Meet Monica And Erica

Speaker 2 0:30

I'm Monica Uni. I'm a physician's assistant and own loop wellness clinic in downtown Leesburg. And we also have a small satellite office in Old Town Alexandria. And, um. We primarily do, uh, hormonal management. We also do some weight loss and, um, IVs and, uh, peptides and a whole bunch of just wellness, uh, offerings. And we pretty much serve men and women. Um, age range can vary from thirties all the way to, I think our oldest patient is like 87.

Speaker 1:04

Wow. That's awesome. Very cool.

Speaker 3 1:07

And I'm Erica Schilling, uh, certified or rather doctorate of nursing practice. Yes, and I, my background is in women's health.

Speaker 1:14

Okay, awesome. I can't wait to learn more about just everything you guys do. So Monica and Erica, for listeners meeting you both for the first time, can you share a little bit about your backgrounds and what led you into this space of functional wellness and hormone optimization?

Speaker 2 1:30

Okay, I'll go first. So my background's actually in emergency medicine and so I spent almost 20 years in the er. I started in a small ER in West Virginia and then, um, spent most of my time here, right, Inova Louden. In the er and it was a fabulous experience and really just taught me everything about medicine. But, you know, the last 10 years of my time in the er, I, it was really about just connecting with patients and, you know, in the er it's like an in and out scenario and I was always the lowest performer because I always spent more time in the room with the, you know, with the patients. And so that was always like the, Hey, we've gotta get your RVs up, can you like. Five more people through the course of the day. But that kind of just started the trajectory of like, I really enjoy the continuity of care and the one-on-one with the patients that I was seeing. And and then from a roundabout way, you know, hormones was introduced to me and it, uh, really sparked a deep interest in, um, in wanting to learn more and wanting to manage patients with hormones. And so that just kind of started the trajectory of while I was in the er, uh, finding a mentor. Being trained and kind of just diving deep into, uh, hormonal management. And honestly, like it's. Such a at least back then, I feel like there's more patients that are aware and self-aware and know that they can learn more about it, but like a taboo topic. And truthfully, coming from like the emergency room, it was like really like taboo. Like, you know, um, oh my gosh, what are you doing? Uh, you wanna manage hormones? And so, um, so it was really, it was a very eye-opening journey and uh, led me to opening up Blue Wellness and, um. And it's been amazing.

Speaker 3:13

The rest was history, right? The rest was history. Yeah. That's awesome. How about you, Erica?

Speaker 3 3:17

My medical background started about 27 years ago or so. Um, joined the Navy. I was always medical. Did some, uh. CL slash emergency style medicine while in the Navy and then went to nursing school and I was just kind of thrown into labor and delivery and I was like, this is not my thing, but it became my thing. I became very, very good at it as a labor delivery nurse. And then, um, took that passion to become a, um, got my doctorate as a, as a midwife nurse practitioner, and that led me down this women's health. Journey that, and I found a lot of passion in it and, and I love delivering babies. But as I was going through a, a, a transition in my life and my age, I found a lot of passion with hormone management and found Monica. Um, and we started working together and I, I do still deliver babies on the side, but this is a very much of a, a passion that I found managing hormones and just a fitness and wellness. Us, um, uh, everyone has their journey, right? And I feel that I would love to encourage people down that road and live happy, healthy lives, and we absolutely could do that with this hormone managed. So,

Perimenopause Sparks A New Path

Speaker 4:33

absolutely. That's wonderful. It's so cool that you get to fulfill that while also being able to deliver babies also, like that's so amazing. You know, your background in women's health and midwifery brings a unique perspective to the practice. What you know, drew you to hormone therapy and how has your personal experience as a patient influenced the way you care for others?

Speaker 3 4:54

Yeah, that's, that's a great question. So what, what drew me to hormone therapy for myself was just going through perimenopause, early mid forties. You're feeling all of this stuff, you know, from, from your, your emotions going up and down, your heat, temperature, up and down, and all of these things. And, uh, found hormone therapy through, uh, my best friend who was working in a clinic. Who introduced me to Monica, and as I was transitioning out of the Navy, she's like, look, you really need to, to do this. You're great at it. You're great at women's health. And um, so that's how I kind of got into being at, at Loop with Monica. Mm-hmm. And yeah, I think that answered the question.

