be happy to guide you through our next steps and match you with one of our naturopathic doctors.