Frequently Asked Questions (F A Q s)
What do you do at your office?
What do you do at your office?
A: We are a full service holistic clinic, which utilizes the principles of functional medicine to look at the whole person and discover the underlying causes of illness instead of simply treating symptoms. We firmly believe that no one system is isolated from another, and thus, cannot be looked at as a separate entity from the rest of the body.
- Entirely natural, clinical Orthopaedics, including Biopuncture, Prolotherapy and Mesotherapy
- Natural Allergy Testing and Treatment
- Top-of-the-Line Medical Thermographic Imaging for Health/Cancer Screening and Orthopaedics
- Nutritional Deficiency Testing and Nutritional Counseling
- Bio-Identical Hormones and Natural Aesthetic Care
- Complex Medical Homeopathy and High-Quality Supplementation
What are Dr. Plotkin’s credentials?
A: Martin Plotkin, M.D., M.D.(H), F.A.A.O.S- 45 years of Medical/Surgical Orthopaedic practice experience
- Almost 3 decades on the faculty of the University of Illinois and Oregon Health and Sciences University
- Fellowship trained in Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy
- University trained in Prolotherapy
- Additional training in Functional Medicine, Mesotherapy, BioPuncture, and Medical Thermography
- Recognized as a certified expert, author and lecturer for the International Academy in Homotoxicology
- Read more about Dr. Plotkin
Do you take insurance/Medicare/Medicaid?
A: We are a cash practice, so we do not accept nor bill to insurance. All payment is expected up front. We accept cash, check and all major credit cards. Although we do not bill or deal with insurance for you, we are more than happy to give you an insurance reimbursement form which has all the codes and information you would need to submit a claim to your insurance. We are considered out-of-network for all insurance companies, but depending on the individual plan and deductible structure, you would be reimbursed as you are for any out-of-network office visits. Most procedures are submittable as well.What does a first visit look like (for the comprehensive patient)?
A: Your first visit is very thorough and will be spent gathering information to put together a picture of you as a “whole person”, in order to find the underlying causes for any presenting symptoms. This ideally consists of a number of different pieces. There may be instances where exceptions are made, but the following is the breakdown of a typical first appointment:- In the beginning of your two-hour visit, you will watch a short video on our philosophies, what to expect during and after your appointment, etc.
- Then, two simple, non-invasive tests will be performed. The objective of these tests is to gain information about how each of your individual organ systems are functioning, in order to figure out if there are any areas which may need more attention. They also give us a general picture of overall health that will be used as a base-line to measure progress during treatment.
- In the next hour of your visit, you will meet with the doctor. Together, you will discuss a number of “history” forms you will have submitted to us in advance, describing your situation in detail. A thorough physical will also be performed (excludes gynecological and breast exams for women), and you and the doctor will discuss the next steps in your healthcare plan.
- Usually, the doctor wants to see results from three different forms of testing which give him your full physiological picture due to the fact that so many systems are interconnected. These three routes (which would be ordered at that first appointment) are:
- Intracellular Nutritional Deficiency Testing
- Hormone/Thyroid/Cortisol Test Kit (Saliva and Blood)
- Any additional lab panels needed would be ordered through whichever lab is in-network with your insurance.
- Your next visit would be after all these various test results are back, and we are able to put everything together and develop a comprehensive plan. This visit is 1 hour. Follow up appointments are generally 30-45 minutes.
What does a first visit look like (for the orthopaedic patient)?
A: Your first visit is an hour long and will be very thorough – gathering information to put together a full picture and develop a plan for successful treatment. If current X-Rays or other films exist, we typically ask you submit these in advance, so the doctor is able to view them before your appointment. If no current films are available, the doctor may order them from a local radiology facility (in-network with most insurances), if circumstances require. Having a current, detailed view of exactly what’s going on below the surface is very helpful, especially if injections are the chosen treatment route. For more information on our orthopaedic services, click here.Do you accept payment plans?
A: We are a small practice with a small staff, and do not have a billing system. Therefore, all payment is expected at the time of service.Can you fix my problem?
A: We cannot guarantee that we will fix anything. Usually we are able to be very helpful to our patients, but as with all forms of medicine, we can never promise anything. For those with chronic disease, our approach is to gain a picture of the “whole person” since so many things are interconnected. We don’t want to simply look at individual areas and treat symptoms, but rather, get a picture of the whole “milieu” and hopefully find underlying causes for illness. By treating the cause, symptoms should lessen and disappear as a result.How long will it take?
A: Again, this is different for each person, and we can’t give a definitive answer on this. This depends on the complexity of the problem, the patient’s compliance, how long the problem has existed, etc. For some patients, follow-up visits are every month, for some, every three or six, etc. There is no standard follow-up time, although this may be more frequent as new treatment plans are being evaluated.Do you sell products at your office?
A: Yes. We carry on the premises the most complete comprehensive homeopathic inventory in the Chicago area to fully serve our patients. This includes not only homeopathics taken by mouth but also topically or injected. We also carry high-quality products for nutritional supplementation. All products are not the same even within brand names, and we make sure to not only offer the best, but also assure that storage and handling is performed properly so that when you receive products from us, they are at maximum potency. Here are a couple important facts about what goes into our product selection and storage:- Extensive Research. We research various brands and types of products extensively to make sure that the following objectives are met and you receive the very best.
- Highest Quality
- Absorption by the Body
- Absence of Contaminants
- Reliability and Integrity of Manufacturer
- Cost to our patients It is in your best interest that we keep all of our homeopathics and supplements here at the office. When you buy from us, you are generally paying less than retail prices, as opposed to buying elsewhere at typical consumer prices.
- Assuredness of proper storage techniques
Can I buy products w/o being a patient?
A: Because we so strongly believe in knowing the “whole person”, what’s going on in the entire body and how this might affect your reaction to our products before we are able to prescribe things in good conscience, we do not sell supplements or homeopathic remedies to non-patients.
