Precision Medicine and Genetics

As a candidate for this program, you may elect to first speak with Dr. Boggess directly prior to enrolling via a no-obligation M&G meeting (Please note: Dr. Boggess only offers these interactions for our Comprehensive Program candidates with complex illness. Otherwise, Dr. Soorya provides M&G appointments for all other clinic programs.)

Prior to your M&G with Dr. Boggess you’ll be asked to watch our introductory videos but will not have completed our online New Patient Questionnaire. The purpose of this meeting is to briefly tell Dr. Boggess about your health concerns and hear his initial thoughts about your case.

At this point, no doctor-patient relationship is established, but rather the interaction allows you the opportunity to “pick Dr. Boggess’s brain” and consummate your decision to proceed with enrolling.

At this point you will have completed all our new patient paperwork, consent forms, and online New Patient Questionnaire. The purpose of this intake will be to undergo a complete medical history and more fully “hear your story,” as well as get you started on initial labs (some labs, especially genetic testing, can take up to 8 weeks to process and get results).

Many of the diagnostic tests we order have very specific instructions for collection as well as “hoops” required for insurance coverage. Therefore, we schedule dedicated time to answer your questions and assist you with collecting specimens and submitting your paperwork in a timely and efficient manner.

We will also use the opportunity to help set up your computer to use our secure video conferencing tool for future consults and educational sessions when/if needed based on your local.

In preparation for your educational sessions, Dr. Boggess reviews your chart summary organized by Dr. Basinger OR Soorya to tailor the discussion/presentation to your specific needs. (Note: Patients are not present during the chart review).

At Natural Balance, we have a passion for empowering patients with insights and understanding. During this session Dr. Boggess will be covering cutting-edge theories about genomics and precision medicine as they apply to your specific concerns. The session will also create a solid frame of reference to help you understand the labs and genetic tests we have ordered for you. Patients are encouraged to invite their significant others, or in the case of a child, both parents are encouraged to attend if possible.

Our Brain Health Center is well known for assessing and treating brain- and mood-related conditions from a holistic perspective. We use HIRREM (high-resolution, relational, resonance-based, electroencephalic mirroring) to look at the brain’s electrical activity. This study allows us to evaluate the brain’s ability to relax and balance and helps to determine if you are a candidate for certain protocols we offer early in your treatment process.

Total body hydration and electrolyte imbalance is a primary concern with many of our most clinically complex patients. If the body is not optimally hydrated at the cellular level, it is difficult to efficiently absorb and assimilate nutrients as well as remove toxins.

Using a bio-impedance analyzer (BIA), we collect various electrical parameters that reveal the water content inside and outside of the cells versus fat, muscle, bone mineralization, and soft tissue status.

This information allows us to further tailor an individualized hydration and nutrient replenishment plan for each individual, which often get patients feeling better quickly.

This visit occurs after the one-on-one teaching session with Dr. Boggess and includes doing a complete physical exam and review of the above assessments. It allows further opportunity to review labs from previous doctors and decide if there is need for any further testing.

Please note: This visit is not intended to be a comprehensive review of the labs and genetic tests our clinic has ordered (See Lab Reviews & Treatment Plan below for more information.)

At Natural Balance, we offer an interdisciplinary team approach to our patients. After your in-person physical exam you will be meeting with our registered dietitian and/or health coach for an in-depth dietary, lifestyle, and emotional health assessment as per your individual needs. These visits can be either in-person or via videoconference as per your preference and local.

These meetings are intended to reiterate information reviewed during your initial visit and your lab review and will serve to assist you in getting the most out of your treatment course with our clinic.

These small-group teaching sessions (for Precision Medicine patients and their family members only) are tailored for 6-10 patients and no two sessions are alike. The intended purpose of the session is to further orient you to the tenants of precision medicine and effectively prepare you to fully enjoy, understand, and participate in your ongoing treatment course with our clinic.

The sessions also provide next-level understanding of our multi-step protocols and the scientific rationale for the diagnostic and genetic assessments our clinic utilizes. There is also lively open group Q&A providing opportunity for reassurance and clarity, along with the opportunity to connect with other patients and build your own support network.

Patients are encouraged to attend these sessions (whether in-person or via video) with their significant other, or in the case of a child, both parents are encouraged to attend if possible (there is no additional charge for family guests).

Please note: The New Patient Bundle DOES NOT include any testing, visits to review lab results, or future follow-up appointments. These are billed at our standard physician hourly rates (see below for details).

Once you have completed the New Patient Process and your tests and genetics are completed, our doctors and clinical team will be teaching you how to interpret your labs and genetics and will start making sense of your clinical puzzle and develop a treatment plan specific to your needs.

The results will be fully explained, summarized, and dictated, and you will be given a copy of all our reports and impressions. The doctors will also develop, in partnership with you, a fully outlined treatment plan, including logical ordering of our protocols, estimated time frames, etc.

By the time you have finished your Lab Review session(s), you will have a full understanding of your labs, genetic predispositions, current state of health, and the treatment process that lies ahead.

The one-on-one Lab Review sessions typically take 1.5 to 3 hours in total, over the course of 1 to 2 visits, depending on the complexity of the situation and how many labs are being reviewed.

Please watch this abbreviated video of Dr. Boggess with a patient during a one-on-one Lab Review to better understand the process.

