Amy Elder APRN, WHNP-BC and Chelsea Dana APRN, FNP-BC provide care from a functional medicine approach. Below are Amy's answers to common questions regarding the care she provides.

 

1. Functional medicine - is addressing and correcting illness and disease from a biological basis. It looks for the underlying cause of symptoms instead of masking with short term drug therapy. Functional medicine incorporates lifestyle, nutrition and education to tailor individual care for patients.

 

2. Why this approach? - Honestly, allopathic medicine never made sense, unless dealing with an emergent situation. As far back as nursing school, my interest was sparked to work with and not against the body in what it was trying to achieve. Recognizing early on that mainstream testing methods often failed to provide the full picture also spurred me to continued learning and research into functional medicine. Part of my passion is to change the face of medicine from the “current standard of care” as first line therapy, to that of functional medicine. This is accomplished through precepting NP students and providing a positive learning environment in our clinic.

 

3. Who benefits? - Everyone can! The patients that benefit most are the ones who are dissatisfied with the status quo, want to partner with their provider, and take control in their health care to restore wellness.

 

4. Expect personalized care based on extensive history taking and review, utilizing a variety of testing methods including blood, stool, saliva, and urine to aid in diagnosis, counseling regarding nutritional status, supplement use and rationale. Prescription medications may still be implemented short term to support transitions in health. 

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5. I absolutely love being able to provide a variety of tools for patient use. It is rewarding beyond measure to watch them become empowered to improve their health and well being.