- As a new patient, what should I expect during the first appointment visit?
The initial evaluation requires up to five (5) hours meeting with the physician, medical assistant, indoor environmental professional, and our registered dietitian followed by a blood draw appointment for the diagnostic labs the physician will need to order to complete his assessment. For out-of-town patients, we could begin with a video consultation to start, but would need to see you at our office shortly thereafter.
Physician Assessment: We will begin with a 3 hour / 180 minute thorough assessment with Dr. Tanio that includes a physical exam, review of your health issues and thorough evaluation of your medical history. You will be provided with a preliminary treatment plan of required care based on your individual health concerns. The plan may include the ordering of additional lab tests, NeuroQuant Brain MRI, environmental assessment as well as recommendations to see other clinicians at Rezilir to fully address your health issues.
Your follow up appointment is usually between 30-60 minutes in length and will be held once the diagnostic tests are completed and results are received. You will review the lab results with the doctor and, if necessary, adjust the initial care plan and clarify any questions you have.
Our goal after these appointments is to give you some time to work on the care plan and help you learn how to heal yourself with the tools we have provided.
Nutrition Consultation: Because nutrition is such a crucial aspect to your overall health, we require all new patients meet with our certified Nutritionist and Registered Dietician for a 2 Hour nutrition evaluation (same day or scheduled for another day.)
We will evaluate your overall nutrition status, including nutritional imbalances and behaviors related to your specific health issues and introduce you to the principles of the Wahls Protocol as appropriate. We will teach you about healthy fat options, the use of medium chain triglycerides, and how to incorporate nutrient dense foods with a wide variety of healthy vegetables. We will provide recommendations to make improvements to reduce your exposure to inflammation causing foods such as eliminating sugar, avoiding processed foods as well as tips to avoid mold and yeast containing foods as well as gluten and grains.
Rezilir has implemented The Wahls Protocol® as our core diet and will modify it to meet the individual patient’s specific needs. Dr. Terry Wahls is a pioneer in the development of lifestyle-based programs for neurologic and autoimmune conditions.
Environmental Review: A healthy living environment is critical for our patients, especially those with environmentally borne illnesses. Your health depends on it. It is for this reason that we require all new patients have a consultation with Justin Seay, our Director of Environmental Services. During this appointment Justin will help identify and uncover any potential toxic exposures in your home or workplace that may be impacting your health. Justin is an ACAC recognized Council-certified Indoor Environmentalist (CIE) and a Florida licensed Mold Assessor.
He has the training and experience needed to identify potential problem areas in your home or workplace and works with you to ensure that your living space is restored to the highest level of health and safety as possible.
- Can I be treated remotely? Do you offer Telemedicine?
Telemedicine is the use of technology to provide remote healthcare over the phone or by video conference. This makes it possible for clinicians to treat patients whenever needed and wherever the patient is, by using a computer or smartphone.
Rezilir Health offers telehealth appointments to patients across the US and around the world.
In order to treat you and comply with Florida State Medical Board requirements, you will need to be seen in person at our clinic in Hollywood for the first visit. After the initial appointment, we can conduct follow-up appointments by phone. In some cases, we can start the assessment by video but would need to see you at the clinic shortly thereafter.
- Video Conference: Your appointment will occur by our HIPAA-compliant online video platform. When your appointment is scheduled, you will receive the meeting link and meeting ID code. A few minutes before your appointment, click on the meeting link and download the software to run the meeting. This will enable you to have an interactive, video experience with the doctor. Headsets with microphones are recommended for the online meeting for best audio quality using your computer / laptop.….
- Telephone: If you do not have internet access, this will be conducted by telephone. Your clinician will call you on your phone to conduct the meeting. Please be available by phone at the scheduled time of your appointment.
Is your Telemedicine platform safe to use? Is it private and secure? As with all of your appointments, your remote sessions are completely private and confidential.
