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Welcoming Dr. Rosica to Our Practice

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 04:10:28 GMT

Now accepting new patients — schedule your visit today!

Hi there,

My name is Dr. Rosica, and I am a new provider at One Sky Family Medicine.

I’m thrilled to introduce myself and share a little bit about my approach to care. As a primary care provider, I believe deeply in the role of prevention as the foundation for lifelong health and well-being. Your annual wellness exam isn’t just a routine appointment—it’s a meaningful opportunity for us to build a strong patient-provider relationship, talk about what matters most to you, and create a plan that supports your long-term health.

My ultimate goal is to empower you with the knowledge and tools you need to make informed decisions about your health. I take a whole-person approach, considering nutrition, physical activity, sleep, mental well-being, accessibility, and social support—because each of these elements plays a vital role in lasting wellness.

In my practice, I incorporate integrative modalities such as herbal medicine, targeted supplementation, and mind-body practices to support prevention, recovery, and resilience. At the same time, I stay grounded in evidence-based medicine and utilize pharmaceuticals when they are the most appropriate and effective option. My aim is always to blend the best of both worlds in a thoughtful, personalized way.

In addition to providing comprehensive primary care, I have a special clinical interest in hypertension, prediabetes and diabetes, cholesterol management, and the broader prevention of cardiometabolic disease. I’m especially passionate about helping patients understand their risk factors and make sustainable changes that support long-term health.

What excites me most about being a naturopathic doctor is the time I get to spend truly listening to my patients. This allows me to understand your needs, goals, and ultimately how I can help you feel confident about your health journey.

As a provider, I work hard to make each recommendation individualized, evidence-based, and sustainable. I strive to support your health goals while also being a good steward of public health.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to care for this community with the wonderful team at One Sky Family Medicine and look forward to partnering with you.

Warmly,

Dr. Rosica

One Sky Family Medicine

Dr. Owen Moving

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 18:25:00 GMT

Dear wonderful OSFM patients,

I’m writing this with a mix of emotions—gratitude as well as a bit of sadness—because I’m saying goodbye to Seattle and my practice here at One Sky Family Medicine. As of the end of June 2025, I’ll be moving north to Bellingham, WA to be closer to both my own and my partner's families, and I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey I've had with all of you.

It has truly been such a privilege to be part of your lives, no matter how big or small. Thank you for the gift of learning and growing alongside you. While I’m excited about the next chapter, leaving behind the amazing OSFM community is bittersweet. Thank you for trusting me with your health and your family’s well-being.

If you'd like to continue care in any capacity, or would simply like to know where I’ll be landing in Bellingham, here’s how you can reach me:

NW Life Medicine

851 Coho Way, Suite #202 Bellingham, WA 98225

360.746.6923. 1.888.972.2379.

www.northwestlifemedicineclinic.com
contact@nwlifemedicineclinic.com

With warmest wishes,

Dr. Owen

And a note from the OSFM team:

Dr. Owen's last in-person clinic day at OSFM will be June 20, 2025, and she will continue to offer some telehealth visits over the summer to help ease the transition. If you would like to see Dr. Owen in person before her departure,we recommend booking now.

We’re pleased to let you know that Dr. Allie Rosica will be joining our team and stepping in to provide ongoing care for many of Dr. Owen’s patients. Dr. Rosica is a compassionate and skilled naturopathic physician with a strong background in integrative primary care. We’re excited to welcome her to the OSFM community and confident she will be a wonderful addition to our clinic.

Sweet, Sweet Summer!

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 17:09:23 GMT

Hello to the OSFM community. We hope you're having a summer full of sun, fun and time outdoors! Here's some summer news from the clinic.

Mental health offerings

pediatric mental health
mind/ body medicine, biofeedback
craniosacral therapy

Dispensary and Lab information

Online dispensary update
B vitamin interference with lab testing
Pharmacy recommendations
Function medicine lab testing

Clinical updates and offerings

New mammogram and slightly older colon cancer screening guidelines
Cardiometabolic group class coming soon
Smoke safety repost
2023 dirty dozen and clean 13 has arrived!

Practice news

Yoga space rental
Alexandra Owen is joining the practice!
Summer is a great time for visits

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

The team at OSFM has noticed a distinct uptick in visits related to mental health in the past few years, and we'd like to share some of the ways we can help if you or your child/ teen is struggling. First, all of our doctors are well versed in integrative approaches to mental health care, including diagnosis, lifestyle medicine, nutrition, herbal and nutrient supplementation as well as prescribing medications. In addition we have a few specific approaches that you might find helpful.

Dr. Short is back at OSFM and seeing patients virtually for:

Holistic mental health support; including medication/supplement management
Caregiver support for common childhood concerns and challenges
Adolescent/Teen guidance for depression, anxiety and other mood disorders
Acute medical visits when appropriate for telemedicine

Dr. Short is offering mental health visits based on the FAST programs developed by Seattle Children's. These are modules/sessions (based on a variety of evidence based techniques such as CBT, ACT, DBT, etc.) that caregivers work through with in session to address issues (in their child's behavior) from anxiety, depression, early childhood concerns which include- managing tantrums, "big feelings", not listening, to caregiver self care, etc. Dr. Short teaches tools and strategies to families – These skills can benefit most families regardless of symptoms. For early childhood they are foundation skills to build relationships. Parenting is hard. and Dr. Short wants to support caregivers through these unique stages.

Many of you know Dr. Nassim. She's been offering Mind-Body Medicine sessions . This approach is exploratory. T hrough this type of medicine we teach people about the connection between mind and body, and how to regulate their stress response. Through this practice, we ultimately become more aware and less reactive to our environments. This allows us to respond to our world in ways that align with what we value and how we want to live and show up in the world. The modalities we utilize are Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Autogenics, Functional Breathing Techniques, Meditation, and Biofeedback (coming soon!)

