+ Help! I Can't Find My Zoom Link!

Never Fear - Dr. Aimée's Zoom Room is Here!

+ Where are the forms I need to fill out before my visit?

Everything you need to know to prepare for your visit is Here including:

1. Forms to complete
2. Instructions to upload pertinent labs
3. Instructions to complete/update your supplement and medication lists.

+ Can Dr. Aimée 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. Aimée recommends that you also have an MD or DO PCP.

Dr. Aimée 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 a full range of acute and chronic 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. Dr. Aimée does not prescribe all medications. An MD/DO can prescribe other drugs that may be medically necessary for you – particularly those needed in an emergency situation.

+ Will my insurance cover Dr. Aimée’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!

Dr. Aimée does not bill any insurance companies directly. Payment is due in full at the time of your appointment. At the end of each visit, we will provide you with a “superbill” charge sheet to submit to your insurance for reimbursement. Insurance companies in California do not generally reimburse for naturopathic services at this time. HSA accounts will cover naturopathic services and FSA accounts may cover them, but you should check with your employer.

+ Does Dr. Aimée do phone or video consultations?

Phone/video consultations can be scheduled for established patients in lieu of an office visit. For new patients that live too far away to see Dr. Shunney in the office, phone/video consultations can be arranged when certain parameters are agreed to. Contact us for more information.

+ Why does an office visit cost the same as a phone/video consult?

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

+ What are my payment options? What if I miss or need to reschedule an appointment?

We accept cash, checks, and credit cards.

Dr. Aimée sets her schedule to ensure ample time with each patient and never ‘double books’. Please understand that we need your cooperation in order to keep this unique patient-centered schedule.

Dr. Aimée has a 48-hour cancellation policy. There is no charge for canceling or rescheduling with more than 48 business hours’ notice. That means a 9am appointment on Monday needs to be changed before 9am the prior Thursday to avoid being charged. Similarly, a 9am appointment on Tuesday must be changed by 9am the prior Friday to avoid being charged. If you miss your appointment or need to reschedule with less than 48 business hours’ notice, you will be charged the full price of your visit. A credit card number is required to schedule your new patient visit.

+ How Much Do Visits with Dr. Aimée COST?

Dr. Aimée’s Fees for Services as of June 1, 2022:

New Patient Visit – 60 Minutes: $400

Please note that Dr. Aimée does not review history or labs before this visit. If you would like her to do that, please choose the extended visit below.

New Patient Visit Extended - $575

For patients with extensive lab work and history to review as part of the initial visit. This can be done as a 90-minute visit together in the office, or as the usual 60-minute visit with Dr. Aimée spending 30 minutes before the visit reviewing documentation on her own.

Established Patient Visit – 30 Minutes: $175

Established Patient Visit – 60 Minutes: $350

Established Patient Well-Woman Annual GYN (exam only) – 30 Minutes: $175

Low income rates can be applied for via a brief document available upon request.

Video, Phone and Email Consultations are charged at the same rate as office visits.

+ Can I communicate with Dr. Aimée between visits?

Dr. Aimée welcomes your questions, comments, and concerns in between visits via portal messaging.

The portal is best used for quick questions and updates:

• Quick questions are rarely longer than 3-4 sentences and usually cover 1-2 follow-up questions from a visit or a question regarding progress.
• Updates should be no more than 3-5 bullet points.
• In general, portal messages should not take longer than 5 minutes to read and respond to.

If your portal message takes longer than 5 minutes to read and respond to, you will be asked to schedule a visit This is not meant to be punitive! It is meant to ensure the best care possible for you as messaging is simply no substitute for focused in-person follow-up.

These options may help you get your needs met faster:

• For refills, please ask your pharmacy to fax or eRx authorization.
• For scheduling or billing questions, or for copies of labs or records, please message Glynis instead of Dr. Aimée.
• For lab-related questions, please contact the lab directly.

+ How do I get my prescriptions refilled?

Dr. Aimée personally handles all refills and that means that she relies on faxing with pharmacies to save time. When you are ready for a refill, please call your pharmacy and ask them to fax the office a refill request, 831-465-8528. Dr. Aimée will review your chart and either approve the refill request or let you know if she needs to see you to approve additional refills. She requires an annual visit to write prescriptions for you.

Keep in mind that Dr. Aimée is not in the office every day, and she does not have a support staff managing her refills. There may be up to a 2-day lag. For this reason, it is essential that you call in your refills a few days before you need them. This is especially true if you are getting a compounded medication, as they may need up to 2 days to make your medicine.

If you need a refill, ask your pharmacy to fax us a refill request, 831-465-8528. Please don’t call the office or email your request. Request your refill 3-5 days before you need it Annual visits are required for continued refills.

+ What are my options for getting supplements from Dr. Aimée?

THE OFFICE The dispensary is open at Santa Cruz Integrative Medicine from 9am-5pm Monday-Thursday. The office is closed 1230-130p for lunch. The office is closed all day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

ONLINE FULLSCRIPT DISPENSARY Click Here to order or refill supplements.

PHONE FULLSCRIPT DISPENSARYIf you would rather speak to someone at FULLSCRIPT instead of ordering online, you may call 1-877-941-1449.

+ 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; many also use prescriptive medicines. 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 of medicine, 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 the last two years of their intensive clinical training, they learn how to integrate the principles of naturopathic medicine into clinical practice.

+ 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 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.

+ 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.