Health Center Description

Waters Integrative Health Center is a private medical membership association to which you must become a member to receive advice on your health. We have established this new association to ensure freedom to offer the type of medical treatments that you seek without interference from governmental bodies. You are in control of your health and Waters Integrative Health Center is here for you to use as a tool to attain optimum well being and teach you how to continue to live a healthier life on your own.

“Unless we put medical freedom into the Constitution, the time will come when medicine will organize into an undercover dictatorship… To restrict the art of healing to one class of men and deny equal privileges to others will constitute the Bastille of medical science. All such laws are un-American and despotic and have no place in a republic… The Constitution of this republic should make special privilege for medical freedom as well as religious freedom.”

Benjamin Rush, M.D., signer of The Declaration of Independence, physician to George Washington.
-From The Autobiography of Benjamin Rush

Waters Integrative Health Center is an innovative treatment and diagnostic facility specializing in general, preventive, and nutritional medicine. The main purpose of the Center is to identify and treat the cause of disease rather than just masking the symptoms. The Waters Integrative Health Center is dedicated to the treatment of the entire person and in the prevention of disease. We provide the latest in diagnostic testing and treatment programs for many of the major illnesses, including heart/cardiovascular disease, stroke, cardiovascular risk factors, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, peripheral vascular disease and allergies.

The Association’s Chief medical adviser is Robert S. Waters, M.D. who started using complementary and alternative medical therapies for common illnesses in 1981 and in 1983 founded Waters Preventive Medical Center, which today limits its activities to public Government sponsored research projects.

Integrative Medicine

The Leading Standard of Health Care

What is integrative medicine?

Integrative medicine draws on all styles of medicine including traditional, or conventional, and alternative medicine, in order to provide you, the patient, with the best treatment options available. Integrative medicine has many advantages; that is why it will most likely be the standard for the future of medicine. Integrative medicine is unique in that it does not exclude any treatment based on its association with a particular style of medicine. Instead it evaluates all treatments on the basis of their proven effectiveness and safety. The predecessor of Waters Integrative Health Center had been practicing integrative medicine since its outset in 1983 as part of its goal to provide patients with only the best comprehensive health care.

What is alternative medicine?

The generally accepted definition of alternative medicine is anything that conventional medicine does not use on a widespread basis. This includes the primary form of health care that 65 to 80 percent of the world’s population uses.1 Conventional medicine is clearly missing a piece of the puzzle when you consider that the United States has a very poor health record compared to the other countries of similar development. Many of these other styles of medicine have been proven by thousands of years of use by other cultures. The alternative treatments in use by Waters Integrative Health Center have often been scientifically tested and proven effective by the same, or even stricter, standards in use for conventional treatments. Often, alternative treatments are cheaper, less harmful and more beneficial than the standard conventional treatments. There are definitely benefits to be gained by investigating these alternative approaches.

Alternative medicine has been associated with a new style of medicine from the conventional approach. Alternative styles of medicine in general are usually used to effect healing rather than treat symptoms quickly, like conventional medicine often does. In case of an emergency this is appropriate, but in perspective of your long-term health, the root of the health problem must be addressed and prevention is of utmost importance. Prevention by nature changes the relationship between practitioner and patient. Instead of a patient being perceived as a diagnosis with a set of symptoms to be treated, the patient is seen as a person in context of their life that affects their health. Your health is also seen less as an absence of disease or symptoms, and more as a measure of the level your body is functioning at.

How can interactive medicine affect me?

Your visits to Waters Integrative Health Center and your experiences as a patient are going to be different than what you are used to with a traditional practitioner. At Waters Integrative Health Center, we place a great deal of emphasis on preventative medicine and treatments that will have positive long-term effects on your health. We want to guide you to become healthier by addressing the source of your health problems and improving your health through nutrition, supplements, and other preventative means. It is important that you are patient with your body’s response to the changes that you will make in your diet, lifestyle and supplementation. Your body needs time to heal.

Understand that there are many transformations taking place even if you are not openly aware of them. Often, the visible changes in your health when they happen are dramatic and improve the quality of your life as you begin to attain optimal health.

You can have confidence in our qualified and compassionate medical professionals.

Not only is our primary health advisor, Robert S. Waters, M.D. trained as a traditional MD but also has been practicing integrative care for over 25 years. Dr. Waters is assisted by a trained staff to provide you with a wide variety of treatment options and diagnostic services. You will find more information about Dr. Waters in his biography located in this Patient Orientation Packet.

References:
1. Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the NIH, III: 1,3. IN: Morton, M,
Morton M. Five Steps to Selecting the Best Alternative Medicine. Norato, CA: New
World Library; 1996: 9-31, 162-163.

What To Expect - Patient Flow

At Waters Integrative Health Center there is an established flow to the services we provide for our patients. We would like to outline this for you so that you can anticipate each step and put your medical services in perspective of a long-term plan made to provide you with the best medical services, individualized for your specific needs. The ultimate goal of this flow of services is to guide you in your quest for optimal health. This does not apply to Pain Management patients.

First Appointment

Initial Consultation,
Physical Examination,
Structural Evaluation,
Laboratory Testing

The Initial Consultation:

Your first appointment here will consist of an initial consultation.

The purpose of this visit is:

For you and the doctor to meet one another, and establish a strong working relationship.
To discuss your medical history, medical records, and any other information as it relates to your health.
For the doctor to go over with you your options and set in place an individualized plan of action.

