Frequently asked questions

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In order to schedule an appointment, we require a credit card to be kept on file. Payment is collected at the start of the appointment. In order to cancel, Mass Functional Medicine must receive notice 3 full days by voicemail or text message to our office number 845-623-0047. If the patient appointment is on Wednesday at 10:00 am, the patient must cancel by the Friday before at 10:00 am. This allows us enough time to offer this appointment to our waitlist.  Our cancellation policy is at the bottom of  our appointment confirmation emails. 

Currently, we are seeing patients in-person. Mass Functional Medicine follows all the Covid-19 pre-cautions and safety guidelines. Our office building requires visitors to wear a mask upon entry. Before in-person appointments we inquire about the health status and symptoms of the patient. If the patient's answer meet our guidelines we proceed with the appointment. We reserve the right at any time to decline in-person appointments, convert the appointment into a telehealth visit (if patient qualifies), or reschedule. 

No, we do not accept insurance. We provide patients with super bills once their office visit note is complete with insurance codes. You may submit this for possible reimbursement depending on your insurance coverage.  We accept credit card or cash payments.

Our medical practice employs an electronic medical records system. We do not keep paper files. We require receipt of the MFM new patient questionnaire, previous medical records and recent lab work (within 6 months)  to be uploaded to your patient portal or faxed to our office. Please visit our "Resources" page and download the "How to Work with Our Practice" PDF. 

Working with  our office requires the patient or parent/legal guardian  to  have access to the internet.  Our main channels for communicating with new and existing patients is through the patient portal, which is hosted online, and HIPPA compliant text messaging and email. Any requests for communication by fax will delay responses from our office. 

Yes, for three family members or more, please contact the office. The office manager will get back to you. 

Yes

In a patient consultation, Dr. Mass evaluates the patients symptoms to determine the best clinical solutions that are discussed with the patient or the patient's legal guardians. Medications will be prescribed if the patient will benefit and if there is medical necessity. If a patient feels strongly and wishes to decline medication, Dr. Mass will discuss alternate solutions. 

Depending on the nature of the request, we may not be able to respond immediately due to our high call volume and busy medical practice. The more details you can provide by text message or email, will help us respond accordingly. Any general messages for a quick question or request for a return phone call right away, without details,  will be added to our call list and addressed in the order it was received.

Each patient responds differently to treatment depending on their medical history, any previous treatment and consideration for other health conditions. Each patient will have a different timeline for their symptoms to improve. Dr. Mass plans for treatment in phases, the first phase consists of 3-4 months. The goal is to stabilize the patient on their customized protocol with noticeable improvements. 

One of several factors that can influence outcomes is clarity -  how organized the doctor, medical practice and patient are. - with ongoing communication. We evaluate and revise communications regularly to make sure the patient understands the protocol and the MFM team understands the patient during their treatment with us. While working with us, we strongly suggest the patient uses a calendar and notebook to document the date of the first visit, notes from the initial consultations and follow up visits, and when the patient starts the treatment protocol. Document weekly symptoms changes in the notebook along with the date. Log in the patient portal to provide your weekly updates through the message feature, or use the HIPPA compliant texting service to provide your update. Schedule your follow up visit 4 weeks after you begin your protocol. Keep track of any lab tests, the name, the date and when you provide your sample.  Make sure you download "How to Work With Us" and the "Medication and Supplement Schedule" document from the Resources page. 

Thank you for contacting us. We are a three person medical practice. We are proud to offer our patients more time in our interactions than the current healthcare system average. However, this does not match the current cultural expectations of instant availability and replies. Our office phone rings and our email inbox grows around the clock. When you contact us please provide as much detail as possible so that our staff can reply efficiently. You may have a quick question the office manager can answer by text. Emails to the office have a 36 hour response time, and questions for Dr. Mass have a 48 hour response time. All calls and messages are collected and reviewed by the office manager first. Messages requiring a reply from Dr. Mass will given to him. Dr. Mass will rarely be available to answer questions by phone, or return patients's calls as he is treating patients. Patients may receive a phone call directly from Dr. Mass if he has an important update to give you/discuss.