Why Functional Medicine? 

Our society is experiencing an epidemic in obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and chronic inflammation. A recent human prospective study showed that 88% of adult Americans are metabolically unhealthy. (1) There is a huge need for doctors who embrace collaborative “health-span” care (how well you live your life) as opposed to the traditional model of reactive, disease-based care. For every one of my patients, my practice will allow you the time with me to focus on wellness and disease prevention. This is becoming the cornerstone of medicine in the 21st century. 

DeSimone Functional Medicine is committed to helping you achieve optimal health. Our mission is to find the root cause of your symptoms and help you achieve wellness through correcting any contributing factors that can be corrected. We look at the whole person, and not just a collection of symptoms to be corrected. We strive for balance and wellness through lifestyle management, nutrition, and naturally occurring compounds and therapies whenever possible.

Functional Medicine is an evolution in the practice of medicine that better addresses the healthcare needs of the 21st century which supports the unique expression of health and vitality for each individual by looking at the interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. These factors can influence long-term metabolic health resulting in complex, chronic disease.

By shifting the traditional disease-centered focus of medical practice to a more patient-centered approach, functional medicine addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms.

In this way, Functional Medicine supports the unique expression of health and vitality for each individual.

Hallmarks of a Functional Medicine approach include:

Patient-centered care. The focus of functional medicine is on patient-centered care, promoting health as a positive vitality, beyond just the absence of disease.

An integrative, science-based healthcare approach.  Functional Medicine practitioners look “upstream” to consider the complex web of interactions in the patient’s history, physiology, and lifestyle that can lead to illness. The unique genetic makeup of each patient is considered, along with both internal (mind, body and spirit) and external (physical and social environment) factors that affect health in many ways.

Integrating best medical practices, Functional Medicine integrates traditional Western medical practices with what are sometimes considered “alternative” or “integrative” medicine, focusing on both prevention of disease and treatment of disease. This is done  through creating a personalized plan of optimal nutrition, sleep, exercise, stress management and toxin reduction. 

Functional Medicine also uses advanced laboratory testing to improve gut health, determine food toxicities, and metabolic screening.  Treatment plans include weight management, nutritional supplementation, and select medications when needed.

Let me explain.

Why make a change?
The healthcare landscape is changing in ways that make it difficult for medical practices to provide the high quality, customized care my patients deserve. With greater demands on physicians from insurance and regulatory forces, and where the interest of the individual can be lost in an increasingly complex healthcare system, face-to-face time between patients and their physicians is being eroded. 

My new personalized model was born as a desire to wrestle control back from these outside forces. I will now be able to put the utmost focus on our patient-physician relationship, which I believe is vital to providing excellent medical care. 

More Time for You
Joining my much smaller practice will allow you to receive all-inclusive care and enjoy significant benefits not typically found in a medical practice today — which should translate into better health and vitality for you. 

You will always see me. Each visit. Every time. There will be no nurse practitioners or physician assistants. Whether you are located in Florida or “up north”, you will have easy and direct communication with me via cell, text, email, and telemedicine throughout the year. I will provide medical care with a root cause emphasis on preventing and reversing disease, and minimizing medication use.  

I am confident my new practice will redefine your expectations for medical care!

What does my change mean for you?
All of us want to be treated with respect by a caring physician who is committed to our individual health. To continue to provide this level of care, I find it necessary to adjust my practice to see a limited number of patients and to no longer depend on health insurance to pay for our services. Instead, my patients will be a part of our affordable and valuable membership program. 

By using a membership model, it has been shown patients have fewer emergency room visits and hospitalizations, less need for specialist referrals, and fewer overall medicines, while also gaining a sense of control of their health. This model eliminates the rush of an overbooked schedule; I can take more time to understand your history and know your goals for the future, as well as foster a greater connectivity with you to meet those goals.

Your membership starts with an individualized comprehensive evaluation incorporating an annual Lifestyle Medicine Assessment. This exam goes beyond what insurance and Medicare covers, and allows me to gather more in-depth information about your health and lifestyle factors, and create a customized plan to improve your quality of physical and mental health. This may include health coaching, yoga, meditation, therapy, nutrition education and various other holistic approaches. There will be close monitoring of this plan throughout the year with necessary adjustments. 

These are just a few of the many other benefits you will experience:

  • Direct availability to me — for your peace of mind and possibly eliminating the need for an appointment altogether.
  • Extended and relaxed office visits so that all your questions can be addressed and to allow us time to explore more deeply the root cause of issues and create a plan for optimal health.
  • Same-day or next-day appointments for your convenience, and brief or no office wait time so you can get on with your day as soon as possible.
  • Help navigating and coordinating your care in a complex system. 
  • No co-pays or deductibles for non-Medicare patients.
  • Home/Office Visit Plan when appropriate (additional fee).

Although your membership fee will cover the vast majority of your medical needs, it is essential that you and your family maintain a medical insurance policy to cover those fees not included in your membership (such as hospitalizations, specialist services, diagnostic testing and prescription drugs). 

To join our membership practice or for more information, please call 973-886-2195. We are always happy to talk with you. 

I am very passionate about my practice. It will allow me a better opportunity to practice medicine at my utmost skill, which should lead to a healthier and happier you.

1.   https://liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/met.2018.0105

With warm regards,

Robert DeSimone, MD, ABAARM, DiplACLM