Typical Follow-up Schedule 

After completing the Lab Review process, the time frame and hourly rates switch to our standard follow-up fee schedule (please see below) and are generally 20-30 minutes every 4-12 weeks, depending on the situation.

We follow-up frequently because your condition and the recovery process are dynamic and changing, so our treatment approach has to be equally dynamic and changing. The same approach that is ideal for you in the beginning may be harmful 3-6 months later.

Likewise, too much nutritional supplementation for too long can be equally or even more harmful than the original deficiencies being treated. Therefore, we work intensively, follow up closely, and adjust our protocols carefully and frequently in partnership with our patients.

Determining Length of Treatment 

Our clinic works closely with most of our Precision Medicine patients for approximately 2 to 3 years, depending on the complexity of the situation. You will receive a written summary of all labs and suggested protocols at the completion of all one-on-one Lab Review sessions, as well as estimated time frame to accomplish our treatment goals.

Remember, our job is to rehabilitate your health and return you to “natural balance.” Hence, the nutraceuticals/supplements we prescribe are not meant to be taken long term. They are given in an aggressive YET careful, systematic way for a predetermined timeframe before moving to other protocols. In other words, the order in which things are rehabilitated, and the degree to which a reliable foundation is laid, is the key to our success.

What is the success rate of our Precision Medicine program? (Answered directly by Dr. Boggess)

“To answer, we first need to define success. From our perspective, success is discharging patients from our Precision Medicine program, 2-3 years after treatment begins, OFF all supplement protocols (other than ones required based on genetics, or other individualized needs) and feeling anywhere from 70-100% better than when they started.”

Now let’s discuss some of the inner workings of this particular program. You have to build the foundation before you put up the walls. You see, this program attracts patients who have failed time and again and most are ready to invest the time and energy to do things right after they become educated about our process.

My best estimate for how often our patients achieve success (as defined above): For every 10 patients who enroll in our Precision Medicine program, 8-9 (on average) will continue past 6 months. Some drop off because they are feeling much better quickly, only to risk ending up right back where they were because the process was not completed.

For others, life circumstances change. Some find the program to be more effort than what they were ready for. (We do try to minimize the number of individuals who fall under this category by giving as much information up front as possible.)

Of those 8-9 patients who continue past 6 months, 5-6 will be discharged feeling 70-100% better. That said, while the remaining 2-3 patients will not have achieved 70-100% improvement upon discharge, rarely do they indicate they are disappointed in our clinic’s effort, OR dissatisfied with feeling 30, 40, 60% better, etc.

As I said, the Precision Medicine program attracts very complicated, yet motivated patients and most who go the distance will leave very happy and well educated about their health circumstances.”

Many patients come to us from outside of Michigan. In such cases, we customize the New Patient Bundle based on the complexity of the patient or situation, and whether or not you are traveling from out-of-state or overseas.

A paid, $225, 30-minute phone meeting with the doctor is the first step to solidifying your decision to work with our clinic. Many of the initial medical and education visits associated with the New Patient Bundle are done via phone and videoconference.

However, please keep in mind that all patients must be seen at least once in person at our clinic, and we highly recommend this visit be coordinated with a Lab Education session to take full advantage of the educational experience our clinic is known for.

Thereafter, all future follow-up visits can be done via phone or videoconference. We are set up for video screen sharing and work with our out-of-state and overseas patients efficiently and effectively, and we ship all testing materials and products from our office to your home reliably.

This program is designed for busy executives, athletes, or out-of-state patients who do not wish to participate in any group sessions, and/or want the highest level of one-on-one interaction with Dr. Boggess. A paid, 60-minute phone meeting with the doctor is the first step to enroll yourself or your child into this program.

Please note: There is very limited availability for this program and all patients must be seen at least once in person by Dr. Boggess, either in our office, or under select circumstances, a patient’s private residence. Thereafter, all future follow-up visits can be done via phone or videoconference at a distance.

Natural Balance Wellness Medical Center is out-of-network for ALL insurances, and we do not bill your insurance for any services provided. We are happy to provide you with an itemized superbill for every encounter with the appropriate codes to submit to your insurance for reimbursement to you directly.

However, please understand that we have literally given up trying to figure out the whims of insurance and cannot guarantee you will be reimbursed. For your reference, we have included the codes and pricing we use for the New Patient Bundle and follow-up visits, phone consults, etc. to assist you with checking with your insurance company ahead of time if you wish.

Please note: The times below include preparation and post-counseling with the nurse or clinical assistant, as well as direct collaboration with our physicians or clinicians.

Billing Process: As a medical center, it is our sincere intention that your visit be recognized by insurance AND qualify for reimbursement based on your out-of-network benefits. Our clinic’s ability to provide superbills for your visit and utilize insurance for testing is why we are able to save patients thousands of dollars compared to other practices run by limited license clinicians such as chiropractors, naturopathic doctors, acupuncturists, etc.

That said, we are unable to guarantee that your insurance will reimburse your visits, nor can we project how much reimbursement you might receive.

Our clinic policies include important information about working with our clinic, refund policies, payment information, cancellation policies, etc. We request that all new patients review this material[link to page Pt Resources >Insurance & Practice Policies]prior to enrolling with our clinic.