FAQ

Naturopathic medicine is a system of healthcare that emphasizes disease prevention and the restoration of optimal health through natural therapies. A fundamental principal of naturopathic medicine is to address the underlying cause of disease, instead of merely treating the presenting symptoms. Naturopathic medicine combines safe and effective therapies with the most current advances in modern medicine. Naturopathic medicine is appropriate for the management of a broad range of health conditions affecting people of all ages. In addition to the basic medical sciences and conventional diagnostics, our education includes therapeutic nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, natural childbirth, hydrotherapy, naturopathic manipulative therapy, pharmacology, and minor surgery.

The initial visit will include a thorough medical intake to obtain a comprehensive health history. The physician will also perform a complete physical exam during this visit with emphasis on whatever your chief complaint is. They will also order any lab work or imaging that will aid in development of your treatment plan. It is often helpful to bring any old medical records that you have at home to this first visit. It is also important to fill out the new patient intake form wither on-line or come in early to fill out paper forms. Treatment at this visit might be basic so the physician can take some time to get to know your case and get any pertinent lab work back before deciding on the best course of treatment. Most initial visits are approximately 60 minutes.

Follow up visits will be spent discussing any labs or imaging that were done at the first visit and devising a more comprehensive treatment plan. They are also used to monitor your progress and determine if any modifications to the treatment plan are warranted. We will discuss changes in your symptoms and another brief physical exam will be performed. Most follow-up visits are approximately 30-45 minutes.

The therapies that the doctors use most frequently are botanical medicine, homeopathy, and clinical nutrition (vitamins, minerals, and dietary recommendations). Each treatment plan is individually tailored to the person and so will vary greatly.

Yes. Naturopathic physicians in Oregon can prescribe most medications including most controlled substances and hormones. Both Dr. Boamah and Dr. Martin are comfortable managing your prescriptions.

Yes! Balanced Family is happy to bill insurance for all covered services. They also offers a 20% discount if you don’t bill insurance and pay for the visit on the date of service. To determine if you have coverage, call your insurance company and ask if you have naturopathic benefits. Please call 503-747-6645 and have your insurance card ready if you would like us to verify your benefits for you.

 

Dr. Martin and Dr. Boamah accept the following insurance providers:

• BCBS
• Cigna
• Aetna
• UMR
• Moda
• United
• RGA
• Harrison Trust