Speaker 5:35

Yeah, it definitely did. It was kind of just like your calling. I feel,

Speaker 3 5:39

I feel like it is, and I, um, you know, personally, I, it's, it feels good to be managed hormonally and I know the difference and it helped. Um, you know, from day to day stuff, your sleep, your fitness, your, your mood, all of these lovely things that, um, are kind of dynamic through this age. And we, we wanna live healthy and that's what we're doing.

The Mentor Who Changed Everything

Speaker 6:02

Absolutely. It's great advice for all of us too. And Monica, your journey into hormone therapy started in a very unexpected way from a conversation with a patient to connecting with a mentor. Yes. Can you walk us through how that moment helped just clarify your path.

Speaker 2 6:18

Well, I wouldn't say it was necessarily a moment, it was just like, it was a process. So I already knew I wanted to leave the ER and I knew that I wanted to, spend the rest of my career. Um. Um, helping patients, but in a different way. And, um, and so when I did stumble upon a patient that was managed with hormones in the ER when I was, uh, suturing'em up, and it was a very kind of profound moment. It was a very interesting conversation and led me to just independently, you know, research hormones. And she was managed with pellets and it, and once again, from the ER world that's like. What, and so, um, so that just sparked my journey and that was years ago. And so, um, when I did, and I, it was fate how I met Dr. James Cannon because I knew I was gonna open up a practice and I knew I wanted to focus on wellness, holistic medicine, and, uh. You know, I had all these ideas of like, I want to optimize people's health. I want to have, help them feel better. How can I do this with fitness? How can I do this, um, possibly with hormones. And so when I encountered Dr. Cannon, just like I said, through fate,'cause I just, I called the board of medicine to ask a legal question and they were like, I think I have somebody that can call you. And I thought that was gonna be like a joke. Who's actually gonna call me. And um, and literally I got an email the next day that was like, Hey, I'm Dr. Cannon. Um, I hear you have some questions. So if we just set up a phone call. And that was a two and a half hour phone call. He was absolutely amazing. And he so just such a unique connection. So he owned a practice in Chesapeake, Virginia, and the Erica's best friend is who worked for him. And so, um. So I drove out to Chesapeake well after our phone conversation'cause he was like, listen, I mean everything that you talk about, what your passions are you know, how much do you know about hormones? And I was like, you know, I've just, I've touched the surface just'cause I've been interested and I've had some, you know, encounters with patients and et cetera, et cetera. So everything I know is just from independent research. And so when I went to his practice and I literally went the very next week after a phone call. And that I guess was like the aha moment. Because it was I was much younger then.'cause I've owned Loop now for, I don't know, 8, 7, 8 years. And this was years before that. So I was not in, you know, perimenopause age range. And so, I just wanted to help patients and that, and I connect with patients and they're, it's, it's a very mu it's a very important part of how I practice medicine. And so, and so I just wanted to do more for people. And when I went to his practice and he, he does operate differently and, you know, he was like a in and out, like a machine. And he had I think literally like 30 patients back to back. And I am not kidding. Every single patient was managed with hormones and they, in that like. Eight minute window of time wanted to just share everything with me. Like, oh my gosh, this is the best thing I've ever done. I don't know why my doctor doesn't offer this. Oh, it, oh, this has been life changing. It was just person after person, male, female, wide age range that I literally was like. Where has this been? Why do people not know about this? Why do primaries gynecologists not advocate for this? And that was it. So that was, I guess, like that aha moment in his practice where I was like, I will spend the rest of my career doing this, researching this, uh, advocating for, uh, my patients, trying to get more patients to do this. And and I am I am I'm. Very much detail oriented. I am I will only do things if I know I'm doing it a hundred percent. And so, uh, I was delayed to kind of start my practice because I was like, I need to know everything in and out. And the truth is you never do. And that's, you know, when you feel like you do, you probably shouldn't be practicing medicine. And so, um, so that kind of, that started the.

