How to Find a Good Functional Medicine Provider

How do I find a functional medicine practitioner? 

Our practice books up every January for the year and though I have other providers in my practice, this is probably the most common question I have gotten since I stopped personally seeing new patients. And I totally get it… You’re tired of hopping from doctor to doctor or just going on your health journey alone. But you don’t know how to find a provider with whom you resonate. Someone you trust who will walk alongside you and actually get to the root cause of your symptoms. 

I want to do my best to provide my thoughts and a few resources that might give you some direction. I have to start out by clarifying that I’m speaking to those of you who are looking for a provider to get to the root cause of your nagging symptoms or chronic inflammatory conditions or someone who can help optimize your health. I am not speaking to those who have immediate, emergent medical needs. I have always said in the case of emergent needs or trauma, I’m thankful for Western medicine. But this post is not directed at that end.  

Before diving into how to find a functional medicine provider, you must hear this: Don’t lose hope. There are providers out there who truly care. Providers who want to see you healthy and well. Sometimes it just takes a little research and asking the right questions in order to find the practitioner you’ve been looking for. 

I highly suggest working with a functional medicine or integrative provider who approaches wellness from a root cause perspective. This type of provider will ask about your symptoms only as the tip of the iceberg. He or she will want to also know about your diet, lifestyle, sleep, genetics, gut health, stress management, etc. If you’ve found a provider who isn’t asking about the above, you may consider to continue looking. 

Here are a few suggestions I have when it comes to searching for a functional medicine provider:

Credentials and Certification

Search for a provider who is well-trained, credentialed, and certified. Many credentialed programs or organizations even offer a “Find a Provider” feature on their website. Some places I would start include:

• A4M – The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine is on a mission to redefine modern medicine. They offer medical education in longevity, metabolic resilience, and whole-person care. 
• IFM – The Institute for Functional Medicine is for physicians who are trained in functional medicine. It offers certifications and membership as well as continuing education opportunities. An IFM-certified practitioner would be a very solid endorsement. 
• School of Applied Functional Medicine – The School of Applied Functional Medicine trains healthcare professionals specifically in the prevention and reversal of conditions through their certified educational program. 

Success and Testimonials

BUT even more than credentials and certifications, find someone who has a good rapport with his or her patients. Someone who has years of clinical experience and has testimonials and a proven track record. I’d highly encourage you to ask around. Is there someone near you who is also passionate about integrative health? Perhaps he or she will know of a provider in the area. Or maybe they’ll know of a fantastic remote provider from personal experience. 

Credentials and certifications are good and important. But experience and success are also. This will require inquiry and research. In the end, you can find out a lot about a provider from patients who have seen him or her. Save yourself the time and money of trying a bunch of different practitioners by doing some due diligence beforehand to determine whether you think he or she would be a good fit. 

Functional Medicine Laboratories and Tests

Call functional medicine test companies to find providers nearby. This one is reverse engineering! 

One of my best tips when searching for a functional medicine practitioner is to call the laboratories/companies behind the most valuable and highly rated functional medicine tests and ask for names and contact information of providers with whom they work who are near your location (or offer online services). You might find a provider nearby who does the exact hormone testing you need simply by calling the stool testing laboratory and asking for the information!

Here are some of the functional medicine test companies I use and love:

• Genova Diagnostics
• Diagnostic Solutions
• Great Plains Laboratory
• Vibrant America Labs
• Dutch Test

Specialization

If you’re looking for support with a specific condition or symptom, it might be worth it to find a functional medicine practitioner who specializes in that particular condition. Even if your medical services must be remote, you will be well supported by someone who is qualified and knowledgeable in the area you need. A few of my favorite “specialist” functional healthcare companies, persons, and organizations include:

• Get Your Gut Right is a program I created to allow for individualized stool tests and results paired with unique protocols based on those results…all from the comfort of your own home. Tried and true by thousands of participants, this program is for anyone struggling with gut issues including constipation, bloating, post-meal discomfort, IBS and more. 
• Raena (taylordukes for discount) allows you to be treated by a real doctor who provides specific and tailored solutions. Raena is for women seeking to balance hormone, metabolic and thyroid health challenges. 
• ISEAI (International Society for Environmentally Acquired Illness) is an incredible place to start in searching for a practitioner who can specialize in Lyme, mold and environmental toxin-related illnesses. 
• ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Disease Society) for Lyme disease support. 
• Izabella Wentz has a provider option on her site for practitioners who specialize in thyroid management and beyond. 
• Dr. WIll Cole offers worldwide consulting to patients and specializes in clinically investigating underlying factors of chronic disease.

Questions to ask

Often, finding the right answers means asking the right questions. When looking for a functional medicine practitioner, these are some of the questions I would ask:

• What is your initial consultation process? What type of information do you care to collect? (The hope would be this is a comprehensive process covering such things as genetics, lifestyle, diet, exercise, symptoms, health history, sleep, stress, etc.)
• What type of credentials/schooling/background do you have?
• Can you speak to your experience with patients? Particularly, patients who may present with similar conditions and/or symptoms. 
• What type of tests and labs do you run?
• What is your time frame? (For an initial visit, follow-up, lab tests, results, etc.)
• What can I expect when it comes to cost?

I hope this gives you confidence and tangible knowledge as you go about looking for a functional medicine practitioner who can walk alongside you on your health journey. Don’t be impatient. Don’t give up. Your health is worth it. 

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