What is a Naturopathic Doctor?
What can I expect for my first session with Dr. Holly German?
How do I work with Dr. Holly German?
What is telemedicine?
Can I get lab work via telemedicine visits?
What if I need a physical exam?
What do I need for my first visit?
Where do I submit my intake paperwork?
How do I contact Dr. Holly German for my scheduled appointment?
Will my insurance cover Dr. Holly German’s Services?
What are my options for getting supplements from Dr. Holly German?
Do I have to order supplements directly from Dr. Holly German?
What if I have a quick question or I want to check in with Dr. Holly German?
Can I communicate with Dr. Holly German between visits?
What is a Naturopathic Doctor?
A Naturopathic Doctor (N.D.) has completed a postgraduate medical education specializing in natural medicine. Naturopathic doctors are distinct from acupuncturists, chiropractors, osteopaths, functional nutritionists, and medical doctors. They are uniquely trained to provide a comprehensive and integrated approach to assist your body’s innate healing processes.
Naturopathic doctors are skilled in diagnosis and treatment of disease utilizing natural therapeutics including clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, homeopathy, physical medicine, and hydrotherapy; many also use prescriptive medicines. They tailor these approaches to the needs of each individual patient. Naturopathic medicine is effective in treating most health problems, whether acute or chronic. Naturopathic doctors cooperate with all other branches within the medical field, referring patients to other practitioners for diagnosis or treatment when appropriate.
As with all physicians today, Naturopathic doctors are trained at accredited, four to five-year, post-graduate, medical institutions. The training consists of a comprehensive study of the conventional medical sciences, including anatomy, physiology, pathology, microbiology, immunology, clinical and physical diagnosis, laboratory diagnosis, cardiology, gastroenterology, gynecology, etc, as well as detailed study of a wide variety of natural therapies.
Guiding Principles:
Naturopathic Doctors don’t just treat symptoms; they treat the whole person and aim to identify and remove the underlying cause of illness.
- Support the innate wisdom of the body to heal itself
- Find the root cause of illness and the symptoms will resolve
- Heal the whole person (mind, body, and spirit) through individualized treatment
- Give patients the knowledge and tools to heal themselves
- Use the least invasive medicine first. Rely on more aggressive treatments (i.e. drugs and surgery) only when necessary
What can I expect for my first session with Dr. Holly German?
Dr. Holly German offers a complimentary 15 minute consultation prior to the full new patient intake. At this consultation, you’ll have the chance to become acquainted and discuss your health concerns and goals, and then decide whether you’d like to move forward with scheduling a full intake. There is no pressure whatsoever to commit to a subsequent visit.
If you go forward with the new patient intake, you can set up a time with Dr. Holly German or her assistant to have that appointment at another time. We require a deposit at the time of scheduling in order to hold your appointment time. Your initial new patient intake will be 90-120 minutes.
How do I work with Dr. Holly German?
OR call 970-833-1202 to schedule
What is telemedicine?
Dr. Holly German owned and operated a brick-and-mortar practice for many years before transitioning to a telemedicine practice. Many patients enjoy the convenience of having a doctor’s appointment from their home or office. They save time, avoid traffic, don’t have to wait, and don’t have to disrupt their daily routine, and it’s especially useful when they’re not feeling well. People can call in on their lunch breaks, during a child’s nap time, or in between other appointments. Telemedicine allows busy people more freedom and opportunity for self-care.
The growing field of telemedicine, also known as telehealth, is increasing patients’ access to naturopathic care. ND’s can now meet with patients via phone or video conference (i.e. Skype). We can now work with people who live all over the world from the comfort of their homes. Patients can stay home and sip their favorite tea while we chat about health and wellness. It’s like the modern day house call.
Requirements:
- Technology – You’ll need reliable phone or internet service.
- Focus – Set aside the time just for you and resist multi-tasking.
- Privacy – You’ll want to be able to share your concerns and speak comfortably.
Can I get lab work via telemedicine visits?
Dr. Holly German works with national labs that have locations all over the US. She sends in the lab order and you simply go to the nearest location and have the lab draw completed. The results come straight to Dr. Holly German, and we can discuss them at our next follow-up.
What if I need a physical exam?
Some physical concerns can be viewed on a video conferencing appointment. If you need a more comprehensive physical exam, Dr. Holly German will recommend that you see your local primary care doctor or a local specialist – she will advise you on what type of specialist is the best fit to evaluate your health concern. Dr. Holly German can also advise you on when you are due for a physical, routine labs, routine screening exams, etc. and refer you to a specialist to support you with this aspect of your health.
What do I need for my first visit?
At least 24 hours in advance, please be sure Dr. Holly German has: your completed new patient intake form (on your patient portal), images of the front and back of your current supplements and medications, and copies of your recent (last 2 years) lab work. In order to maximize your time with Dr. Holly German, ensure you are in a quiet space, free from distractions, with working phone or computer with camera and consistent internet where you feel comfortable sharing your health concerns.
