Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)


What is a Naturopathic Doctor?

A Naturopathic Doctor (N.D.) has completed a postgraduate medical education specializing in primary care natural medicine. Naturopathic doctors are distinct from acupuncturists, chiropractors, osteopaths, and medical doctors. They are uniquely trained to provide a comprehensive and integrated approach to assist your body’s innate healing processes.

Naturopathic doctors are skilled in diagnosis and treatment of disease utilizing natural therapeutics including clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, homeopathy, physical medicine, and hydrotherapy. They tailor these approaches to the needs of each individual patient. Naturopathic medicine is effective in treating most health problems, whether acute or chronic. Naturopathic doctors cooperate with all other branches within the medical field, referring patients to other practitioners for diagnosis or treatment when appropriate.

As with all physicians today, Naturopathic doctors are trained at accredited, four to five-year, post-graduate, medical institutions. The training consists of a comprehensive study of the conventional medical sciences, including anatomy, physiology, pathology, microbiology, immunology, clinical and physical diagnosis, laboratory diagnosis, cardiology, gastroenterology, gynecology, etc, as well as detailed study of a wide variety of natural therapies. In their last two years of their intensive clinical training, they learn how to integrate the principles of naturopathic medicine into clinical practice.

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What is the difference between a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) and a Traditional Naturopath?

In California, the term ‘Traditional Naturopath’ has been left in the public domain. This means that anyone, regardless of their education, can refer to themselves in this way. Anyone who calls himself or herself a Naturopathic Doctor or who uses the term ‘ND’, must have completed their education at one of the accredited 4-5 year post-graduate residential medical schools. NDs are licensed in California as Primary Care Providers and are able to perform physical examinations, order and interpret laboratory tests and otherwise diagnose and treat disease. They are also able to prescribe certain medications, including hormones of all kinds.

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What is the difference between a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) and a Homeopath?

Homeopathic medicine is one of the many modalities that NDs are trained in. When practitioners identify themselves as homeopaths, it does not necessarily mean they have a medical background. Naturopathic medical education, as indicated above, is more comprehensive and includes the western medical sciences as well as healing modalities like therapeutic nutrition, herbal medicine and homeopathy.

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Can Dr. Shunney be my Primary Care Physician (PCP)?

Even though NDs are Licensed Primary Care Doctors in the state of California, there are several reasons why Dr. Shunney recommends that you also have an MD or DO PCP.

  1. Dr. Shunney provides comprehensive care like a primary care physician, including annual exams, but unlike a primary care physician, she does not take call or do hospital admissions. She can treat you for the full range of child and adult health issues from an integrative medicine point of view. She recommends that you have an MD or DO PCP to cover you in case of emergency.
  2. Dr. Shunney only prescribes hormones. An MD/DO can prescribe other drugs that may be medically necessary – particularly those needed in an emergency situation.

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Will my insurance cover Dr. Shunney’s Services?

Probably not. NDs have been licensed in CA since 2004. Becoming a licensed profession in no way requires that insurance companies recognize that ‘new’ profession. This is a process that takes time and the California Association of Naturopathic Doctors is working on it.

  1. Dr. Shunney does not bill any insurance companies directly.
  2. Payment is due in full at the time of your appointment. We can provide you with a “superbill” charge sheet to submit to your insurance for reimbursement, but be aware that insurance companies in California do not generally reimburse for naturopathic services at this time.
  3. If you are a patient of Dr. Abrams, your visits with Dr Shunney can be submitted to insurance as a visit with Dr. Abrams. This will allow those patients with medical insurance (other than Medicare, Medi-cal or HMO’s) to get the same reimbursement rates for Dr. Shunney as they would with any non-preferred provider.
  4. If you are not a patient of Dr. Abrams, your visits with Dr. Shunney are less likely to be covered by insurance. To take advantage of non-preferred provider reimbursement rates, Dr. Abrams is offering a special new patient visit rate of $125 to Dr. Shunney’s patients.

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Do I have to buy supplements from Santa Cruz Integrative Medicine & Chi Center?

Absolutely not. Santa Cruz Integrative Medicine & Chi Center sells supplements as a service to patients. That service is: to provide an elite group of products that are well researched and of the highest quality. If you choose to get your supplements elsewhere, Dr. Shunney will do her best to direct you towards well-reputed brands, therapeutic dosages and appropriate nutrient forms (yes, there are different forms of Vitamin D!).

You can purchase supplements at Santa Cruz Integrative Medicine & Chi Center Mondays-Fridays from 9a-5p.

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What if I have a quick question or I want to check in with Dr. Shunney?

Dr. Shunney offers free 5-minute phone consults for all her patients as often as they need them.

Dr. Shunney communicates with many of her patients via email. This is also free if her responses take 5 minutes or less to create (don’t worry – she’s a fast typer!).

If phone calls or emails go over 5 minutes, you will be invoiced for an office visit.

Phone messages are checked daily on Tuesdays and Thursdays only, and will be returned by the next business day. Emails will be returned within 24 hours on business days. All urgent matters should be communicated to the front desk during office hours, M-F 9-6p. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or proceed to an urgent care facility.

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What are my payment options?

Santa Cruz Integrative Medicine & Chi Center accepts cash, checks and credit cards (Visa and Mastercard only).

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Why does an office visit cost the same as a phone consult or an email consult?

All fees are based on the amount of time spent with Dr. Shunney.

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What if I need to reschedule an appointment?

Santa Cruz Integrative Medicine & Chi Center has a 24-hour cancellation policy. There is no charge for canceling or rescheduling with more than 24 hours’ notice. If you miss your appointment or need to reschedule with less than 24 hours’ notice, you will be charged the full price of your visit. A credit card number is required to schedule your new patient visit.

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