For this reason, it is important that you come prepared for your appointment with all completed forms, such as your medical history, and any other information that you feel would be of immediate importance. This is also a good time for you to address with your doctor your concerns and expectations. Being prepared will help you make the most of this initial appointment, and establish a good working relationship between you, your doctor, and the family at Waters Integrative Health Center.

Physical Examination:

At Waters Integrative Health Center, we do a very thorough, comprehensive neurological, nutritional, functional and physical health assessment. It is important that you have this done on an annual or bi-annual basis. This may seem unnecessary, but your body is constantly in a dynamic process of change as it responds over time to many lifestyle and environmental factors. It is important to address any changes that may be related to a health concern or that indicate your health is less than what it could be. Prevention is the key to optimal health, and our annual physical examination plays a vital role in your quest for health.

Structural Evaluation:

Your initial visit will include a structural evaluation and a session of connective tissue manipulation with Richard Moran, D.N. Dr. Moran is a 1978 graduate with a Doctor of Naprapathy degree from the Chicago National College of Naprapathy (now known as the National College of Naprapathic Medicine). Naprapathy is a system of manually applied movements designed to bring normal movement, flexibility, and tension into areas of abnormal tension in muscles, tendons and ligaments (connective tissue). We believe the key to health is by way of helping the body’s innate ability to heal itself (homeostasis) thru structural balancing as well as biochemical and nutritional support, removing impediments (i.e. connective tissue contractures) to nerve transmission, blood flow and lymphatic drainage, the human body will function at a higher level. You will find your visit with Dr. Moran to be helpful, relaxing and an integral part on your road to a healthier life.

Laboratory Testing:

Before you can advance through your treatment at Waters Integrative Health Center, it is important that you have the recommended lab/diagnostic tests completed. These tests are specifically recommended to fully understand how your body is functioning. For this reason, they are vital to providing you, the patient, with the best health care for your individual needs. Each test is designed and selected by Dr. Waters to most accurately assess a certain aspect of your health. If you would like, a staff member will discuss any preparations or steps you need to take regarding your recommended lab work, and their corresponding fees. A follow-up appointment to review the lab results with Dr. Waters will be made.

Follow-Up Office Visit

Whenever you make a visit to our office for other than an initial appointment, you have a follow-up office visit. When you have lab work done as prescribed by Dr. Waters, you should schedule a follow-up appointment for the doctor to review the results with you. Proper nutrition is necessary for optimal health and therefore is a central focus in the prevention and treatment of illness, and part of each patient’s individualized health plan. At your follow-up office visit, Dr. Waters will give you a detailed dietary and supplement recommendation based on your individualized needs as determined from your lab work, interview and specific health concerns. Nutrition can affect all levels of health and your nutritional recommendations are an integral part of your individualized health plan.

Also, if your health condition changes, the doctor recommends that you return, or if you have not been to our office for some time, you should have a follow-up appointment. If you have prescriptions written by Dr. Waters, you must have an Office Visit, and sometimes lab work, at least once per year. Prescriptions will not be filled if Dr. Waters has not seen you in over a year. Follow-up appointments make up the bulk of your office visits with your practitioner here.

Chelation Patients:

You will have lab work every 10 treatments, which will include a follow-up office visit when you come for your next chelation treatment. You can use this time to update Dr. Waters on how you are feeling, etc. There is no charge for this visit if you are under 30 total Chelation treatments. After your 30 initial treatments are finished, we will need lab work every ten treatments or once per year, whichever comes first. The charge for lab results and/or follow-up visits are the same. You may also make other follow-up appointments at your discretion.

This system of patient flow ensures that each patient at Waters Integrative Health Center is guided in all aspects of their health. Our patients are treated as people first and foremost, and our purpose is to provide support and guidance through your quest for health. If you have any questions, please ask one of our staff members.

Make the commitment of health to yourself and we will make the commitment to you.

For complete prices, please see the General Price List.

Financial Policy

We would like to take a moment to outline our financial policy to insure that there are no misunderstandings so that we can both concentrate our full efforts towards you achieving optimal health. Payment must be made in full when services are rendered. WE ARE NOT A MEDICARE PROVIDER. Each visit subsequent to your initial consult, we will explain in advance all the fees for the services you will be scheduled for.

We will complete a claim form for each visit, which you can use to submit to your insurance company for direct reimbursement. This CANNOT be done for Medicare.

The methods of payments which we accept include:

Personal checks
Cash
Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover

We require that you notify us of cancellations before 7:30am of appointment day if you are scheduled for an IV or 3 business days if you are scheduled for a consultation to avoid being charged for your specific scheduled service. This will allow us to fill that time slot.

Cancellation Fees (if we are not notified)

IV Treatments – ½ of IV cost
Office Visit / Consult, ECP, and any other services provided by Dr. Waters – full price

In certain instances, these fees can be waived. Please call to work it out with the Office Manager.

Office Hours (subject to change)

Chelation and other IV Patients:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 9:00am to 12:00pm (depending on demand)
Friday CLOSED
**IV patients – if you need to see Dr. Waters, please make an appointment in advance

Robert Waters, MD

Monday – Thursday 9:00am to 3:00pm

Rich Moran, DN

Monday – Thursday 10:30am to 2:00pm

To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-200-7178, or leave a message on the answering service and someone will call you back.

Emergency and After Hours Procedures

We are not a primary care center, nor are we equipped to handle emergencies; please forward all emergency calls to your primary care center, family doctor or call 911. If your situation is serious or life threatening, you must go to your nearest emergency room at once. Please understand that Dr. Waters cannot be your primary care physician.