OUR FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE PRACTICE IS CURRENTLY FULL, WE WILL BEGIN ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS AGAIN IN JANUARY 2026.
A Special Message from Dr. Williams
Since opening my Functional Medicine Practice in the fall of 2022, a few things have become abundantly clear to me: 1. I believe that Functional Medicine should someday become the standard for all healthcare professionals, focusing on the root cause of disease and not just the symptoms, and 2. all health begins in the gut.
How your gut functions, or doesn’t function, affects every aspect of your health. It is how you absorb the nutrients that your body needs and a large part of the process of how you eliminate the toxins we are all exposed to on a daily basis.
So what does a healthy gut feel like? A healthy gut has no discomfort after eating food, it processes those foods to give your body the energy it needs to run at an optimal level, it clears toxins, it allows you to have soft, well formed, comfortable bowel movements, it is free from bloat, it helps your body fight against disease, and it assists your brain with mood and cognitive function.
Now compare that to what an unhealthy gut feels like: an unhealthy gut experiences discomfort, or may even be painful after you consume all or even only a certain type of food, it makes you feel bloated, it may produce what is commonly referred to as GERD or acid reflux, it makes you feel tired all the time, it can cause skin rashes or irritations, it causes constipation, diarrhea, or alternates between the two, it can cause mood swings and/or brain fog, it can cause cravings, especially for carbohydrates or sweets, it affects your sleep, it can trigger migraines, and if left unhealed long enough, it can contribute to the development of several auto immune diseases.
Over and over again my patients tell me how frustrated they are because either no one is willing to listen and understand just how impactful and debilitating having gut health issues can be, or their practitioners only want to address their symptoms and do nothing to either identify or correct the underlying problems that have brought them to this point in their healthcare journey.
For these reasons, I have decided to dedicate a major portion of my Functional Medicine practice to gut health issues. Functional Medicine is uniquely positioned to help patients with gut issues because as practitioners we are trained how to get to the root cause of disease. As your Functional Medicine Practitioner, I will take the time to really listen to your unique story, I will review your medical history and lab results looking for trends that have manifested over the years and then I will run extensive stool, urine, saliva, and blood tests that supply me with vital information about what is behind your unique symptoms. Once I have determined the cause(s), I will use this information to devise a customized plan to restore your health to the highest level possible.
For a limited time, I will be offering a free 15 minute phone consultation to help you and I determine if Functional Medicine may be the right choice for you. I encourage you to also explore every aspect of our website, especially Frequently Asked Questions which explains in detail various office policies. To schedule your free 15 minute phone consultation with me, call the office at (865) 984-9000 and ask to speak to Susan, my Functional Medicine assistant. I look forward to talking with you soon.
SUMMARY OF FEES FOR GUT ISSUE NEW PATIENTS
FIRST VISTI WITH DR. WILLIAMS $500.00
Broken down into 2 payments:
A non-refundable compilation fee of $250.00 (paid when our office begins requesting past medical records) and the remaining $250.00 paid on the day of your consultation and Functional Medicine Examination appointment (90 minutes maximum). We accept cash only for these payments, a receipt will be given. This amount is not covered by any insurance company as there are currently no billable CPT codes established by the insurance industry to cover Functional Medicine Office Visits.
Specialty lab testing for Gut Health Patients is on average $2,500.00 but additional testing could be ordered for those patients who may have suspected mold exposure, lyme disease, heavy metal exposures, or other toxic exposures which can increase this amount. All specialty lab tests are not covered by any in-network insurance companies and the patient will pay the lab running the tests directly by either check or credit card. Other than writing the order(s) for these tests, Dr. Williams has no affiliation with these specialty labs and receives no compensation for any tests ordered at these facilities.
Traditional lab tests for Gut Health Patients can be ordered at Blount Memorial Hospital for those patients wanting to utilize their insurance, but individual coverage will be dependent upon each patient’s policy, deductible, copay, or co-insurance. We urge every patient to call their insurance company before having any traditional labs tests performed to get an estimate of the amount they will owe and to verify the hospital is in network with your insurance company. Other than writing the order(s) for these tests, Dr. Williams has no affiliation with Blount Memorial Lab and receives no compensation for any tests ordered there.
Traditional labs tests commonly ordered for gut health patients are:
CBC Comprehensive Metabolic Panel ESR
HsCRP Complete Thyroid Panel ANA
A1c Complete Hormone Panel Homocysteine
Fasting Insulin Lipid Panel
Some of these tests may be covered at 100% as a part of your yearly physical with your primary care physician, call our office for more information.
Weekly appointments are required during the intensive part of the treatment plan. At these appointments vital signs are checked, any modifications to supplements, diet, or protocols are addressed, and the patient has the opportunity to spend up to half an hour with Dr. Williams to ask any questions they may have and discuss their healthcare. Fee $50.00 We accept cash only for these payments, a receipt will be given. This amount is not covered by any insurance company as there are currently no billable CPT codes established by the insurance industry to cover Functional Medicine Office Visits.
Lab orders fee: Other than the first visit lab orders (which are covered as a part of the $500.00 first visit fee), all subsequent lab orders for any labs will incur a $150.00 fee, this fee will include a subsequent visit to go over the lab result(s) at no additional charge. We accept cash only for these payments, a receipt will be given. This amount is not covered by any insurance company as there are currently no billable CPT codes established by the insurance industry to cover Functional Medicine lab order fees.
Various supplements will be utilized throughout your treatment that will be based upon test results. Supplements can range from $300.00 to $800.00 per month and are purchased by the patient either through our office or from one of the holistic pharmacies in the area. All supplements prescribed by Dr. Williams must be the exact brand recommended at the exact dosages recommended, regardless if the patient orders from our office or elsewhere-no exceptions. Supplements can be purchased using cash, a FSA/HSA card or other credit card and a detailed receipt will be given with the coding that meets the IRS requirements. Most insurances do not cover supplements but the patient may choose to submit a copy of their receipt accompanied by their insurance company’s claim form for possible reimbursement should they choose to do so. However, our office does not communicate with or supply any information to any insurance carriers, this is solely the responsibility of the patient.
Functional Medicine is an investment in your health, and while the cost of testing and supplementation may seem daunting at first, when compared to the amount of time and money patients typically spend on medications that only lessen symptoms without ever getting to the root cause of their problems, most patients find this amount to be of great value. Unlike most Functional Medicine Offices which require 6 to 12 months of office visits payment up front, our office allows patients to pay as they go, making it more affordable. We look forward to hearing from you, please feel free to call our office with any additional questions.