Where do I submit my intake paperwork?
You should have received an email invitation to a patient portal via Charm after scheduling your visit. You can find the intake forms within the portals. You can upload files for labs and supplement/medication images into the portal. Please do this at least 24 hours before your scheduled visit so Dr. Holly German has time to prepare for you.
How do I contact Dr. Holly German for my scheduled appointment?
It’s your choice whether to have an appointment via phone or via video conferencing – please specify your preference in the notes when you schedule your appointment. If by phone, Dr. Holly German will call you at the # you included when you scheduled your appointment. If your appointment is via video conferencing, log in to your Charm patient portal 5 minutes before your scheduled appointment and stay tuned for Dr. German to login on her side. If you have waited >15 minutes beyond your expected appointment time, please call or text Dr. Holly German at 970-833-1202 to check in.
Will my insurance cover Dr. German’s Services?
Probably not, but sometimes insurance companies will reimburse you for services rendered. Dr. Holly German can provide you with CPT and ICD-10 codes upon request. Dr. Holly German does not bill any insurance companies directly.
Payment is due in full before or at the time of your appointment.
What are my options for getting supplements from Dr. Holly German?
Click here to order or refill supplements through FullScript.
Phone in supplement orders through FullScript here: 1-877-941-1449.
Santa Cruz area patients can always refill supplements at Thrive Natural Medicine in Soquel. Please call ahead to ensure your products are in stock @ 831-515-8699. This is the only option for customized herbal tinctures.
Do I have to order supplements directly from Dr. Holly German?
Definitely not. Many patients choose to purchase pharmaceutical grade supplements from www.DrHollyGerman.com at 10% off retail but this is completely up to you. Dr. Holly German can vouch for the excellent quality and consistent effectiveness of the brands offered here. This is important because supplement and herbal products are not regulated, so many over the counter brands do not contain what the label claims and often use cheap ingredients and fillers which can sometimes be toxic. If you choose to get your supplements elsewhere, Dr. Holly German will do her best to direct you towards well-reputed over-the-counter brands.
What if I have a quick question or I want to check in with Dr. Holly German?
Dr. Holly German offers free 5-minute phone consults for all her patients as often as they need them.
Dr. Holly German communicates with many of her patients via email. This is also free if her responses take 5 minutes or less to create. Email is best reserved for questions about an existing protocol, clarification of items already discussed, etc. Email is not ideal for new concerns, new symptoms, etc.
If phone calls or emails go over 5 minutes, you will be invoiced for an office visit.
Can I communicate with Dr. Holly German between visits?
Yes. ND’s are typically more available between visits than most other doctors. But, as mentioned above, if the conversation or email exceeds 5 minutes, there will be an applicable fee. Fees are not meant to discourage these methods of communication.
- For scheduling or billing questions, supplement order questions, or for copies of labs or records, please call Dr. Holly German’s assistant @ 970-833-1202. Text messaging is also an option for simple questions.
- For questions related to your treatment, please email me.
- For lab-related questions, please contact the lab directly (Phone #’s are typically on the 1st results page)
PHONE
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
For scheduled phone appointments, Dr. Holly German will call you. If you haven’t received a call in >15 minutes than your expected appointment time, please call 970-833-1202
Voice mails and texts are checked and phone calls and texts are returned M-F by Dr. German’s assistant.
EMAIL COMMUNICATION
Email communication is not for urgent issues. If you have a question or concern requiring a quick response, email communication is an excellent option for a brief check-in, a clarification or a quick question. You can usually get an answer within 72 hours M-F.
Emails that take 5 minutes to read and respond to are always free. If they take longer than 5 minutes, she will ask you if you would like to schedule a phone or in-person visit or if you would like to be billed for time spent emailing. Fees are based on time spent.
- Emails should include your first and last name, the date of your last visit, and specific details about your prescriptions, supplements, and doses
- 5 minute emails are free
- Time spent beyond 5 minutes will be rolled into a follow-up visit either in-office, by phone, or email
- Lab result interpretation requires follow-up
All email communication becomes part of your confidential patient records.
Before Dr. Holly German responds to an email she will need you to authorize her to bill you if appropriate. You can either do this in your original email request, or she will send you an automatic response asking for your consent.
What if I miss or need to reschedule an appointment?
Dr. Holly German sets her schedule to ensure ample time with each patient and never ‘double books’. Please understand that we need your cooperation in order to keep this unique patient-centered schedule.
You can cancel or reschedule appointments >72 hours in advance via the online calendar system or by phone (970-833-1202) at no cost.
Dr. Holly German has a 48-hour cancellation policy for follow-up visits and a 72 hour cancellation policy for new patient intake visits. There is no charge for canceling or rescheduling within these parameters. If you miss your appointment or need to reschedule with less than the specified hours’ notice, you will be charged the full price of your visit. A credit card number is required to schedule your new patient visit. This card will remain on file to apply cancellation fees as appropriate.