Speaker 10:03

Okay. Wow. It was just meant to be. Yeah. Like that's that. I love that story. That is so cool. And

Speaker 2 10:08

I, I really do feel like it was meant to be. And, um, and then bringing Erica on and just that connection and, and through our, our, you know, mutual friend, because once, so Dr. Cannon became my mentor and I trained under him. And then I became very good friends with his like office manager, assistant Buffy. And then, and then that connection was made and it's like, it's been amazing.

Why Patients Feel Dismissed

Speaker 10:29

Wow. It's like a pieces of a puzzle just all fit together it to make a beautiful picture. That's awesome. And you know, a common theme that you've both mentioned is patients feeling truly heard. Why do you think that's something so many people are missing in traditional healthcare settings?

Speaker 2 10:46

Oh, I can, I have, we probably, I know, I mean, I feel very strongly about this and it's, you know. I insurance kind of dictates how primary ca practices are run. So it's really truly of, I think, of no fault to primary care doctors to, uh, GYNs. Like you've got 15 minutes in and out, which is why I think so many doctors are trying to move into concierge practices pay practices, um, and it's not to say, Hey, oh, I just wanna make all the money. It's because you really don't have an opportunity to practice medicine the way that you wanna practice medicine. And that's even a relatively true in the emergency room, right? So you've got 15 minutes in and out and and hormonal management is about quality of life. It is about optimizing how you feel. It is about, uh, reducing your risks, uh, disease and health prevention benefits. And so, those things, they do matter, but. They're not really assessed. And do they matter when you're, when you've got a 15 minute window and maybe 30 minutes for a physical? But truthfully, from the perspective of the primary that's running the physical, their job is to screen and ensure they're not missing something. And is there cancer? Is there something that needs to be worked up? It's not about, are you happy and, um, you know, do your joints bother you? And how's your libido? And you know, those things that. Improve quality of life. So it's unfortunately just the way that Western medicine is practiced. Um, but what I would hope for is that primaries were a little bit more on board with hormonal management, that they could say, Hey, listen, if you're experiencing X, Y, and z. You should go see so and so. That's what I feel could possibly change and maybe doing a little bit of independent research to know that this is beneficial, this is protective and and really most patients are candidates. So that's my answer.

Speaker 3 12:33

Yeah, I would agree. Um, I, I left a, a practice that where I was in the clinic seeing women every 15 minutes and I just couldn't keep up with it. To the degree I wanted to, that my patients deserved. Um, and you can't fit, like Monica was saying, you can't fit all of these things into such a small visit. So, being able to, to do that and, and listen to our clients, both men and women, what are the things that are going on? And, and it's not a one size fits all model, right? People metabolize things differently. So, uh, and that's where we come in as, as experts in our field now with the hormones, is that. Things are dynamic and they change and they change throughout your lifespan as well. Mm-hmm. So we're constantly following up as these, these these symptoms or, or, or people's lifestyles change, but we're here to be dynamic with you and meet you where you're at.

Speaker 13:23

Really just taking that time to kind of listen, diagnose, and find something that works best for them. It's kind of just a very personalized process, I feel.

Speaker 2 13:32

Very much so.

What Advocacy Looks Like In Practice

Speaker 13:33

That's awesome. And to, to go into that, you know, you spoke about taking a very hands-on kind of concierge style approach, even beyond hormone care. What does it mean to you guys to truly advocate for your patients?

Speaker 2 13:46

You wanna go, I

Speaker 3 13:47

mean, yeah, I mean, it means. Hearing them again, meeting'em where they're at, but also following up, not just throwing, you know, some medicine at you or, or, here's these hormones. We'll see you in three months. Um, we've got connections with our clients and, and we know, you know, what's happening with them personally. And how that affects what's, how they're feeling as well. So I think knowing more about your clients versus just what's on that piece of paper mm-hmm. Or their lab results.'cause it's not just the lab that I'm looking at, it's the whole person and the whole family. Mm-hmm. To be honest. So we, we hear, you know, what's going on with people's families and how that, is affecting their lives. Mm-hmm. And they wanna share that story. With us. Mm-hmm.

Speaker 14:28

Sure. Yeah. I feel like lifestyle definitely goes into it as well.

Speaker 2 14:31

Right?

