Integrative Treatment

Integrative Treatment Consent Form

Welcome to Dr. Comeaux’s integrative medical practice where there is a synthesis of traditional Western medicine and the principles of holistic medicine, and orthomolecular medicine.

Dr. Comeaux’s approach is different from many traditional, and even some other holistic physicians, because she

  1.  wants to help people to be free from an illness without creating a chronic need for prescription medications, doctor visits, and long term therapy.
  2.  has experience in and has been successful at helping patients get off their prescription medications.
  3.   believes that the best doctor is the doctor within one’s own body, and he works to provide the tools that help the body to heal better and faster.
  4.  believes that the best clinical care results from being open to learning and sharing information—throughout the healing process—and that even more important than knowing what we know, is the humility to acknowledge that which we don’t know.
  5.  is motivated by a single-minded commitment to the patient’s welfare and health. She does not take sides against medications, or for supplements. She does not campaign for one right way, or her way of doing things.

Goals of Evaluation and Treatment

The goals of evaluation and treatment are

1) to understand the underlying causes of a health problem,

2) to heal the whole person,

3) to teach patients new ways to maintain wellness,

4) to minimize dependency on prescription medications and supplements, a

5) to bring the mind and body to a state of optimum health and functioning.

Tools for healing

The tools that Dr. Comeaux uses in her practice are:

1) medical training in Ob/Gyn and Anti-Aging, Regenerative, and Functional Medicine,

2) laboratory testing (e.g., blood, urine, and saliva),

3) dietary optimization through education and reduction or elimination of unhealthy cravings,

4) nutritional supplements to heal the mind and body,

5) detoxification to eliminate toxins and promote healing,

6) Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to restore optimal hormone balance

Dr. Comeaux is a Consultant

Dr. Comeaux only provides consultation services to patients. Dr. Comeaux will not be designated as a patient’s primary care physician, so patients are urged to obtain their own primary care physicians. Dr. Comeaux will not be performing any routine immunizations, routine gynecologic examinations, major surgeries, or any hospital work. She strongly recommends that female patients continue to obtain their routine gynecologic examinations either through their primary care providers or gynecologists. All patients consulting Dr. Comeaux will do so only for non-emergent and non-urgent medical concerns. In the event that a more urgent question needs to be addressed, patients may leave their questions or requests with Dr. Comeaux’s through the secure messaging system, either the Charm EHR portal or the Practice Fusion Patient portal.

What Happens If I Need to Go to the Hospital?

We encourage you to go to your hospital of choice. If you have an emergency situation please go to the nearest hospital.

Restricted Insurance Participation

Dr. Comeaux does NOT  bill any insurance plans. Patients will receive a invoice with documentation of the level of services (with appropriate ABC, CPT codes and ICD-10 diagnoses) provided and amount paid which they may then submit, on their own, to their insurance carriers for possible partial reimbursement. It should be noted that reimbursement may be possible with some commercial insurances and PPOs, but is unlikely with any HMO plans or Medicare. Patients with primary Medicare insurance will only be allowed to see Dr. Comeaux for consultation if they first sign a disclaimer stating that they will not bill Medicare for any of Dr. Comeaux’s services. In such cases, the invoice may be submitted by the patient to a secondary, non-Medicare insurance carrier (if available) for possible partial reimbursement. You may use the Quote of Benefits form to determine if insurance reimbursement is a benefit of your plan when you consult an out-of-network physician.

 

Initial Appointments

Initial appointments for new patients are typically at least 60 minutes in duration, but  90-120 minute slots are available, depending on the patient’s medical history. At a patient’s request the visit duration may be limited to a shorter period of time and health concerns may be addressed over the course of several appointments.

 

Follow up Appointments

Depending on a patient’s medical history and health concerns, follow-up appointments are usually within 2-4 months and at a minimum of every six months in order for Dr. Comeaux to be actively involved in the care of her patients and continue medication refills in a responsible manner.

 

Telephone Appointments

Dr. Comeaux will only engage in telephone appointments for established patients who have a long commute, provided they have regular follow-up appointments in person every six months and/or are able to document regular follow-up exams by their own primary care physicians/gynecologists. She will not prescribe any specific treatment plans until new patients have been physically examined by her at the office. Out of state/country patients will need to be seen in person at her office for the first appointment, to be established into Dr. Comeaux’s practice.

All telephone consultations are available by appointment only. All telephone consultations need to be paid by a credit card which is kept on file or in full by cash or check before the actual telephone appointment if a patient does not wish to keep a credit card on file. Please see the Office Fee Schedule and Payment Policies document for further details. This document is subject to change in the future at the discretion of Dr.Comeaux.

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E-mail Communication

Although e-mail may be a useful way to communicate with Dr. Comeaux, it is important to understand that it is not a secure communication method, that it may be read by Dr. Comeaux’s assistant(s), and that it may be caught in e-mail client based or Internet Service Provider based spam filters or blockers. For that reason, Dr. Comeaux recommends that patients follow up on sent e-mail messages by calling her office. As appropriate, Dr. Comeaux may instruct her assistant(s) to respond to patient e-mail messages on her behalf. It is Dr. Comeaux’s preference that after a patient sends an e-mail that an appointment is set for a telephone or office consultation. Call to ask for pricing regarding the charges for the time necessary to read and respond to e-mails.  It is preferable that you use Practice fusion or Charm EHR for the secure portal features.

