Please reach us at info@innerhealingmedical.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Membership Medicine and You
What is membership-based medicine?
Membership-based medicine is a care model centered on prevention, personalized treatment planning, and a strong provider–patient relationship. By limiting the size of the practice, our providers are able to spend meaningful time with each member and develop thoughtful, individualized care plans rooted in Functional and Integrative Medicine.
Our model supports longer visits, proactive health planning, and continuity of care — while continuing to bill insurance for eligible medical services when appropriate.
How does Inner Healing Medical differ from a traditional primary care practice?
Our practice is intentionally structured to allow for extended appointment times, deeper clinical evaluation, and personalized wellness planning.
Rather than brief, volume-driven visits, we focus on:
• Root-cause evaluation
• Preventive care
• Lifestyle optimization
• Chronic condition management
• Whole-person health
Our office environment and scheduling are designed to provide a calm, unrushed experience.
Can Dr. Lavena be my primary care physician (PCP)?
Yes. Dr. Lavena serves as the primary care physician for members enrolled in the Comprehensive Membership.
Members enrolled in the Core and Foundations Program receive integrative primary care services from Dr. Stephen Roberts, MD, Melissa Heffron, NP, and Ziesl Maayan NP depending on provider selection and availability.
All providers at Inner Healing Medical practice within a Functional and Integrative Medicine framework focused on prevention, root-cause evaluation, and personalized care.
Can I choose my provider?
We will work with you to determine the membership tier and provider that best align with your goals and availability within the practice.
Will I still benefit from membership even if I don’t expect to need frequent medical attention?
Absolutely. We believe patients would see their doctor more if it were easier to communicate, more private, and less hassle.
At Inner Healing Medical, we make it easy for patients to communicate with us and visit us in the office. We listen carefully to you to understand how your life, work and family situations may be affecting your health — physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Besides acute care and managing illness, our focus is on adopting healthy lifestyle habits. We want to identify and prevent disease and other risk factors, concentrating our efforts on your lifetime health and wellness. Together, we will create a personalized plan to achieve and maintain your optimal health.
What is the difference between the Core, Foundations and Comprehensive memberships?
All membership options are rooted in Functional and Integrative Medicine principles and provide personalized care.
The Core and Foundations Program offer:
• Structured visit frequency (typically every 1–3 months)
• 90-minute intake appointments
• 45-minute follow-up visits
• Monthly certified health coaching
• Patient portal communication with a 24–72 business hour response window
• Members-only pricing on IV therapy
• Group classes and community programming
The Comprehensive Membership includes all of the above and additionally provides:
• Extended intake appointments (120 minutes)
• Flexible scheduling as clinically appropriate
• Communication via Spruce and phone
• Care coordination support
• Infrared sauna and red light therapy
• Specialist collaboration when appropriate
• Supplement discounts
The primary difference lies in visit flexibility, communication structure, and included services.
Can I transition between membership tiers?
Yes. Members may transition between membership tiers based on evolving needs and availability within the practice.
Is Core and Foundations considered primary care?
Yes, both programs include integrative primary care services with a focus on wellness, symptom management, and prevention.
Members seeking expanded visit flexibility and broader support services may find the Comprehensive Membership more aligned with their needs.
What communication can I expect?
Communication structure varies by membership tier:
- Core and Foundations members communicate through the secure patient portal, with responses typically provided within 24–72 business hours.
- Comprehensive members communicate through Spruce messaging and phone, with timely responses aligned with the nature of the concern.
For life-threatening emergencies, members should always call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Who is the Core Program best suited for?
The Core Program is ideal for individuals who:
• Are beginning their functional medicine journey
• Prefer structured follow-up intervals
• Value monthly health coaching support
• Are comfortable with portal-based communication timelines
• Do not require expanded scheduling flexibility
Appointments, Referrals and Care
What happens if I’m admitted to the emergency room or hospital?
A hospital stay can feel overwhelming — especially when decisions are being made quickly. During your hospitalization, care is managed by the physicians and clinical teams at that facility.
After discharge:
- Core & Foundations members may message us through the secure patient portal to arrange follow-up care and review hospital recommendations.
- Comprehensive members receive expanded continuity support. When appropriate, we communicate with the hospital team to stay informed about your care, review records, and help guide next steps once you return home.
Following discharge, we assist with reviewing medications, clarifying treatment plans, coordinating follow-up appointments, and ensuring a smooth transition back into your ongoing care plan at Inner Healing Medical.
Our goal is to help you feel supported, informed, and confident during recovery.
What if I need specialty care?
If specialty consultation is clinically appropriate, we will help coordinate referrals and collaborate with your specialist as needed.
What if I need urgent care?
If you have a life-threatening emergency, you should call 911 or go to the ER immediately. For non-life-threatening concerns:
• Core & Foundations members may message through the patient portal.
• Comprehensive members may communicate through established messaging channels or phone.
Same- or next-day appointments may be available based on clinical need and scheduling availability.
What if I need medical attention while I’m away from home?
You can contact us wherever you are, and we will help with any medical conditions that can be handled by a “virtual visit.” If you have a condition that requires in-person evaluation and treatment, we can direct you to appropriate nearby care, and coordinate follow-up when you return home.
What if my provider is on vacation?
Our practice is structured so that you are never without clinical support.
If your primary provider is away, another trusted clinician within Inner Healing Medical will be available to assist with time-sensitive medical concerns.
Communication structure during coverage reflects your membership tier:
• Core & Foundations members may continue to use the secure patient portal, with responses provided within standard response timelines.
• Comprehensive members may use their established messaging or phone communication channels for urgent matters.
Members are notified in advance of planned provider absences whenever possible. We are committed to ensuring continuity of care and a smooth experience during any transition periods.
