Working with Dr. Dean Collins – Functional Nutrition
The way that Dr. Dean Collins works with patients differs considerably from the conventional medical model you may be accustomed to. Please read the following information thoroughly to familiarize yourself with his process. There is also a section at the end that describes the fee structure for Dr. Collins.
As a new patient, your treatment is broken into two phases:
- The Case Review
- Ongoing Treatment
Each phase is described in more detail below.
Phase One: The Case Review
The Case Review is the first step for all new patients. It is designed to save you money and time in the long-term by performing the appropriate diagnostic testing and evaluation before treatment begins. By using this “test, don’t guess” approach we can zero in on the underlying cause of your health problem(s) more readily. Identifying the underlying patterns contributing to disease is the key to a successful treatment and lasting outcome.
The Case Review serves several purposes. It helps Dr. Collins to more accurately estimate how long your treatment program will last, what the treatment will include and how much it will cost. It gives you the chance to ask any questions you may have about your condition and what you should expect. And it provides an opportunity for us to get to know each other and determine if our clinic is a good fit for you over the long-term.
The Case Review includes:
- An initial 30-minute phone or video (or in-person) consult to determine if we want to work together and to determine which which lab tests to order (if any)
- A thorough review of your medical history and relevant previous lab work (10 page limit).
- A review of your current diet and nutritional supplements.
- A detailed body systems assessment.
- A 60-minute in-person examination and consultation to review your results and present your treatment plan.
- A treatment plan including diet, supplements and lifestyle therapies.
- Recommendations for further testing (if necessary).
The Case Review process includes two steps, which are described in more detail below.
CASE REVIEW, STEP ONE: INITIAL CONSULT
During this 30-minute phone/video appointment (or in-person), Dr. Collins will interview you to determine which lab tests to order (if any) for your Case Review, based on your chief complaints and your history.
The appointment serves a few purposes: it allows Dr. Collins to attain a good understanding of many of the factors affecting your health, provides an opportunity for us to get to know each other to determine if our clinic is a good fit for you over the long-term, and gives you a head start on your treatment before you meet with us in person.
The exact lab tests Dr. Collins’ orders for you after the Initial Consult depends on your individual circumstances, but may include:
- Blood tests for specific conditions and food intolerance testing like gluten sensitivity.
- Gut testing ( stool testing, breath tests, urine tests)
- Urine and saliva hormone testing for adrenal (stress hormone) and sex hormone status.
One of our staff members will provide you with the Case Review health history paperwork to complete. It is important that you spend time and energy completing these intake forms, as they are vital in helping us understand your case. This paperwork includes:
- A detailed health and medical history questionnaire
- A survey of your chief complaints and most important health goals
- An assessment of your most troubling and frequently experienced symptoms
- A diet survey and questionnaire
- A survey of your current supplements and medications
Finally, Dr. Collins or our staff may provide you with dietary guidelines to follow after your Initial Consultation. These are extracted from world renown functional medical practitioner Chris Kresser’s work: the Kresser Institute of Functional Medicine, Chris Kresser’s New York Times Bestseller The Paleo Cure as well as his online programs, and include:
- Detailed instructions on how to perform a 30-day Paleo elimination diet (i.e. “30 day Reset”)
- Scheduling a consult with our Holistic Nutritionist Kat Vernelli to help guide you through the elimination diet
It is critical you implement the 30-day Reset diet to the best of your ability. When you speak with Dr. Collins, your experience with the diet will be as important as any lab findings in guiding the next steps in your care plan. Patient’s who are most successful in carrying through with the elimination diet need some “hand holding” along the way which is why we are recommending you schedule a consult with our Holistic Nutritionist Kat Vernelli. The fees for her consult cover the following:
- Comprehensive Nutritional and Lifestyle Assessment
- Meal Planning
- Recipes
- Individualized Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations
- Email/Phone Support
Once we’ve received your lab results and completed Case Review paperwork, you will move on to Step 2: the Case Review Consultation. This typically occurs 60 days after the Initial Consultation, because some of the labs we use take up to 4 weeks to deliver the results to us after receiving your sample. While you wait for your labs to come back, you will be implementing the 30-day Reset diet and making forward progress.
