New Clinic Information
Here's a link to the letter to patients, including information about transferring medical records, which was sent in October 2009.
Click on a question to jump to its answer.
- Where is Whole Health Solutions moving?
-
Our address after 1 February, 2010, will be:
1350 SE Maynard Rd.
Suite 201
Cary NC 27511
Google map link
A new telephone number will be posted on this site when it becomes established.
top of page
- When will the new practice begin seeing patients?
-
1 February 2010.
Check this web site after 1 December 2009 for an online scheduler to make appointments.
top of page
- What exactly is happening to Dr. Pizzino's practice?
-
Dr. Pizzino will be focusing on helping people with chronic diseases through integrative medicine solutions, rather than doing allopathic primary care.
top of page
- What happens between now and when the new clinic opens?
-
You can continue to receive the same caring, quality medical care you have been receiving from Dr. Pizzino at the current location of 2431-111 Spring Forest Rd. in Raleigh. All current appointments are still active, and we will continue to book appointments for your usual primary care needs at that office until we close on 19 January 2010. We will continue to file insurance for you until that date.
top of page
- What is integrative medicine?
-
This is actually the type of medical care you have been receiving from
Dr. Pizzino since she opened her integrative medicine practice in
1998. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
at the National Institutes of Health defines integrative medicine as
the medical specialty which "combines mainstream medical therapies and
CAM (complimentary and alternative) therapies for which there is some
high-quality scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness."
Integrative medicine is healing-oriented health care that takes into
account the whole person (body, mind, and spirit), including all
aspects of lifestyle. It provides the individual with options from all
appropriate therapies, including conventional, complementary, and
alternative.
It promotes a team approach to the therapeutic
relationship between the health care provider and the health-seeking
individual. Integrative medicine is the practice of combining
complementary, alternative, and "conventional" (allopathic) therapies
to emphasize the strengths of each system and to offset their
weaknesses/side effects.
top of page
- What is allopathic medicine?
-
This is the "conventional" medical care utilized in the United
States and other Westernized nations. In the US, it is provided by
MDs, nurse practitioners and physician's assistants.
Dorland's Medical Dictionary defines allopathy as "a system of
therapeutics in which diseases are treated by producing a condition
incompatible with or antagonistic to the condition to be cured or
alleviated." This is usually a treatment system that has the intention
of alleviating symptoms.
The National Cancer Institute defines allopathic medicine as "a
system in which medical doctors and other healthcare professionals
(such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists) treat symptoms and
diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery. Also called biomedicine,
conventional medicine, mainstream medicine, orthodox medicine, and
Western medicine."
top of page
- Will Dr. Pizzino still do my yearly physical?
-
Yes! And the emphasis will be on helping you achieve optimal
wellness through prevention. This will include preventive aging
strategies, such as bio-identical hormone restoration, personalized
nutrition plans, and health coaching to help you actually achieve your
health goals.
Your yearly physical is often a covered benefit under your
insurance plan. Under our fee-for-service system, you will pay for the
physical examination at that time of the service, and we will give you
the appropriate documentation for you to file with your insurance
company for reimbursement.
top of page
- For what sorts of medical problems will Dr. Pizzino see patients at the new location?
-
Our new practice will emphasize optimal outcomes for medical treatment
of chronic diseases. By "optimal outcomes", we mean not just being
free of symptoms, but also correcting the underlying causes of the
disease with minimal side effects. In addition to medical acupuncture,
we utilize food as medicine, botanical medicine (herbs and other
natural supplements), mind-body techniques such as Interactive Guided
Imagery, and energy medicine therapies such as Qi Gong.
We emphasize whole-person healing from the inside out to help
people find health without medications or their side effects. Many of
our patients are individuals who are seeking treatment without
prescription medications because they experience side effects, or
because their personal health philosophy directs them toward more
fundamental healing. While prescription medications may be utilized
where appropriate, Dr. Pizzino specializes in helping people reduce
medication usage with appropriate medical supervision and monitoring
of outcomes to ensure evidence-based guidelines for health are
achieved. These therapies can be used for common medical problems,
such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, migraines, allergies,
digestive diseases, etc.
Special areas of practice will include, among others:
- fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome
- headache and chronic pain such as back, neck or joint pain
- cancer prevention and recovery
- irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive disorders
- allergies (including food sensitivities)
- rheumatologic disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and
lupus
- neurologic disorders such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's
disease
- occult infections, such as Candida syndrome and Lyme disease
- CAM treatments for common medical problems, such as diabetes,
hypertension, heart disease, migraines, allergies, digestive diseases,
depression, etc.
top of page
- What primary care treatments will no longer be available through Dr. Pizzino's practice?
-
We will no longer be available for treatment of routine acute medical problems, such as upper respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, acute skin or diarrheal illnesses, acute traumatic injuries, acute pain conditions such as acute chest pain, acute abdominal pain, etc. Acute means very recent onset, and such conditions can best be managed by "conventional" allopathic treatment at urgent care centers, emergency rooms, and other primary care providers. Dr. Pizzino will also not be on call for these acute problems. Rather than providing episodic care, our goal is to help patients resolve healthcare dilemmas for which they have not found satisfactory treatment elsewhere.
We will also no longer be the primary provider of your routine medications when you chose to continue such therapies. This includes medications for hypertension, asthma, allergies, cholesterol management, GERD, etc. You will need to establish a primary care provider who can continue to manage your medications. When we work together utilizing integrative medical therapies for these conditions, our mutual goal will be to help you find effective treatments that integrate complimentary and alternative therapies that yield outcomes comparable to medication.
top of page
- Can I still purchase supplements from Dr. Pizzino?
-
Yes! We will still offer high quality nutritional and botanical supplements as a convenience for our patients. These can be purchased onsite at the new clinic, or through our expanded web site which will offer the convenience of shipment of all our supplements directly to your home. Check this web site for this service starting in 2010.
top of page
- What else is new at the new location of Whole Health Solutions?
-
nurse practitioner:
We are pleased to announce that we will have a nurse practitioner
(NP) trained in the same integrative medicine therapies as Dr. Pizzino
so that you and your family and friends will have greater access to these
therapies. The NP will be personally trained by Dr. Pizzino in all our
current treatments except medical acupuncture. She will be under
continuous supervision by Dr. Pizzino to ensure you get the same
standard of high-quality health care you deserve and have come to
expect. Check this web site soon to see the biography of our new
healthcare provider.
expanded appointment availability: Because you will now have access
to TWO high-quality integrative medicine healthcare providers, we have
more appointment times on more days. Check back when the online
scheduler becomes available after 1 December 2009.
longer patient visits: Visits can continue up to 55 minutes as needed,
to find solutions for difficult chronic conditions.
paperless office: Our paperless office will use electronic medical records (EMR)
web portal: Secure Patient Portal web site where you will be able to:
- schedule your own appointment;
- update your medical history;
- request medication refills;
- write confidential emails;
- order nutraceuticals and supplements for delivery to your
home.
printed visit summary: A printed visit summary with
detailed instructions will be given out at the end of each visit.
newsletter: Our newsletter will have the latest information
to empower you to attain optimal wellness
top of page
|