Our video conference platform is HIPAA-compliant. However, it’s important to note that not all video conferencing solutions are secure and may not comply with applicable state and federal regulations. Skype, Facetime and other video collaboration applications are generally not considered HIPAA compliant for clinical visits.
* Please Note: Telemedicine does not constitute patient care via email due to the complexity of our patients and our promise to provide personal, individualized care.
- Can you order necessary lab tests prior to being seen at your office so we have results during my first appointment?
We do not order any of the lab tests prior to seeing you at our office. The lab tests the physician orders are personalized for you and determined during your initial assessment. However, it’s important for you to provide any historical medical records or recent lab tests promptly so have your medical history during your first appointment.
- Do I have to schedule a blood draw? How much will the lab tests cost?
Insights into the laboratory tests and biomarkers help elucidate and diagnose the patient’s specific pathophysiologic condition and helps to track improvement over time. The initial round of diagnostic lab tests the physician orders for you will be determined during your assessment.
The labs and tests we order are customized per patient and can range $500 – $1500 – $3500 and even higher depending on your health issues. The tests ordered will be customized for you and include measures of inflammation, glucose metabolism, hormones, heavy metals, biotoxins, chronic inflammatory conditions, cytoprotection, and barrier leaks and extensive genetic testing.
Given the nature of our specialized diagnostic testing we prefer to draw labs on-site whenever possible as that leads to more accurate and timely data. However, Rezilir is unable to guarantee insurance coverage for the lab tests we order.
Labs eligible for insurance can be drawn and billed by Rezilir OR you can go through your insurance and have them drawn at a draw station such as LabCorp or Quest. LabCorp and Quest can run insurance checks at their draw stations.
For the specialty labs not eligible for insurance, Rezilir will run the blood draw on-site, and bill you for those tests. The laboratory results can take up to 3-4 weeks given the specialized nature of some of the genetic and inflammatory testing. You will receive all final lab results and be guided through their interpretation at your follow-up visit with the physician.
The lab draw can done through a local phlebotomy service scheduled at your home.
- Do you accept insurance, Care Credit, or offer any payment plans?
We do not accept or bill your insurance company, and do not participate as an in-network provider for any health insurance plans including Medicare. However, we do accept Care Credit.
We accept payment by credit card, Care Credit (in person), cash or check, and payment is due at the time of service.
We have opted out of Medicare, but our physicians can order labs and other tests that may be covered according to Medicare policy that you can have completed at an outside draw station. We cannot guarantee that our services will be reimbursed by your insurance, and strongly recommend that you call your insurance company to learn specifics about your out-of-network coverage.
Rezilir has no participation in this above-mentioned process. Should you have out-of-network coverage, we can provide you with a “superbill” invoice after your appointment that includes a detailed record of the care you received and applicable health insurance diagnostic and procedure codes that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement (except for Medicare). Please note that not all of our services (including testing and treatments) will have applicable insurance codes.
Rezilir Health does not participate in any health savings plans. Health savings accounts (HSAs), health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), and flexible spending accounts (FSAs) can all help you pay for qualified expenses related to your health care, which frequently include things like deductibles, copays/coinsurance, and prescription costs.
If you are issued a debit card to pay your expenses, then Rezilir can accept payment using their card if it operates like a MC or VISA credit card. We can’t guarantee coverage and reimbursement and we recommend that you check with your plan guidelines for details.
Contact us for more information.
- Do you use an electronic health record and patient portal?
We have a HIPAA compliant and secure electronic health record. We communicate with patients through our secure patient portal. The patient portal is designed to facilitate communications with patients on logistical and operational issues. If clinical issues are brought up in the portal, we will triage them through the nurse and arrange for a visit with the physician if appropriate. If patients desire clinical care through the portal, we will bill them for the time incurred.
- How long will my treatment last?
We care about getting results – to accomplish this we are a commitment practice. We want our patients to be committed to their health and our clinical team will be committed to supporting them.
Our patients need to commit to a healthy lifestyle which often requires significant behavior change – we cannot get effective results without patients adopting a healthy lifestyle with appropriate adjustments to their genetics and their individual situation.