Speaker 3 14:31

A hundred percent.

Speaker 2 14:32

And I mean, I'll add like patients that end up coming to us and being our patients, like, that is something that A, we value, but B, like, I'm here to look out for you. And so, yes, predominantly what we do are hormones and but the screening that we do, uh, at that initial. Assessment and consultation, it kind of sets the stage for everything. So, I'm here to track you. I am here to make sure all your ducks are in a row, meaning unrelated to the hormones. Uh, I, I have very, very frequent conversations about my recommendations and suggestions for other things that are unrelated to hormones. It's just like I'm here to advocate for you. I'm here to help you advocate for yourself when there's other. Other things that should be assessed and addressed. And so, so it's, you know, it's important to us that patients understand that. Um, we know that there's other places that they can go. And so, we value the fact that they come to us. But, uh, you're gonna get, you're gonna get a lot out of it more than just, uh, your hormonal assessment.'cause we're invested in you as a person.

Life Changing Results Patients Share

Speaker 15:40

Yeah. No, that's, that's wonderful. And I mean, to go into that more, I mean, many of your patients describe their experience as life changing. What are some of the most meaningful transformations you've witnessed through your work?

Speaker 3 15:54

Go for it.

Speaker 2 15:54

Oh gosh. I mean,

Speaker 15:56

there's so many, right?

Speaker 2 15:57

There is, there is because like, you know, so Erica, with her background, there is an element of instant gratification, right? So you deliver a baby and it's just like, you know, heartwarming and all of that good stuff. In the emergency room, there is not. A lot of instant gratification. Uh, there's a lot of just trying to explain to somebody that, Hey, listen, you're here, but a lot of times we can't tell you what's wrong with you. I can just tell you're not gonna die. You can go home, you can be discharged, you don't need surgery. Uh, but there's a lot of questions, right? And so, you know, doing that for almost 20 years, this is completely different, right? And so, not that you get instant gratification but. You're along a journey with a patient and they see benefits within, you know, everybody's journey is different, but I mean, I would say within four to six weeks, up to three to six months patients will feel so much better and. Oh, it's, it's rewarding, especially dependent on how significant those complaints are. You know, anything from, Hey, I thought my marriage was gonna be over and you've really helped with the, with the ability to connect and my mood to kind of stabilize to the, you know, woman that's like 65 and has been told, Hey, I shouldn't do hormones, shouldn't do hormones. And they still are having hot flashes, night sweats. They have significant brain fog. They feel like they can't even function and they come in and you're like, you. You've changed my life. So it's rewarding. It's so rewarding and it's why we do what we do. And and I would say that the vast majority of our patients feel some element of benefit, otherwise they would not keep coming back. And so, um, so, and that's not to overshoot, oversell. It's not like you change everyone's life. You get improvement period. That is what the expectation should be and it's, it's rewarding.

Menopause Options Beyond Just Enduring

Speaker 17:42

Yeah, to be able to make those kind of impacts and really just improve quality of life in those ways. I mean, there is nothing just more beautiful than that, I feel. Mm-hmm. And for women navigating perimenopause or menopause, there's often a belief that they just have to deal with it. What would you want listeners to understand about the options available to them?

Speaker 3 18:06

Yeah, that's. Tough because, so, so many women do get that. Oh, just deal with that. This is part of, of life. Congratulations. You're making it through menopause, right? You're doing this transition, it's normal. Suck it up kind of situation. There are so, so many options. You know, we've got topicals, we've got oral pills, we've got the pellet, which, um, and, and we. When we see a client, we talk about all of these different, um, modalities rather, and see what best fits your lifestyle.'cause it's just, again, it's not a one size fits all model. And you'll hear me say that time and time again. Um, so it depends on what's going to work for them and how they respond to things. How much time they're willing to, uh, commit to.'cause some of the modalities take longer, more time than others. Um, so, so that's how we kind of navigate that. Process.

Speaker 18:56

Sure. It's a process, but not an impossible process.

Speaker 3 18:59

Not at all. Once it feels good too, it becomes easy. Yeah. And it's a lifestyle, right?