Is it worthwhile for my college student to be a member?
College students enrolled in our practice benefit from continuity of care and the ability to communicate with their provider through established membership communication channels. We can assist with virtual visits when appropriate and help coordinate local care if needed.
Do you offer Telehealth?
Yes, telehealth is available for your health care once you are an established patient of IHM and we have seen you in person. Telehealth availability depends on clinical appropriateness and state licensing regulations.
Do you offer supplements?
We offer our online dispensary to provide high-quality, pharmaceutical-grade supplements that have proven effective for us over the years. These supplements come from reputable suppliers, ensuring their origin and quality.
When we recommend a product such as vitamin D, our utmost priority is to ensure that you are using the right and reliable product, free from any doubts about its quality. Our goal is to support your health outcomes without any concerns that the efficacy of a protocol might be compromised due to the quality of supplements. Your well-being is of the utmost importance to us, and we want to provide you with the best possible care and results.
Our goal is to make high-quality supplements affordable for our members, offering the best prices possible. To access our dispensary and take advantage of these benefits, we kindly ask you to create an online account, which is a requirement from our supplier laboratories.
How Insurance Works in the Practice
Can I use my HSA, FSA or HRA or to cover membership and costs such as supplements?
The membership agreement is designed for the membership fee to be eligible for HSA, FSA or HRA funds. This means you may use tax-free money from your HSA, FSA, or HRA fund, however, you should check with your tax advisor or employer’s FSA/HRA plan coordinator.
Supplements costs may be covered only if the supplements are recommended by a medical practitioner as treatment for a specific medical condition diagnosed by a physician.
Do you bill insurance plans?
Yes we do. We accept most major insurance plans. We do not accept any MassHealth or MassHealth affiliated plans.
Can you see me if I have Medicare?
Yes. Dr. Lavena is a participating provider with Medicare and as required, will bill Medicare on your behalf.
Our practice is well suited to handle the more complex medical issues often associated with older patients. We can spend the time necessary to manage — and possibly reverse — chronic disease, minimize the use of medications, and work together to optimize your health and wellness.
Do I still need health insurance as a member of your practice?
Yes, you do. Our medical practice is not an insurance provider, and it is very important to maintain a medical insurance policy (and/or Medicare) to cover outside testing and specialists, as well as expensive, unusual, and unpredictable events such as surgery, emergency care and hospitalization.
Our membership model allows us to dedicate more time to preventive care, thoughtful evaluation, and long-term health planning.
By charging a set fee, we can spend more time with you and focus on your individual health needs to maintain and improve your health, and even help you reverse chronic disease. Our goal is healthy and happy members!
How to join
How much is the membership fee?
Core: $175 per month
Foundations: $295 per month
Comprehensive: Please contact us for current pricing details.
We offer a 10% discount for second and additional family members in the same household and a family maximum (the 5th membership is complimentary).
Membership fees can be paid annually, quarterly, or monthly.
Your membership fee may be reduced even more because:
The Membership fee is designed to be eligible for HSA, HRA or FSA funds. Please check with your tax expert or HRA/ FSA plan coordinator to confirm your individual eligibility.
Can joining Inner Healing Medical save me money?
Yes, it can for many of our patients. We expect many patients will have fewer out-of-pocket medical costs. We can better manage the risks of the majority of your health issues and concerns because of our smaller practice and more connected care model.
In addition, the membership fee is designed to be eligible for HSA, FSA or HRA funds — please check with your tax advisor or plan administrator.
Studies show that membership medicine can lead to:
- Less dependency on medications
- Fewer specialty referrals
- Fewer emergency and hospital visits
- Savings on labs and imaging
- Less need for expensive test ordering
Is there a limit to how many patients can join Inner Healing Medical?
Yes. One of the most important aspects of personalized medicine is limiting the practice size to be able to devote more time and energy to each patient. Therefore, once we have reached our ideal practice size, we will establish a waiting list.
What if I decide to leave the practice?
You may cancel your membership any time after the first three months, with thirty days’ notice. If you prepaid your membership fee for the year you will be reimbursed for the remaining months.
Please note: If you cancel your membership and decide to rejoin the practice at a later date, you may be placed on a waiting list pending membership availability. You would also be subject to any price increases that have occurred since you originally joined the practice.
Can we meet before joining?
Yes — the process depends on the membership tier you are applying for.
Core & Foundations Program:
Prospective members may apply online. Once we receive your application, our team will contact you to review your goals, answer questions, and confirm that the program is an appropriate fit before enrollment is finalized.
Comprehensive Membership:
Because this program involves a closer clinical partnership with Dr. Lavena, prospective members are invited to schedule a meet-and-greet conversation (virtual or in person). This allows both parties to ensure alignment and determine whether the Comprehensive model is the right fit.
Our goal is to create the right therapeutic relationship from the start.
How do I become a member?
Enrollment depends on the membership tier you are applying for.
Core & Foundations Program:
You may submit your application online. After reviewing your information, our team will contact you to confirm that the program aligns with your goals and answer any remaining questions before enrollment is finalized.
Comprehensive Membership:
Prospective members begin by scheduling a meet-and-greet conversation with Dr. Lavena (virtual or in person). This allows us to ensure alignment and determine whether the Comprehensive model is the right fit. If both parties agree to move forward, enrollment details will be provided at that time.
Because we intentionally limit membership in order to preserve personalized care, enrollment is based on availability. Once capacity is reached, a waiting list may be established.
Do you offer gift memberships?
Yes! Family members or friends may want to provide a loved one the gift of membership. It’s a great way to provide support and peace of mind and ensure personalized attention for their well-being.