Step-By-Step Instructions
How to Establish Care or Schedule a Procedure
Whether you’re looking for ongoing medical care or a specific procedure, our intake process helps ensure you’re matched with the provider and services that best fit your needs.
The steps below explain what you can expect throughout the process.
Step 1 - Contact Our Clinic
📞 Call: 928-213-5828
💻 Or complete our online contact form.
We’ll respond within 1 – 2 business days.
When you contact us, please let us know:
1.) Whether you want to establish care or schedule a procedure or treatment.
2.) Whether you live in Arizona or outside Arizona.
3.) Your primary health concerns and goals.
4.) Which service(s) you’re interested in: View Our List of Services
5.) Whether you have a preferred provider: Dr. Alexandra Mele or Dr. Paul Despres
6.) Your preferred timeline for scheduling, such as soon (within weeks), non-urgent (within months), or if you’ll only be in Flagstaff for a limited period of time.
If you’re unsure which provider or service is the best fit for your needs, our administrative team will be happy to help guide you. If we don’t offer the service you’re looking for, we’ll do our best to refer you to another trusted provider.
Step 2 - CHARM Patient Portal & New Patient Questionnaires
Our administrative team will:
- Create your secure CHARM patient portal account
- Send you the appropriate new patient questionnaires
- Provide instructions for the next steps based on whether you are seeking to establish care or receive a procedure or treatment only.
You’ll receive an email from CHARM with a link to complete your portal registration and questionnaires.
Only patients who complete all required registration and questionnaires are able to move forward in the intake process. If you are unable to complete the forms online, they may be completed in our office using a tablet or paper copy.
From here, the process follows one of two pathways.
🩺 Pathway 1 - Establishing Care
Patients seeking to establish ongoing medical care are added to our New Patient Wait List when their CHARM patient portal account is created.
Our wait list allows us to process new patient applications in the order they’re received while ensuring that required intake paperwork is completed before physician review.
All patients seeking to establish care undergo physician review before scheduling.
During the physician review process, we consider:
- Your medical history
- Your current health concerns
- Your treatment goals
- Whether our practice is the right fit for your medical needs and treatment goals
- Our current capacity to provide ongoing medical care
Once your registration and questionnaires are complete, your information will be reviewed by one of our physicians. Physician reviews are typically completed once each month.
After the review is complete, we’ll contact you with the outcome and discuss your next steps. These may include scheduling a 75–90 minute establishing-care appointment or referring you to another clinic that may be a better fit for your needs.
The current timeline for a first establishing-care appointment is approximately 1–3 months after completing your new patient questionnaires due to high demand.
⚡ Pathway 2 - Procedure-Only
Procedure-only patients are not placed on our New Patient Wait List and can generally move directly into the scheduling process once their required paperwork is complete.
Once we’ve received your completed paperwork, our administrative team will determine the appropriate next step based on the procedure or treatment you’re requesting. This may include scheduling the procedure directly or scheduling a consultation first.
Services that generally do not require a consultation:
- Craniosacral Therapy
- Visceral Manipulation
Services that generally require a 15-minute consultation:
- Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)
- Deep Tissue Laser Therapy
- Inhaled Hydrogen Therapy
- Low Dose Immunotherapy (LDI)
- Ear & Nasal Ozone Therapy
Services that generally require a 30-minute consultation:
- Regenerative Joint Injections
- Neural Therapy
- IV Nutrient Therapy
- Advanced Transcranial Laser Therapy
- Hemealumen IV Ozone Therapy
Services that generally require a 75–90 minute consultation:
- EBOO IV Ozone
- Chelation Therapy IVs
- Iron IV Therapy
- Phosphatidylcholine (Plaquex) IV Therapy
Although a formal physician review is usually not required, every procedure-only patient is evaluated to determine whether the requested treatment is appropriate and can be provided safely.
⚠️ Important Information for Procedure-Only Patients
Receiving a specific procedure or treatment does not mean you are established with our clinic for ongoing or comprehensive medical care.
Patients who receive individual treatments or procedures without establishing care are considered procedure-only patients, even if a consultation is required beforehand.
For procedure-only patients, our role is limited to:
- Evaluating you for the requested therapy
- Determining whether the procedure is appropriate and can be provided safely
- Performing or overseeing the procedure
- Providing procedure-specific follow-up when appropriate
We do not assume responsibility for managing your overall medical care, chronic medical conditions, unrelated new or ongoing health concerns, prescription medications, or routine preventive healthcare.
