Open Letter to Boylan Healthcare Patients

1/1/2019

Dear Patients,

Thank you for allowing me to participate in your care. I appreciate the trust you have put in me and value the relationship we have created. Many of you were disappointed that you did not learn I was moving sooner. I am sorry that I wasn’t able to openly communicate due to my contractual obligation with Boylan.

After working at Boylan Healthcare for 8 years I have decided to start an independent practice focusing on hormonal imbalance. As a person and physician I have grown, and prefer to seek the cause of symptoms rather than simply treating them with medication. Insurance companies are imposing significant restrictions on patient care. I wish to focus on the priorities of the patient rather than being bound by insurance regulations.

Over the last several years I have trained extensively with the Institute of Functional Medicine, completing the coursework for their certificate program. Functional medicine is a whole person approach. Rather than separating care into disciplines specializing in different bodily systems, functional medicine focuses on the connected interplay of those systems. My training in menopausal medicine has been enriched by this approach. Sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are influenced by a person’s gut microbiome, unique genetic makeup, stress response and ability to detoxify. I am excited to bring these innovations to menopausal healthcare and develop novel solutions with you.

Functional lab testing is another service that I wasn’t able to offer while at Boylan. Functional testing offers a window into the body allowing us to determine the cause of fatigue, resistant weight loss, hormonal and other imbalances. Through DUTCH testing, we can determine hormone levels, and how your body metabolizes those hormones. This information can help us use hormones more safely and take personalized medicine to the next level. Comprehensive stool analysis is another tool  which evaluates the health of your microbiome, digestive enzymes and identifies “leaky gut.” Food sensitivity testing can help us individualize your diet plan and alleviate joint pain, skin issues, and mood concerns. Functional testing is truly cutting edge medicine.

If you are not interested in taking the deeper dive into functional medicine, but would like to continue to receive GYN care at my new practice, I’m glad to see you. Please be aware that I am not in network with insurance or with Medicare or Medicaid. I will not initially be doing procedures in the practice. A 40-minute appointment is $200. I will not submit any claims to insurance companies. You will responsible for payment at time of service and will be responsible for all communication with your insurer. If you are a Boylan Healthcare patient please be aware that your medical records are not accessible to me at my new practice. You will need to request record transfer from Boylan.

Best wishes to you all for a healthy 2019.Sincerely,

Dr. Polly Watson MD FACOG NCMP IFMCP