WHAT TO EXPECT: BOOKING AND ATTENDING YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT
Did you just throw out your back shoveling snow or working in your garden? Or turn your ankle at track practice? Are you looking for a deeper well of health and vitality?
Whether you have never been to a chiropractor or functional medicine doctor before or are a frequent flyer for “tune ups,” we are here to answer any questions or concerns you have.
Below is information about booking, what to wear, and even where to park! And know that you can call and speak with our friendly front desk staff anytime—we are always happy to answer your questions.
Dr. Tom has extensive knowledge and therapeutic skills to support physical health and wellbeing through chiropractic care, functional medicine, and multiple therapies. If he cannot help, he is happy to connect you with a practitioner in town who can.
HOW TO BOOK A CHIROPRACTIC OR FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE VISIT
1. CLICK HERE to go to our online scheduling page.
2. You will see two options, one to check in and one to book. Please choose the option: “Book an Appointment
3. Select which of the 6 services you would like:
· Established Patient 15-minute Adjustment
· Established Patient 30-minute Complex
New Patient Chiropractic 45- minutes
· Established Patient—New Problem
· New Functional Medicine Patient
· Established Functional Medicine Patient
4. Choose a date and time.
5. Now, you will be prompted to “Login”. If this is your first time booking an appointment (or your first time booking since we implemented new software in February 2022), then you will need to “Create an Account”. You will find the link to create an account toward the bottom of the page.
6. Once you’ve finished step five, you will receive an email with a temporary password and a link to take you right back to that page to sign in (and change your password if you wish), then you will be able to finalize your booking for the appointment date and time you had already chosen.
That’s it! You’re in! If you have any issues, just give us a call: (608) 637-7656
THE DAY OF YOUR APPOINTMENT
Please arrive 15 minutes early for your first appointment so you have time to complete the initial paperwork we will have ready for you. Expect your first appointment to last 45 minutes, and for subsequent appointments to last between 15 and 30 minutes.
Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing if possible. If you are jetting in and out of appointments and work meetings in your formal finery, not to worry. We get it. We’ve got some super schmancy smocks (say that five times fast) and athletic shorts on hand for you if needed!
Please park directly behind our building in the horizontal driveway that can accommodate two to three vehicles at a time. The sidewalk on the north side of our grey-white building will take you to the front door. Inside, someone will be there to greet you, but if not, please ring the bell on the desk and Dr. Tom will come out to bring you your paperwork.
Missed Appointment Policy
It happens. Life’s myriad of variables come your way and appointments need to be cancelled or rescheduled for all manner of reasons. Whenever possible, please give us 24 hour notice for any appointment cancellations. We appreciate this immensely.
We also understand that 24 hour notice is not always possible, so the earlier you can let us know within that 24 hour frame, the sooner we can open the space for another patient and keep things running smoothly on our end. There is no penalty for cancelling within 24 hours. Life happens, we get it! But it helps us out when you let us know ahead of time. We schedule one patient at each appointment slot — we never overlap appointments or double schedule, etc. Your appointment is for you alone.
If appointments are missed without a call/communication, we give one “no show” freebie, but subsequent no shows will incur a $25 missed appointment fee.
Thank you for your understanding and communication.
PROTOCAL FOR FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE PATIENTS
Functional Medicine Patients have a slightly different protocol from chiropractic. You can of course be a chiropractic patient and a FM patient, but the initial appointment, paperwork, and pricing are different.
You will be given a thorough intake form ahead of time that must be filled out and returned to our office no later than 24-hours prior to your visit. This gives Dr. Tom time to review and prepare for you first meeting.
Your initial visit will be 90 minutes. During this time, you and Dr. Tom will review your health history, create a biographical health timeline, and talk through all pertinent physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of your health. You will then work through an action plan aimed at reaching your health goals. This might include: testing, dietary plans, supplements, lifestyle changes, etc.
After this visit, and while you are integrating the changes and recommendations, you can reach out to Dr. Tom with any questions and concerns via email or phone. You can also schedule 15-30-minute follow-up appointments as needed a month or so after plan implementation.
For more information about Functional Medicine check out the Institute for Functional Medicine.
(And check back here for a future blog specific to Functional Medicine!)
“The functional medicine model is an individualized, patient-centered, science-based approach that empowers patients and practitioners to work together to address the underlying causes of disease and promote optimal wellness. It requires a detailed understanding of each patient’s genetic, biochemical, and lifestyle factors and leverages that data to direct personalized treatment plans that lead to improved patient outcomes. By addressing root cause, rather than symptoms, practitioners become oriented to identifying the complexity of disease. They may find one condition has many different causes and, likewise, one cause may result in many different conditions. As a result, functional medicine treatment targets the specific manifestations of disease in each individual.”
AFTER YOUR CHIROPRACTIC OR FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE APPOINTMENT
After your appointment you can check out with the front desk staff and schedule a follow-up visit if you and Dr. Tom have decided that would be beneficial.
Otherwise, just give us a call the next time you need an appointment! Dr. Tom does not implement schedule plans—you only come in when you need to and when you want to.
See you soon!
In good health,
Beth Krieger-Fritsch