Frequently Asked Questions

In the case of an emergency, you should always dial 911.

If you are calling with an urgent medical concern that cannot wait until the next business day, call our office number at (561) 432-8935 and follow the prompts to be connected to our answering service.

We accept most major insurance plans including but not limited to Medicare, Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, & Humana. When you call to make an appointment, please verify that we accept your insurance.

Internal medicine has its roots in the German medical tradition of the late 1800s. At that time, basic science fields such as bacteriology, physiology and pathology had advanced to the point where they were beginning to significantly impact the understanding of disease and the clinical care of patients. Before then, much of medicine was observational, simply describing clinical findings, with most treatments based either on tradition or otherwise untested theories. There arose among physicians during those years a group of individuals who committed themselves to using this new scientific information and understanding of disease to expand the scientific foundations upon which medicine is based and developing rational therapies utilizing this knowledge. As opposed to the approach of studying the ‘external’ manifestations of disease (the predecessor to today’s specialty of dermatology), these physicians focused on the “inner” diseases, leading to the designation of their practice as the German innere Medizin, or “internal medicine”, and those who practiced it as “internists”. With the tremendous expansion of the knowledge of the “internal” diseases over the years, this group of physicians known as internists grew rapidly into what is internal medicine today.

Although it is never easy to predict the future of medicine, it is clear that that aging of the American population, coupled with medicine’s ability to successfully manage acute and chronic disease while maintaining a good quality of life, will require physicians skilled in managing individuals with complex medical problems in a comprehensive manner. Internal medicine training is particularly suited to providing team-based care that bridges outpatient and inpatient settings and coordinating care across multiple physicians (such as occurs with the patient-centered medical home). For similar reasons, the need for subspecialist internists will continue to grow. With changes in the US health care system focusing on comprehensive, team-based care of all patients, internal medicine appears to be well positioned to continue its primary leadership role into the future.

• Insurance card
• Photo I.D.
• Co-pay or deductible payment (if applicable)
• A list of the medications and dosages you are currently taking or you may simply bring the original prescription bottles.
• List of previous vaccinations, surgeries, & past medical conditions.
• Dates of past screenings exams (Mammogram, Colonoscopy etc.) and copies of the same if available.

You may either fill out your intake form through the patient portal we invite you to or do it when you arrive for your appointment. We ask that you arrive 30 min prior to your appointment.

During your appointment, your medical history will be reviewed, Dr. Abraham will perform a physical exam and assess your health. She will answer any questions you have. She will then come up with a treatment plan. Our check out desk will provide you with all the details of that plan and make any necessary appointments and provide you with any further information (names/phone of specialist, diagnostic referrals, lab orders, etc.) A follow up appointment will be made with Dr Abraham.

Injections are the most common way to prevent or treat a deficiency. The injections are prescribed by a doctor and given intramuscularly, or into the muscle. Please contact our office for more information on the injections currently provided.

Regardless of age, we ALL need immunizations to protect against serious, and sometimes deadly, diseases. Protection from vaccines you received as a child can wear off over time, and you may be at risk for new and different diseases. Please contact our office for more information on the immunizations currently provided.

Functional Medicine addresses the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach and engaging both patient and practitioner in a therapeutic partnership. It is an evolution in the practice of medicine that better addresses the healthcare needs of the 21st century. By shifting the traditional disease-centered focus of medical practice to a more patient-centered approach, Functional Medicine addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms.

Functional Medicine practitioners spend time with their patients, listening to their histories and looking at the interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can influence long-term health and complex, chronic disease. In this way, Functional Medicine supports the unique expression of health and vitality for each individual.

Functional Medicine offers a powerful new operating system and clinical model for assessment, treatment, and prevention of chronic disease to replace the outdated and ineffective acute-care models carried forward from the 20th century.

• Functional Medicine incorporates the latest in genetic science, systems biology, and understanding of how environmental and lifestyle factors influence the emergence and progression of disease.
• Functional Medicine enables physicians and other health professionals to practice proactive, predictive, personalized medicine and empowers patients to take an active role in their own health.

Specialty labs are non-traditional labs done through companies such as Genova Labs, Spectra cell and others. They are designed to help us do a deep dive when traditional labs do not shed light to the problem at hand. Some insurances cover them partially and this will be discussed before doing the test to ensure that it is affordable to you.