In today’s environment, it is often difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle. We are committed to helping you in any way possible. Addressing the pillars of health – food, movement, sleep, stress, and detoxification are critical parts of healing.
We expect that our patients will want to invest in their health and will do the work necessary to achieve excellent results. But we recognize that change isn’t always easy. It is for this reason that our patients need to meet with other members of our clinical team.
- How often will you want to see me?
Ongoing follow-up appointments are 30-60 minutes in duration. The frequency of these appointments is based on your individual needs. We are happy to provide patient care in person, via telephone, through our patient portal, and through video conferencing.
- I have a lawyer and am involved in a lawsuit. Will Dr. Tanio testify in court on my behalf?
If you are currently involved in, or planning to pursue a legal case related to your health, we cannot take you on as a patient as Dr. Tanio and his clinical team aren’t available to testify on your behalf by deposition or testifying in court. This includes any lawsuit related to your health whether it be your landlord, employer, or other entity. If you have any concerns or questions about this policy, please call the office.
- I have Medicare. Will your clinical services be covered or reimbursed by Medicare?
Our physicians have opted-out and do not participate in Medicare, so all of the professional services will not be covered or reimbursed by Medicare. If you have Medicare, you will need to sign a document acknowledging that Rezilir does not participate in Medicare.
However, our physicians are listed with Medicare for the ordering of laboratory and diagnostic tests so we can order these for you if you have Medicare. In order for Medicare to cover these tests, they need to be directly performed and billed by a Medicare participating lab or imaging entity and need to be approved by Medicare as being medically necessary.
- What are your office hours? Are you available after hours or weekends? What if I have an “emergency?”
We are not an on-call practice. Rezilir is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and we are not available for after-hours inquiries.
We are not an urgent care medical practice and cannot provide these services to our patients.
If you are experiencing a life-threatening medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
- What is a “team” approach to treatment at Rezilir? Do I have to see all members of the clinical team?
Care needs to be team-based. To make care affordable and effective, we have a team-based approach to care.
Physician’s role – Responsible for overall care and decision making on customization.
Nurse Practitioner – Responsible for day to daycare and ready access to clinical decision making as needed
Integrative Nurse Coach – Responsible for coaching you through powerful lifestyle changes that will greatly impact your health.
Nutritionist – Responsible for detailed education and help through the dietary changes you need to make.
Herbalist– Provides herbal medicine therapies to help treat many of the root causes of brain issues like chronic infections, sleep problems, and gut/digestive issues to name a few.
Dr. Tanio oversees the clinical team at Rezilir, and together we are focused on helping you reverse chronic conditions.
- What is an IEP? What are the environmental services that you offer?
For our Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) patients who are dealing with mold exposure at home or work, managing the environment and getting away from immediate biotoxin exposure is the biggest challenge patients face. Because this is a crucial part of your treatment, Rezilir Health offers home mold testing with our certified environmentalist, Justin Seay.
We use high-tech, non-destructive instruments to identify indoor air quality problems for building occupants around Florida. After the test results from your home inspection are received, we will review the final report with you that includes photos, assessor impressions, test results, and recommendations as to what needs to be done to make the home safe. Call to schedule with our Environmental Specialists today!
- What is Your Cancellation Policy?
We require 48 hours notice in the event you need to reschedule or cancel your appointment to avoid being charged a late cancellation fee. Cancellations are accepted business days from Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. We exclude evenings and weekends when our offices are closed.
Any cancellation or reschedule requests that come in after business hours will be handled on the next business day we are open. If a holiday occurs during the normal cancellation period, this schedule adjusts as one day later than stated depending on when the holiday occurs.
If severe weather or a natural disaster makes it difficult or unsafe to travel, the appointment may be delayed or cancelled without penalty.
- What symptoms and medical conditions do you treat?
From cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer’s, alongside autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease, our team invests in a collaborative treatment approach.