Speaker 19:03

Yeah. Everyone deserves to feel better mm-hmm. To live life just with a little more ease. So that's awesome.

Speaker 2 19:09

And I would tell, you know, anybody that is listening that, um, just educating yourself. Right. So, you know, some, some. Patients already know, like, oh my gosh, I wanna do hormones. I wanna, you know, I wanna do X, Y, and Z. And they already, they've done some research and they're ready to roll. And then you have a whole nother perspective of fear, of uncertainty. Um, gosh, I don't wanna do anything that's gonna cause cancer. Oh, I have family history of breast cancer. Oh, I have endometriosis. I'm not a, I'm not a candidate. And so, all of that is, inaccurate based on what hormones we're discussing. And I think understanding what benefits you get from what hormones, what the safety aspect of that is. And so it's really about understanding and education first. And that's where Eric and I come from. That's our platform of, you know, just come to me so that I can give you all the information and when you feel you are ready. Which might be now, might not be now come back. Uh, but you should be informed. You know, everyone has to advocate for themselves and for their family members. And I think just understanding that, um, you have potential options, what those are and how they can benefit you. So I would say anybody that is experiencing symptoms and are feeling a little uncomfortable or are feeling a little outta sorts, um, there are definitely options. So come learn about'em.

Speaker 20:34

Yeah. Just have to reach out.

Speaker 2 20:35

Mm-hmm.

Education Without Overwhelm

Speaker 20:36

And I mean, to go into that, you know, like you said, education plays a significant role in the work you guys do with patients. How do you balance informing them while also helping them feel confident and not overwhelmed?

Speaker 3 20:51

That's a good question. Uh, because there is so much information in the arena of hormones. Um, and so I think what we do is, you know, we're gonna. Meet you where you're at too. We're going to break down the information for you, you know, go over your lab works. What why are your labs looking like this? How did they respond to the, to the, um, hormones? And so we take a lot of time to educate and just break things down to, um, a simple way of understanding. And I, um, a lot of our clients will be like, wow, thank you for explaining my labs to me, because there hasn't been another provider that has done that. But I, we want people to understand. Why we recommend this or how this can help and to be an advocate for yourself so that you can go and speak to it When somebody asks you a question mm-hmm. Why are you taking this? What is it doing it for you? What are the risks? What are the benefits? Mm-hmm. So we need to know the whole picture. We, we want all of our clients to understand that and buy into their these therapies because if you're not bought into it and understand what it's doing for you, then you may not understand. The, the side effects or the, or actually recognize what it is doing for you. And if we, if, if you don't know that, then we can't adjust things or, so that's, I think just the knowledge

Speaker 22:10

for sure. I like how you bring up, how you break things down and you kind of show a. The reason behind things. I think it definitely gives it gives more ease in knowing why this is maybe a path we're taking some, you know?

Speaker 3 22:22

Yeah. Hundred empowerment, right?

22:24

Mm-hmm.

Speaker 22:24

Yeah. Absolutely. So

Speaker 3 22:25

you want feel empowered in your, in your therapies and, and have, have that control over you

Speaker 2 22:31

And I would say, you know, like Erica said, we, we do meet you where you are, but, um, you know. Even at that like initial consultation, you know, so what what I tell patients is that because we, we spend the first probably 20 to 30 minutes, you just telling me what all of your issues are. And, um, and that's done really twofold. One, so that I can properly guide and educate on, on how the hormones are gonna help you. But B it's also our job to assess what your complaints are to say this is actually not a hormonally related complaint. This requires, a further evaluation by somebody else. But, um. Patients can get overwhelmed with the information. And um, that's also our job to assess the person sitting in front of us to understand like, okay, this is, this is a little overwhelming. This is kind of. I need to explain a little differently, but, um, I do often after an initial consultation say, Hey, I don't actually want you to do anything today. Um, I want you to process everything that we've talked about. I want you to formulate some questions, and then we're gonna just do like another 20 minute phone call next week so that we can kind of. Revisit, uh, everything as you've had time to, think about everything that we've talked about and so that, that is meeting a patient where they are. And I would say 90% of the patients are like us, busy, no time. They're like, no, I'm here. Okay. That was, that was great information. All let's go. Okay. And then the other, 10% or whatever, right? It's, um, everybody's

Speaker 24:00

different.

