FAQ

There are two ways to make an appointment: 1) Give our office a call at 301-933-7827 – or – 2) click here to sign up for your ‘patient portal’, where you can fill in your medical history, sign the needed forms, and even make a new appointment or change an existing appointment!

We are open Monday – Thursday from 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM, and Friday from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM.

Our physical medicine and physical therapy services are generally covered by insurance (weight loss is partially covered by insurance). We are in-network providers with most of the major insurance carriers. While every insurance company and plan are different, the best method is to call the phone number on your insurance card to review the services you will be receiving during your appointment. Keep in mind that we offer free consultations to new patients, which gives you a chance to see if our clinic is right for you!

There are two ways to make an appointment:

1. Give our office a call at 301-933-7827
2. click here to sign up for your patient portal where you can fill in your medical history, sign the needed forms, and even make a new appointment or change an existing appointment!

YES! For your convenience, we now have a PATIENT PORTAL, where you can fill out needed forms, update your medical history, make your own appointments, and even make payments to your account. This will save you time in the office and allow you to take a more active role in your healthcare!

We get many questions on the almost ‘miracle’ medication that we use to inject to those patients with painful OA of the knee. Here is a link that you can click on that will take you to the Supartz website to answer more of your questions: click here

A Trigger point injection (TPI) may be an option for treating painful, tight muscle spasms in some patients. TPI is a procedure that is used to treat painful areas of muscle that contain trigger points, or knots of muscle that form when muscles do not relax. Trigger points may irritate the nerves around them and cause referred pain, or pain that is felt in another part of the body. Often one, or a series of trigger point injections are used to successfully stop the cycle of pain/spasm and bring great relief. In the TPI procedure, a professional inserts a small solid or hollow needle into the patient’s trigger point. The injection contains a local anesthetic or saline, and may include a corticosteroid. Injections are given in a doctor’s office and usually take just a few minutes. Depending on the area to be injected, and the patient’s body make up, ultrasound guidance can be used to increase the accuracy of the treatment. We have found this to be a key element in the success in the TPI we provide to our patients. Several sites may be injected in one visit. If a patient has an allergy to a certain drug or is pregnant, a dry-needle (solid very thin needle involving no medications) can be used.

We have found great success in treating aching knees due to Osteoarthritis (OA). Especially good for patients who have been told they are not a candidate for Knee Replacement surgery, due to severity of their condition or other health risk factors. We typically use a 5-shot regimen of a medicine that contains hyaluronic acid (usually “Supartz” for more info click here), spaced out at one visit per week for five weeks. This material is very similar to the lubrication that a healthy knee joint contains, and often brings the much needed and wanted relief to the achy and painful knees due to OA. Our physician will evaluate you and be able to tell you if you are a candidate for this treatment.

The length of time of your first visit is usually one hour. Of course, this depends on what type of pain condition you are being evaluated for. We try very hard to gather all needed information in advance, which is why we encourage you to visit our patient portal to fill out the needed medical information ahead of your visit. Future visits are usually 30 minutes or less but depends on the procedure.

No. Our Medical Weight Loss program is strictly a non-surgical approach to weight loss and weight maintenance. Read more about what medical weight loss is. Not only are our programs safe for weight loss, but they are effective in controlling, reducing, and even eliminating any side complications, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease, arm and leg/knee pain, that are associated with being overweight or obese. More than this, because we are a multispecialty clinic, we can help alleviate many of the other conditions that result from obesity, including arthritis, headaches, back or neck pain and certainly the ever-common knee pain. Just ask the front desk for more details.

Again, it depends on the requirements of your individual weight loss program. However, over the years, we have noticed that patients who are seen weekly, tend to have the best results. On your ‘weekly weigh-in’ visit, you will be weighed in, blood pressure and pulse taken, and a B12 injection (if appropriate). You will also sit and review your progress, and have any questions or concerns answered. Keeping you on track to reach your weight loss goals!

How much you lose and how fast depends on your specific circumstances and current weight, most patients lose weight within the first two weeks and continue to reduce their weight as they continue though our program. Adding exercise to your routine can also help speed up your rate of weight loss. How long do I have to stay on the program? Usually care plans range from 1-2 months to as long as 4-6 months. The length of time you stay on any weight loss program depends on which program you are on, how much weight you need to lose and how motivated you are! Weight loss is never a “quick fix.” The goal is to not only take off the weight, but to establish healthy eating habits you can follow for the rest of your life. We have helped patients lose (and keep off) as little as 10-15 pounds, or as much as 150+ pounds! With the right team, which includes YOU, anything is possible!

Patients are not required to take medication. However, if medically appropriate, our provider may prescribe a safe and effective appetite suppressant to keep hunger at bay as you lose weight. The provider will also take a look at any other medications you might be taking for another conditions, that may also be interfering with your weight loss efforts. We also offer non-prescription, natural appetite suppressants, as well other highly effective and safe methods. Patient Participation IS however mandatory! Don’t worry, in a fun way. You must be ready and willing to take an active role in your weight loss program. This means; paying attention to what you eat, tracking daily calories, and learning about what healthy nutrition lifestyle is all about. We offer a wide variety of learning mediums: regular emails packed with valuable information, informative articles and links, tips and meal suggestions.

We offer FREE new patient consultations; so you can find out more about what we do, and if we are right for you! This goes for all of our department and all providers: Physical therapy and Medicine providers as well as for our weight loss. Just call the office to set up a consultation time. Program costs vary depending on the weight loss plan most appropriate for you. At your initial consultation you will receive a full Body Composition Analysis report and a suggested personalized weight loss plan from our medical provider. There is no obligation to continue with the program following your initial consultation. Costs typically range anywhere from $100-$320 per month, depending on the type of care you receive. Payments are either made at the time of service or prepaid.

We do not require our patients to exercise during the weight loss care, but research consistently shows that exercise increases the likelihood of maintaining a healthy weight (as well as not regaining weight lost). Each patients’ case is individually assessed, and if appropriate and safe our staff will offer activity recommendations based on your body composition and physical abilities.

We offer customized weight loss treatments administered by our medical providers and medical staff that are not only safe but highly effective. You will be given various tools to help you to lose the unwanted extra weight, as well as the tools to KEEP the weight off. Our goal is to provide you with the tools and knowhow to reach and maintain a healthy weight for the rest of your life!

Not only is our program safe, according to all medical standards today, but it’s also HIGHLY effective. Hey, we’re good at what we do! Our medical providers and medical staff are highly trained, and all medications, injections and practices are approved by the FDA. Most importantly, we act as a partner to your care, and we take the time to customize your care for YOUR needs, and not just some routine or protocol. We want you to succeed in reaching your healthy weight goals. We will get you there in the safest manner possible!