CASE REVIEW, STEP TWO: IN-PERSON CONSULTATION
The Case Review Consultation is a 60-minute in-person appointment. If you live outside of the Edmonton Area, you must make arrangements to travel to our clinic for the appointment.
Prior to the consultation, Dr. Collins will review the results from the labs that were ordered along with your Case Review paperwork, medical history, diet and supplement survey, assessment forms and relevant prior lab work. This process can take two to three hours. He will then create a Report of Findings, which is broken into three parts:
- A summary of the underlying patterns that are contributing to your symptoms.
- An outline of the suggested treatment plan, including dietary, supplement and lifestyle recommendations.
- Recommendations for further testing (this will typically be minimal, if necessary at all, because of the completeness of the Case Review process)
During your consultation, Dr. Collins will present the Report of Findings as well as your treatment plan. He will also review all of your test results with you, discuss the results of your 30-day Reset, and answer any questions you have about the findings or the treatment plan.
Phase Two: Ongoing Treatment
Once the Case Review is complete, you will have follow-up appointments on an as-needed basis throughout the remainder of your treatment plan.
The first follow-up appointment generally occurs between six and ten weeks after your Case Review Consultation. At that time, Dr. Collins will review your progress on the treatment plan, along with any follow-up test results, and make additional recommendations as necessary.
From there, the frequency of your follow-up appointments will depend upon the severity of your condition as well as your response to the treatment.
You may schedule follow-up appointments in person in our office, or have them on the phone or via video. If you live outside of the Edmonton Area, we ask that you return for an in person visit at least once a year.
Case Review Fees
The Case Review is the fastest and most efficient way to determine the underlying causes of your health problems and design an effective treatment plan. While a Case Review may cost more up front than a typical initial visit to a physician, it is designed to save you money and time over the long-term by performing the appropriate diagnostic testing and evaluation before treatment begins. Again, the “test, don’t guess.” approach Dr. Collins uses allows him to zero in on the underlying cause of your problem and come up with a more successful treatment. Many patients spend a lot of time and/or money over many years spinning their wheels, never completely solving their health issues. They also lose a lot of money because their health problems interfere with them being able to achieve a higher level of production.
Here is a breakdown of the costs involved in the Case Review, with an outline of when fees are billed so you can plan accordingly.
Consultations
Initial Consult: $100. Includes the 30-minute phone/video appointment and Case Review preparation. Billed at the conclusion of the appointment.
Consultation with Certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant: $200.
Case Review Consultation: $650. Includes the two to three hours Dr. Collins needs to:
- Go over your history and lab work
- Preparation of your Report of Findings
AND
- 60-minute in-person consultation with Dr. Collins. Billed at the conclusion of the appointment.
Laboratory Tests
The fee for laboratory tests ordered during the case review process is typically $300–$1,500 USD (US dollars) depending on the complexity of condition and level of diagnostics required. Most of the last tests are charged directly to your credit card by the lab once they complete the tests.
Blood Draws
DynaLIFE Labs in Edmonton for $45 + shipping (if required)
Supplements
The fee for supplements that are prescribed as part of your treatment plan after the Case Review is typically $200–$1,000 per month during the duration of your treatment. You will have the opportunity to approve or decline the supplements Dr. Collins suggests before you are charged for them (after the Case Review Consultation).
Grand Total of Case Review Fees
The total you should expect to pay for the entire Case Review process with Dr. Collins is roughly $2,000 – $5,000 CAN.
Ongoing Treatment Fees/Progress Assessments
Follow-up appointments are 30 minutes, either in-person, or via phone or video.
Consultations
$150 for 30 minutes
Laboratory Tests
Ongoing lab fees vary considerably depending on the patient and treatment plan, but average approximately $200–400/month USD (US dollars) (if required)
Laboratory Interpretation Fees
$50 per lab test
Blood Draws
DynaLIFE Labs in Edmonton for $45 + shipping (if required)
Supplements
Ongoing supplement fees vary considerably depending on the patient and treatment plan, but average approximately $200–$1,000/month.