We encourage all procedure-only patients to maintain an ongoing relationship with a primary care physician or another healthcare provider who oversees their comprehensive medical care.
📋 Consultation Lengths May Vary
The consultation times listed above are general guidelines.
Based on your medical history, health concerns, treatment goals, and the requested therapy, we may recommend:
- A longer or more comprehensive consultation
- An establishing-care appointment
- A physical examination
- Laboratory testing
- Additional medical records or evaluation
These additional steps may be necessary to ensure that the requested procedure can be provided safely and appropriately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Naturopathic medicine has been practiced for over a century. It is a unique system of care that takes a whole-person approach, identifying the root causes of illness and using natural therapies to support the body’s healing process.
At Aspen Integrative Medical Center, all of our physicians are licensed naturopathic doctors in Arizona. We apply our naturopathic training to diagnose, prevent, and treat both acute and chronic conditions while working to restore and optimize health by supporting the body’s inherent ability to heal.
Rather than simply suppressing symptoms, naturopathic doctors focus on uncovering the underlying causes of illness and developing personalized treatment plans. We believe in using the least force necessary to promote gentle, safe, and lasting well-being. While our physicians primarily use natural therapies, we also incorporate conventional treatments, including pharmaceuticals, when it is in the best interest of our patients.
You deserve a doctor who treats the whole you, not just your illness.
Our naturopathic physicians take the time to listen and understand the genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors impacting your health. During your initial appointment, you’ll spend 30–90 minutes with your doctor, giving them the time to fully assess your needs and providing ample opportunity for you to ask questions.
You deserve personalized treatment.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to health. You are unique, and your treatment plan should be too. After your visit, you’ll receive an individualized plan tailored to your health status, goals, and lifestyle.
You want to address the root cause of illness, not just suppress symptoms.
Symptoms like chronic fatigue, trouble sleeping, aches and pains, skin rashes, and indigestion often signal deeper underlying conditions. While conventional medicine may rely on symptom-suppressing therapies (e.g., immune suppressants), we focus on uncovering the “why” behind your symptoms and treating the root cause—the foundation of naturopathic medicine.
You want to actively participate in your health journey.
We believe that informed patients make the best decisions for their health. Our doctors empower you with knowledge, so you understand what your body needs to heal and stay well. Patients who take an active role in their care often feel more hopeful, engaged, and in control of their well-being.
You’ve tried conventional treatments but haven’t found lasting results.
Chronic conditions like fatigue, headaches, neuropathy, and digestive issues can be difficult to diagnose and manage. Our doctors combine conventional diagnostic tools—such as detailed health histories, physical exams, and targeted lab testing—with a holistic approach that considers your diet, lifestyle, exercise, and emotional well-being. This comprehensive evaluation often leads to breakthroughs in care and lasting results.
You have chronic pain and want to avoid pharmaceutical drugs.
Pain that lasts six months or more is complex and requires a long-term, holistic approach. Our doctors work with you to develop a safe and effective plan to heal or manage your pain, helping you avoid unnecessary medications or surgery while regaining your quality of life.
Our naturopathic physicians are highly trained to treat a wide variety of acute and chronic health concerns.
FULL LIST OF CONDITIONS WE COMMONLY TREAT
This includes, but is not limited to:
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- Primary care and general concerns
- Chronic fatigue
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, Sjogren’s
- Women’s health concerns
- Men’s health concerns
- Skin disorders and rashes
- Hypermobile spectrum disorders
- Cardiovascular disease including high cholesterol and hypertension
- Thyroid disorders
- Acute and chronic pain such as headaches, migraines, joint pain, arthritis, sciatica
- TMJ disorders
- Asthma
- Mold and/or mycotoxin illness
- Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS)
- Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
- Acute and long covid-19
- Neurodegenerative disorders and cognitive decline
- Anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders
- Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
- Lyme disease and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS)
- Environmental toxicity
- Allergies
- And much more!
Our doctors primarily provide care to patients who live in Arizona or are able to travel to our clinic for in-person visits. Arizona state law requires that all patients be seen in person at least once per year.
