Health Maintenance / Prevention

     Integrative / Functional Medicine has a goal of Prevention and Optimal Health. As such, there will be predictably more visits than in a Mainstream Medical Practice, since well visits are encouraged. The time to see a Physician is not only to treat an illness when it occurs. Health Maintenance promotes not just “curing” an illness, but “Healing” a person to have Optimal Health. 

     Time spent with a Patient is typically a bit longer than the traditional Mainstream appointment, and many times will require multiple visits to the Physician’s Office. This is due to the time-intensive matter that needs to be fully explained to the Patient, to insure complete understanding of any testing and treatments recommended. Unlike Mainstream Medicine, many concepts concerning testing and treatments are new to the Patient, and if not new, require emphasis and repetition to effect therapeutic change.

      Dr. Ciccone is aware of Patients’ different levels of familiarity and understanding of Integrative / Functional Medicine and structures each Patient’s appointment sessions accordingly. He is also aware that many Patients travel long distances to see him and have various work and time constraints in their lives. Therefore, he attempts to minimize the number of office visits needed. It must be understood, however, that extended visits and going over too much in one visit, creates an “Information Overload” that leads to misunderstanding and poor Patient compliance. The result is a frustrated Patient and a poorer Patient improvement in Health.

     Our Office provides 7:40 AM and 4:00 PM Appointment times in an effort to allow Patients to schedule before they start work or at the end of their work day.