Frequently Asked Questions

Do you take insurance or Medicare?

No.  Like most holistic practitioners, we do not contract with health insurance companies because they do not consider holistic services to be covered under their approach to the treatment of chronic conditions. We used to take insurance but we found that the contracts pushed us toward quick pharmaceutical fixes and did not allow us the freedom to practice medicine the way we wanted to -- looking for the root cause of the issue, treating with longer term dietary and lifestyle changes, suggesting natural treatments and exploring alternatives.  So we quit.  We ask for payment from the patient at the time of service and charge reasonable fees that are in line with other functional medicine practices and not inflated to cover insurance administration.  However, your insurance company may reimburse you for many of our services, especially some of our laboratory blood tests. 

What do you charge?

We bill at $400 per hour for the time a patient spends with the doctor plus any post appointment follow-up items from your visit (5-10 minutes on average).  The length of your visit will depend on which type of visit you are having, more information can be found on our Pricing page.  At various times throughout the year we offer discounts or packaged rates.  Please ask a staff member if any discounts are currently being offered.

Where are you located?

We are a telemedicine based practice and are based out of Brenham, Texas and Houston, Texas.  Please contact our office to inquire about in-office visits.

How long is a typical appointment?

Common consultation times on average (these times are estimates and are not guaranteed):

- New Patient Intake - First Visit:  75 - 120 minutes

- Standard Lab Work Review & Patient Plan:  45 - 60 minutes

- Specialty Lab Work Review & Patient Plan:  45 - 75 minutes 

- Outside Lab Work Reviews:  45 - 60 minutes

- Annual Check-up with Physical:  60 - 75 minutes

- Acute Issue:  30 - 45 minutes

- Refill Check-ins for Routine Medications/Supplements:  15 - 45 minutes

Can you prescribe/manage my medications?

As a Functional Medicine doctor, Dr. Winstrom prefers to treat as naturally as possible.  Often times this can be done without having to prescribe pharmaceuticals.  Under the circumstance that this is not an option, as a licensed MD, Dr. Winstrom can prescribe and manage medications as needed.

What kind of conditions do you treat?

We treat many chronic conditions as well as investigate the root cause of disease and illnesses.  Some of Dr. Winstrom's specialties include: Thyroid disease, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause symptoms, Gut & Digestive Issues, Leaky Gut, Chronic Fatigue, Food & Environmental Sensitivities, and Brain Fog just to name a few.

What kind of tests will I be doing?

Most new patients are required to get the Tier 1 panel of diagnostic tests, put together by Dr. Winstrom.  This panel consists of 23 individual tests that go beyond the routine labs and give deeper insight into what may really be going on with your body.  The blood work is performed at a local blood draw facility with many locations throughout the country.  Additional specialty testing is often recommended and most consist of test kits being sent directly to the patient who completes the testing either at home or at a local blood draw facility depending on the type of test being performed.  Visit the lab work page for more information.