Speaker 2 24:00

Let me meet you where you are. There is like a zero pressure. Um, it's not like a push, it's not like a sell. It's everyone should be informed and everyone should know that they have options. And, uh, and if it seems like it's a little overwhelming, then hey, let's take a step back and let's do this again in, in a couple of days. And, um, and then see what, you know, where you want and what you might wanna do.

Speaker 24:21

Yeah. That's super reassuring to know that you can kind of adjust to, you know, however the patient needs to kind of take in that information.

Speaker 2 24:28

Mm-hmm.

Community Events That Build Trust

Speaker 24:28

Wonderful. And. Kind of a pivot. You mentioned hosting events like your upcoming patient appreciation for weight loss clients. How do experiences like that help strengthen relationships with your patients and community?

Speaker 2 24:44

I I would like to think that it really does help strengthen it. So, I'm not, this isn't hokey, like it really is true. Like, I might be at the end of the night or like preparing for my patients the next morning and just that like overwhelming like. I'm so tired. And, um, and then I start my day and it's literally, it's fun. It is fun because everybody I'm seeing there's a connection that has been made and so it's just like, Hey, you know, how was, you know, the college visit that you did three months ago, you know,'cause we see patients like every three to six months. And so, um, it's, so it's. It's like I'm seeing friends, um, every day, in and out, in and out. And then, you know, the ones that I'm just meeting, it's like a, okay, I'm meeting a new friend. Let me get to know you. And so, uh, tell me more about like your life. Tell me about your occupation. And it's just, I don't know, I love that. I, I thrive on that. So then when we do events and this one our weight loss event is, may. Seventh. Okay. So our weight loss event is May 7th, and I am super excited about it because it's celebrating everybody that has come through our door to do weight loss. And so even if they have segued off or they are wanting to restart or have been successful, what, whatever it is, but they, we have connections with these patients and especially the ones that have been successful through their journey. It's just it's a party. It's like, let's celebrate and let's offer you things at like the cheapest price point that we can and to really celebrate you. And so it's, um, it's fun. It's fun because we make it a point to make sure that there are more ties than just like a business operation. And I'm just here to do your hormones. Um, I, I think patients call a lot for things that really. Maybe they shouldn't be, but it's because they feel comfortable and because we have made it in an environment where they can ask me, just the most random things that I, you know, I give them some guidance, education and then say, I probably should probably follow up with your primary about that. But that's, you know, that's what we do and that's why we love what we do.

Expanding Care And New Offerings

Speaker 26:42

Yeah. Oh, I just love that. And it, especially with the events too, I, I think that is such a great opportunity for everyone just. Connect. Mm-hmm. Um, share progress, share advice, things like that. Mm-hmm. Um, what a great opportunity and as Loop Wellness Clinic continues to expand its reach, what are you most excited about in this current phase of your business?

Speaker 2 27:05

What are you excited about?

Speaker 3 27:07

Well, I am excited about our, our newest edition down there in Alexandria. Uh, but it hits a, a bit of a different dynamic of people meaning there a lot of. A lot of business people, people in DC in that hustle and bus area. Um, I work well with that because I'm a very timely person and they're very timely. Um, so, so that works well. Um, and I feel like it's like my baby and it's growing and and so thanks for my baby mama. Yes,

Speaker 27:34

it's,

Speaker 3 27:34

it's a

Speaker 2 27:35

door. It's really, it's a very cute little practice out there. And so I love that

Speaker 27:39

analogy.

Speaker 3 27:42

So that's what I'm most excited about. And also we're, we're bringing on new things. You know, we're, we practice evidence-based medicine and, and evidence changes and there's a lot of great things out there, such as the peptides that we, we commented on briefly. And, and, um, and that goes into all of this wellness stuff as, and as we are, we're aging. These, these things kind of go down. So it's fun to get those perked back up and to see people feeling how they, they, they felt like they, you know, in their early, early, mid thirties and just, they feel good'cause things get depleted over time. And, uh, we wanna age healthy and, and be able to enjoy our retirement and all of that good stuff. So I'm, I'm excited about this new practice out there. It's growing and, um, it's fun.