 

Fax Communication

Dr. Comeaux utilizes a service that allows for faxes to be delivered to her e-mail as Adobe Acrobat PDF files. The same cautions and provisions that are listed in the E-mail Communication paragraph apply.  The number is 844-344-8858.

 

Refund Policy

There is no refund for office, telephone, or e-mail consultation fees. Supplements are sold through online platforms, and you are governed by their policies. Certain supplements require protection from direct heat and sunlight. Please address any questions or concerns prior to purchasing supplements or products.

 

Laboratory Testing

Dr. Comeaux will directly order appropriate laboratory tests for non-HMO and non-Medicare patients, usually utilizing local reputable laboratories such as Spectracell, Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp. Some labs are also drawn at Anylabtestnow.  Extent of laboratory testing depends on the complexity of each individual’s situation. All charges generated by individual testing facilities as a result of performing tests ordered by Dr. Comeaux are ultimately the financial responsibility of the patient.

 

Prescription Refills

For prescription refills, we ask that you contact your pharmacy. They will call us or fax us a written request. Please allow for 48 hours to process refills. Dr. Comeaux does not prescribe new prescriptions or treat any new ailment via telephone. Not all refills may be authorized if a patient is due to schedule a follow up appointment with Dr. Comeaux.

 

What is Expected of Patients?

Patients who are most comfortable and successful in Dr. Comeaux’s practice are those who 1) are specifically looking for an Integrative physician familiar with alternative approaches for healing of the mind and body, 2) are open minded and willing to learn, 3) are active and diligent in applying what they have learned, 4) are courageous in the face of the unknown, and 5) understand the worth of regular treatment and follow up.

It is helpful and realistic to be prepared for ups and downs during treatment. For some, complete healing or independence from prescription medications may not be possible. Of course, there is a risk for recurrence or worsening of signs and symptoms when the therapeutic regimen is adjusted as a part of treatment or due to not following proper directions. This risk is an acknowledged part of the treatment process and every tool available is used to prevent it. If the illness recurs, all the tools that Dr. Comeaux is familiar with will be used to help re-stabilize the patient, including prescription medications, if necessary.

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In general, the rate of clinical improvement will depend on a person’s age, how long and how much medication has been taken, and the nature, severity, and duration of the illness. Additional social stressors, use of addictive/illegal substances, or a disregard of medical advice make the healing more difficult and sometimes unsupportable.

Before committing to being a patient, please reflect on your willingness to accept the risks and benefits of going down this path. This alternative approach to healing is not for everyone, is far from mainstream medical treatment, and offers no guarantee to a lifetime of freedom from illness. As a physician in Integrative medicine, Dr. Comeaux puts her medical license at risk when she practices outside of accepted dogma. This is a risk that she is willing to make for the sake of what he believes to be better medical care for you and greater fulfillment and happiness for him.

 

A Foundation of Trust and Mutual Respect

Among doctors, fear of malpractice or being reprimanded by the Board of Physicians has kept many good clinicians from trying anything new, has tethered them to pharmaceutical products, has supported the treatment of lab results rather than patients, and has created an antagonistic and distrustful relationship between the doctor and patient. To help anchor the working relationship in a foundation of trust and mutual respect from the start, Dr. Comeaux asks for your willingness and agreement to:

  1.   accept whatever the treatment outcome may be, including the risk of a worsening or recurrence of your illness(es) as part of using an alternative approach for the treatment of medical problems.
  2.   accept that success in treatment is not and cannot be guaranteed.
  3.  accept your role as a partner in this treatment endeavor, rather than that of a customer, whose purchase of a product can be refunded to you if you are not pleased with the outcome.
  4.   accept her fallibility and limitations as a physician in alternative medicine, expecting nothing more than allowing the healing process to unfold as a natural result of our mutual desire for and efforts in creating your health and well being.
  5.   accept that irreconcilable differences may arise. If irreconcilable differences and conflicts arise over the treatment course, and one or both of us do not wish to continue the therapeutic alliance, then the treatment would need to be terminated, leaving you the option of finding treatment elsewhere. The Physician’s Board of Quality Assurance or malpractice attorneys should never be used as a tool for furthering communication, threatening the viability of this Integrative practice, negotiating differences, used as monetary compensation or disciplinary action for perceived injury, or forcing a continuation of treatment.

Statement of Consent and Agreement

I have read, understood, and have agreed to all of the above statements and conditions. I choose to receive treatment through Dr. Tamyra Comeaux, fully understanding the risks involved. I will cooperate fully with treatment and follow up care.

Signed:

Patient Name: Parent, Legal Guardian, or Caregiver

_____________________________________________________

Date: ___________________