Two months later we opened Urgent Care Plus (UCP) and, soon after, Natural Medicine Plus (NMP). We decided that the strengths of these providers could be best utilized by creating two separate businesses that would serve different needs but still be able to provide integrated care to serve the needs of each patient. The result has been truly awe-inspiring.

While the daily traffic of UCP and NMP appears to be independent from one another, the magic of this relationship happens on the inside; to be specific, right down the hallway. It has become, in some ways, a one-stop shop.

Now, not everyone of my patients requires or wants conventional care. That’s why they choose to see me. However, when it is needed, and the limits of my abilities are stretched, the transfer to conventional care is easy. At this point I have a one-on-one discussion about the case with Dr. Ibsen or any of the other practitioners at UCP. Advanced services including x-ray, ultrasound, and in-house lab testing are available, and we have a discussion about the treatment that would best suit the patient. Lastly, once the patient’s needs are determined, they are encouraged to continue on with the form of medicine that best suits them. All practitioner egos are checked at the door, because it’s the patient who is the center of attention…the way it should always be.

This is not a one-way street. The UCP practitioners are skilled at identifying patients who may benefit from naturopathic care, including instruction in diet, supplementation, ways to reduce their medication, and other wellness strategies that promote total health.

This collaboration with a unified goal of individualized patient care has proven to be greater than the sum of its parts.

Dr. Jeff Roush is a licensed naturopathic physician practicing at Natural Medicine Plus (http://www.naturalmedicineplus.com in downtown Helena. He is available for general questions at the Real Food Mondays and Wednesdays from 3-6 pm and Saturdays from 10-2.