Yes, we accept most major insurance plans including but not limited to Medicare, Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, & Humana. When you call to make an appointment, please verify that we accept your insurance. However, some services may not be covered on all insurance plans.

We have a very extensive health history questionnaire. We ask that you pick that up and complete it in advance of your appointment. Please arrive 30 min prior to your appointment.

During your appointment, your medical history will be reviewed; Dr. Abraham will perform a physical exam and assess your health. She will answer any questions you have. She will then come up with a treatment plan. Our check out desk will provide you with all the details of that plan and make any necessary appointments and provide you with any further information (names/phone of specialist, diagnostic referrals, lab orders, etc.) A follow up appointment will be made with Dr Abraham.

The Biomat is a FDA licensed medical device that combines far infrared rays and negative ion technology with the healing power of Amethyst crystals. With ongoing use the Biomat can reduce pain and joint stiffness, reduce inflammation, relieve stress, improve immune system, improve circulation and reduce chronic pain.

The Biomat will be used during a wellness program session to introduce the patient to this beneficial technology. While the patient lies on the mat they will listen to a relaxation script.

Heart Math is an interactive tool designed to help individuals change their stress response. Typically when we go through a stressful situation our heart rate increases automatically- Heart Math allows us to learn techniques that result in positive mental and physical changes.

Our focus: The goal of this session is to learn how to approach stress and anxiety with a more effective approach. We first work together to identify the patient’s main stressors, while helping them learn to develop new self-regulation skills. While learning these stress management techniques the patient will be introduced to the emWavePro, a software program, used to help increase awareness of the mind-body connection.

No. Most of your habits are positive and serve you very well. The trick is identifying behaviors that are inconsistent with your long-term goals and values.

Please subscribe to our email list and follow us on social media to find out about upcoming group sessions and events.

A lot of medical weight loss programs prescribe medications to suppress appetite. Although you do have the option of using supplements, they are to maximize your healthy habits – not to replace a healthy lifestyle! The supplements recommended are personalized to meet each individual’s health goals and specifically help support and enhance efforts towards building and living a healthy and balanced life.

We have a health questionnaire that we ask you to pick up and complete in advance of your appointment. This information will allow our Wellness Educator to focus the session on the most important factors essential to building life-long health. We also ask that you arrive 15 min prior to your appointment time.

For your appointment you will meet with our Wellness Educator. She will first assess your body composition by performing a quick Body Impedance Analysis (BIA). She will provide an in-depth explanation of your body composition while giving you a printout of your results to take home. The Wellness Educator will then educate you on our foundational nutrition guidelines while coaching you through developing both short and long-term goals, to work toward achieving your ultimate wellness vision. Common nutrition topics include food choice, portion control, meal frequency, meal preparation/planning, mindfulness and stress management. Each session is individualized based on your specific needs allowing you to address whatever topics are needed to ensure success.

There are some guidelines recommended to achieve optimal results of the BIA. It is recommend to avoid the following for the most accurate results: eating at least 4 hours prior, exercise 12 hours prior, alcohol 24 hours prior, and avoid caffeine the day of your BIA.

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis or Bioimpedance Analysis (BIA) is a method of assessing your “body composition”— the measurement of body fat in relation to lean body mass. It is an integral part of a health and nutrition assessment.

Research has shown that body composition is directly related to health. A normal balance of body fat is associated with good health and longevity. Excess fat in relation to lean body mass, known as altered body composition, can greatly increase your risks to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and more. BIA fosters early detection of an improper balance in your body composition, which allows for earlier intervention and prevention. BIA provides a measurement of fluid and body mass that can be a critical assessment tool for your current state of health. BIA also measures your progress as you improve your health. Improving your BIA measurement, or maintaining a healthy BIA measurement, can help keep your body functioning properly for healthy aging. Your BIA results can help guide us in creating a personalized dietary plan, including nutritional supplements when appropriate, and exercise to help you maintain optimal health and wellbeing for a lifetime.

BIA is much more sophisticated than your bathroom scale, but just as simple— and almost as quick. BIA is performed in our office with the help of a sophisticated, computerized analysis. This analyzer “calculates” and estimates your tissue and fluid compartments— using an imperceptible electrical current passed through handles that you grip and pads under your feet as you stand comfortably on our body composition analyzer. In just minutes, we’ll have detailed measurements to help create an effective, personalized program for you. Follow-up Tests: We can conduct a series of follow-up BIA tests to monitor your health and measure your progress.