In some cases, we may allow your first appointment to be via telemedicine if you plan to attend future visits in person. This option can be especially helpful if you’re not local, live out of state, or plan to visit Flagstaff for a limited time specifically for treatment.
If you live out of town, are physically unable to travel, or have another reason preventing in-person visits, you’re still welcome to submit new patient paperwork. Our doctors review these cases individually. Out-of-town patients are reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine whether we can safely and effectively provide their care. In some situations—particularly those involving chronic or complex conditions—we may not be able to take you on, as many of our most effective therapies require in-person care.
A typical first office visit with your physician lasts 60 to 90 minutes. The primary goal is to gather an extensive health history, perform a physical exam (if needed), discuss laboratory and/or diagnostic tests, answer your questions, and establish an initial treatment plan. While your physician will provide an initial medical assessment and outline a treatment approach, your first visit often focuses on information gathering. In some cases, your physician may need additional time after your visit to:
– Review your case, research medical literature, and/or consult a specialist.
– Order additional lab work, imaging, or refer you to a specialist.
In these instances you will need to schedule a follow-up appointment to discuss test results and finalize your treatment plan. Follow-up visits are not included in the price of the initial appointment.
Our physicians use a wide variety of therapies for healing, including:
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- Dietary and lifestyle changes
- Botanical medicine
- Visceral manipulation
- Craniosacral therapy
- IV therapy
- Ozone therapy
- Low Dose Immunotherapy (LDI)
- Deep tissue laser therapy
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
- Hormone replacement therapy
- Regenerative joint injections such as Prolozone, PRP, stem cells
- Detoxification protocols
- Homeopathy
- Neurofeedback
- Pharmaceuticals when necessary
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For the most up-to-date information on pricing for new patient appointments, follow-up visits, and treatment-focused visits, please feel free to contact our front desk. We’re happy to assist you!
At Aspen Integrative Medical Center, our goal is to provide the highest level of personalized care, helping you achieve optimal health. Unfortunately, our clinic is unable to accept or bill insurance for patient visits because major insurance companies in Arizona do not credential naturopathic physicians. This includes Medicare and Medicaid (AHCCCS). Since this is beyond our control, we operate as a cash-pay practice.
While this may seem like a disadvantage at first, it actually allows us to provide better care. How often have you felt rushed during a doctor’s appointment or that your insurance company was limiting your care? By working outside the insurance system, we have the freedom to focus on what truly matters—your health. At Aspen, new patient appointments range from 30 to 90 minutes, with 100% of that time spent face-to-face with a physician. This extended time allows us to build a strong doctor-patient relationship, ensure you feel heard and understood, and create an individualized treatment plan tailored to your needs. Our physicians also dedicate significant time outside of appointments to reviewing records, preparing test orders, and personalizing your care—totaling about 2–4 hours per new patient case.
Additionally, we offer innovative and effective treatments that fall outside the conventional insurance model. Many truly healing therapies—such as botanical medicine, IV therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, deep tissue laser therapy, craniosacral therapy, and visceral manipulation—are not covered by insurance, despite their proven benefits. By operating as a cash-pay practice, we can provide these advanced treatments and always prioritize patient care.
We understand that healthcare costs can be a concern, so we have structured our pricing thoughtfully to remain competitive within the local market. To help make our services more affordable, we offer the following options:
- HSA & FSA Payments: We accept Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), which often cover our services. We can also provide appropriate coding to assist with coverage.
- Insurance Submission for Labs, Imaging & Prescriptions: We submit your insurance information when ordering lab work, imaging, and prescriptions to increase the likelihood of coverage. However, Medicare and Medicaid (AHCCCS) do not recognize naturopathic physicians, making it illegal for us—or you—to submit claims for these services.
- Affordable Cash-Pay Lab Options: If you don’t have insurance or are covered by Medicare/Medicaid, we offer discounted cash-pay lab options through Labcorp, Sonora Quest, and Vibrant America. You’ll know exactly what you’ll be charged before your blood is drawn.
- Superbills for Reimbursement: Upon request, we can provide you with a superbill to submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement. However, we cannot guarantee coverage, and please note that it is illegal to submit superbills to Medicare or Medicaid for naturopathic services.
At Aspen, our priority is to provide you with exceptional care that supports your long-term health and well-being. We appreciate your trust in us and look forward to partnering with you on your journey to better health.