FAQ

You will experience the difference immediately when you visit us at Inner Healing Medical. Our entire office has been designed to create a relaxing, calm and comfortable experience for you, from the reception area to the exam rooms. There is little, if any, waiting time to see your Doctor.  you will receive a higher level of physician investment. We will take the time to address your medical concerns and answer all of your questions, and your office visits will never feel rushed. 

Because my practice is limited to just a few hundred, not thousands, of patients, I really get to know my patients so I can take a more proactive role in your health and wellness and be there when you need me.

My goal is to provide you with an experience that will not just meet, but exceed, your expectations for a doctor’s office.

  Membership medicine, also referred to as “Concierge” or “Direct Care” medicine, is a model that emphasizes wellness and disease prevention and personalized care.

 We can take the time with you that we need. We are not confined to 10-minute appointments typical of practices which, because of their dependency on limited insurance reimbursements, must see many more patients per day to make ends meet. Instead, by charging a monthly or annual fee, I am able to see many fewer patients, and provide you with extremely convenient, personalized and preventive care when you need it. 

Our membership model enables a strong and satisfying doctor-patient relationship – the key to helping you stay healthy.

It's the way I've always wanted and expected to practice medicine!

  Absolutely. I 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 my patients to communicate with us and visit us in the office. I 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. 

  Your membership includes an annual comprehensive physical exam that is in addition to insurance- covered or Medicare-covered annual wellness visits. It incorporates comprehensive screening and diagnostic tests, and focuses on nutrition, fitness, healthy sleep, social/emotional wellness, and stress management.  We will also determine a personalized schedule for regular follow up. 

Your membership  also includes complimentary Wellness services such us Infrared Sauna, Red light Therapy, and weekly events such as Yoga & Movement and Culinary Medicine classes.

The result is a customized wellness plan which includes individualized follow-up and other forms of communication support throughout the year. This results in a far more connected version of primary care and guides you to achieving and maintaining more optimum health and disease prevention.

We can provide a great amount of care by phone, email and text, including virtual visits when appropriate. We are available to discuss urgent concerns evenings and weekends when needed. We have created a practice where you can reach us when you need us, without having to jump through many hoops! 

You will enjoy greater convenience and peace of mind. You may also find a reduced need for visits to specialists and the emergency department/urgent care. 

See the many other benefits you will receive.  

  People of all ages benefit from the value-added services we offer at Inner Healing Medical. 

It works especially well for:

• Patients desiring easy and direct communication with their doctor.
• Patients who want a doctor to address the underlying cause of illness, not to just treat the symptoms.
• Those who want to take part in improving their health and staying well.
• Patients who want a physician with traditional training but an open mind to non-traditional approaches (such as health coaching, meditation, acupuncture, etc.).
• Patients who are too busy to spend extended time waiting in a doctor’s office to be seen.
• Those who wish to have their medical care remain private.

 Absolutely, and you’ve come to the right place because you get the best of both. Dr. Lavena’s approach to primary care incorporates Functional and Integrative Medicine (not typically covered by health insurance). Which also means you can avoid having two different physicians not seeing eye-to-eye about your care. 

 This can be a stressful and often confusing experience for patients and their families. 

You will be cared for by the emergency room physician and/or hospitalist team. I will communicate with them, review your plan of care, answer questions, and make recommendations as needed. As your health care advocate, I will communicate directly with you and your loved ones, and help you navigate the health care system. 

As your primary care physician, my comprehensive training allows me to handle most of your healthcare needs. If you need to see a specialist, we will help you find the right doctor. When making referrals, we can consult with your specialist prior to your appointment, as needed.

After your specialist visit, we will follow up to discuss any of your questions or concerns, and arrange additional testing and management if needed. 

 If you have a life-threatening emergency, you should call 911 or go to the ER immediately. Otherwise, you can contact me when needed. 

Often, I can diagnose and treat your need without a visit to the ER. In fact, concierge medicine has been shown to result in many fewer ER and urgent care visits because we can discuss your medical needs when you need to. If appropriate, rest assured we can see you the same or next day! 

  You can speak with me wherever you are, and I 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, I will direct you to appropriate nearby care, and coordinate follow-up when you return home.

  As a member of Inner Healing Medical, you are never alone. Even when out of town, I will still

be available by phone for your urgent needs. You will be notified by email before any vacations.

If I am not available, I will have another trusted physician available to assist you for any urgent

matters or to be seen in the office.

Yes, telehealth is available for your health care once you are an established patient of IHM and we have seen you in person.

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.

 Yes, we accept most major insurance plans. 

 Absolutely. 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.

  Yes, you do. My 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. 

The current insurance-based system makes primary care MORE expensive and difficult, and less effective too. Our practice does the opposite. 

By charging a set fee, I 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. I want you to see me as often as you need to, because my goal is healthy and happy members! 

  The membership agreement is drafted 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 always check with your tax advisor or employer’s FSA/HRA plan coordinator.

Supplements  and IV therapy costs may be covered if the supplements are recommended by a medical practitioner as treatment for a specific medical condition diagnosed by a physician.

We offer a 10% discount for second and additional family members in the same household, with a Family maximum of $1017.5 per month.   Membership fees can be paid annually, quarterly, or monthly. 

* Introductory Founder's pricing is available for a limited time and will be honored for two years from your start date

 Apply to become a Member

Family maximum of $1800 per month. 

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.

  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

 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.

 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.

 Yes, if you are not an established patient of mine, I ask that we meet each other in-person (or virtually) to be sure our practice is a good fit for you. You may use our Contact form to set up a time to meet  or sign up for an information session 

  You can sign up online  or  Contact Us.

Please remember that space is limited, and members are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Once all available slots are filled, we will add your name to our waiting list, so I encourage you to let us know soon if you would like to join.

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.

This is a reassuring service that allows students to easily contact us by cell, text, email, or video. Your student will have their own trusted doctor who knows them well and can coordinate their care while away from home. We can handle most medical needs to help your student avoid a visit to the clinic altogether or communicate directly with local healthcare providers if needed.