Speaker 28:25

I gotta say it's probably so rewarding to be a part of that and to see the improvement, see people feeling better. I mean, I, I just feel like that's such a full circle moment to, to be a part of.

Speaker 3 28:35

Yeah,

How To Start With Labs

Speaker 28:36

for sure. For anyone listening who may be curious about hormone therapy or looking for a more personalized, patient-centered approach to wellness, where can they find you and learn more?

Speaker 2 28:49

Um, they can, uh, check us out, uh, on our website. So, uh, www dot loop clinic. Do. And, um, we do have Facebook and Instagram. Um, and honestly, if they just call, if they call us my, um, office manager, assistant manager, uh, really kind of give just a general snippet of, Hey, what are, what are you interested in? What, what, you know, which way can we direct you? And, um, and can give just some simple guidance just over the phone and, um, and then tee them up for whatever the next. Step will be, whether it's lab work or um, scheduling an appointment with one of the nurses. So it's really kinda like a tiered approach. But if you have a patient that calls and wants some general information but still isn't sure that they want to do labs then they'll schedule a complimentary phone call with the one of the nurses, and then the nurses can do a little bit of a deeper dive on what their interests might be in. And then, um, and then lab. Uh, because labs are really important. So, you know, to sit down with Erica and I to go over, um, really anything in, in any depth, um, lab work is really important to, um, to kind of segue the conversation into what, what are you a potentially a candidate for.

Speaker 30:01

Yeah, it's really assessed. I think That's great. Yeah. That's so great. And as we wrap up, is there anything either of you would like to add that I haven't touched on today?

Speaker 2 30:13

Gosh. So, um, I would say I, I think we, I mean we touched on just about everything, but um. I would just like patients to know that we we, it's not a one size fits all. Uh, we do offer all different types of modalities, meaning different ways that you can be managed with hormones. Um, we do offer, uh, a variety of, uh, weight loss options, but, uh, it is very much guided, um, with, uh, provider involvement. And, uh, we have a functional medicine nutritional nurse, Allie Burton is. Amazing. And so it's not just a simple in and out, uh, type of weight loss program. Uh, we have a lot of guidance offered. Uh, we have, uh, invested in a really expensive, uh, weight machine or shape scale, which is equivalent to a dexa. So we're really tracking muscle loss. It's not just about injectable weight loss programs. So, um, I just like to advocate and plug for that and, um. And all the, uh, nutritional things that Allie can offer along with MRT gut health testing. Um, and the peptides that we offer are, um, really only FDA regulated, uh, peptides So important. I think that's a really important, um. Topic. And, uh, I think there's a lot of buzz on peptides, and I think there are a lot of unsafe places that you can obtain peptides online. And so, um, I'm not necessarily advocating that, oh, patients need to come to us for peptides. It's just understand where your peptides are coming from and, um, and it really should be FDA regulated. Um, we offer NAD. And then we have a whole sector of like body contouring machines, which actually we didn't talk about that. So we do have an ELA chair that really helps with urinary incontinence, um, urinary frequency urge incontinence. So, uh, a big game changer for women. Um, and then our. Machines that help with, uh, the neo sculp, which helps with, uh, en enhancing muscle, reducing fat and complimentary for patients that are losing weight. And so really helps you kind of retain and build muscle. So we, we offer a lot of different things and on the horizon, hopefully as like, some genetic testing and biomarkers. But, um, we do a lot. And so, um, and, uh, we're, um, we're advocates for our patients. So I think that's,

Speaker 3 32:31

yeah, I would agree.

Speaker 32:33

Yeah, a lot of just great options, different things to try out and learn more about. Mm-hmm. So I'm super excited for you guys and the new things to come in the future as well. I wanna thank you both so much, Monica and Erica for joining me on the podcast today and sharing your knowledge, passion, and just inspiring stories with us. I wish you both the very best in all that comes your way in the future.

Speaker 3 32:53

Thank you. I

Speaker 2 32:54

appreciate it.

Speaker 3 32:55

This was not as bad as I thought.

Speaker 32:57

Thank you. I'm so glad.