Craniosacral Osteopathic Manipulative Technique with Dr. McDanie l is another way to approach both physical and mental health concerns by working with the fluid, bones, fascia to reset and restore free movement and balance.

DISPENSARY AND PHARMACY INFORMATION

Fullscript : We encourage you to purchase your medical supplements from our reputable online resource rather than larger online retailers, as there is no guarantee of freshness or quality of ingredients. There have been numerous studies that show products’ contents are not reflected accurately on the facts label often. By purchasing through our online store, you can trust that you're getting the best quality supplements available and in the process support your local primary care naturopathic clinic. Link https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/oneskyfamilymedicine https://www.verywellhealth.com/safety-of-amazon-supplements-6500961

Finding a Pharmacy. Many of you used to use Pharmaca as your pharmacy of choice, and know that it was bought by Medly in 2021. Medley filed for bankrupcy shortly thereafter and the company was bought by Walgreens. All prescriptions were automatically transferred to Walgreens after the purchase. We've had many requests for pharmacy recommendations since this happened, particularly as people learned of Walgreen's decision not to stock medications used for abortion care in many states.

Here are some local pharmacies you might try if you're looking for a new one

Katterman's Pharmacy on Sandpoint
Madison Park Pharmacy and Wellness Center in Madison Valley
Ostrom's in Kenmore on Bothell Way
Bob Johnson's Pharmacy on 85 th NW in Greenwood

LAB TESTING TIDBITS

Many people don't know that taking high doses of Biotin can interfere with lab test results , especially thyroid results. If you're taking high dose Biotin, which often happens with hair and nail formulas or high potency B complex supplements, make sure to discontinue 2 days before your lab tests to get an accurate result.

We're excited to announce that our functional medicine testing services are now available via telemedicine , allowing you to optimize your health from the comfort of your own home. Our functional medicine testing approach looks at the underlying factors contributing to your health concerns, such as nutrient deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, and gut dysbiosis, cardiometabolic dysfunction and food allergy/ intolerance. By identifying these root causes, we can provide personalized treatment that can really make a difference in your progress moving toward health. Talk to your doctor if you're interested in learning more about functional medicine testing.

CLINICAL UPDATES

Have you heard that the US Preventive Services Task Force has announced new mammogram screening guidelines ? The new guideline suggests beginning mammograms at age 40 and doing them every other year until 74 . And while we're updating you on screening guidelines... in 2021 the colorectal cancer screening guideline age at first screening changed from 50 to 45.

Heads up that we're planning to roll out a very cool cardiometabolic group this fall . Stay tuned or let us know if you're interested- this class/ group visit will be great for people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, blood sugar dysregulation, or strong family histories of these things. Dr. Mary Barrett will be conducting the group online and we'll let you know more soon.

What a blessedly clear and beautiful summer we're having! Each day I wake up feeling such gratitude for the clear air, the and the gorgeous green all around us. As you know, this isn't the case in much of the country which is experiencing the heat and smoke we've had here in recent years. In the spirit of preparation and in support of those who are in those hot smoky areas, we've udated our blogpost on coping with smoke season .

The Environmental Working Group has releasted their 2023 Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 - a great resource for deciding where to put your energy and finances when choosing produce. Check it out, they even have an app!

PRACTICE NEWS

Are you or someone you know looking for a yoga space rental ? A yoga space is available for rent in our lower floor. We would love to see the space used within the community to promote wellness and good in the world. The space is ideal for yoga classes, meditation sessions, community acupuncture, and wellness retreats. We welcome someone who shares our vision of promoting health and wellness to the community. Contact us today to learn more about our yoga space rental options and to schedule a tour of the studio. We look forward to hearing from you!

We're thrilled to announce that Dr. Owen will be joining OSFM permanently after she completes her residency in the fall. Dr. Owen will continue to offer comprehensive naturopathic primary care including pediatrics, offering frenotomy services and gender affirming care for all ages. Welcome Dr. Owen!

Summer scheduling: Summer is the perfect time to take care of any medical needs that may have been put off. Whether it's getting a sports physical, annual exam, or catching up on immunizations, we are here to help you stay on top of your health this summer. Don't wait until the busy back to school and fall sick season to take care of your medical needs. We look forward to helping you stay healthy and happy this summer and beyond!

Coping with Smoke

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 16:55:18 GMT

Preparing for fire season has become a critical part of our work of preventive medicine. If you haven't already done so, we'd like to encourage you to make sure that you have access to a place that stays cool and has clean air. We'll give suggestions here to help you create that in your own home, and nutritional and environmental advice to support you in times of heat and smoke.

First, it’s important to keep an eye on the air quality when planning outings. See resources at the end of this article for keeping informed of the daily air quality. Avoid exertion when air quality is poor, or you are feeling symptoms such as

eye irritation
nasal congestion
sore throat
chest tightness
cough
shortness of breath
headache

If you are experiencing these symptoms and they are significant, make sure to see your doctor.

Find or create an indoor oasis. If possible, use a HEPA filter and an air conditioner (one which does not pull air from outside) along with closed windows to create a safe space to be inside. Consider inviting friends or family over who don’t have access to AC and a good filter. Kids, pregnant people, elders and people with asthma or other heart/ lung conditions are at highest risk for significant breathing problems due to the pollution we are currently experiencing. If you can’t arrange a cleaner air space at home, consider spending the day at the mall or going to a movie.

Avoid breathing campfire or barbecue smoke, burning incense or indoor candles, using perfumes or chemical cleaners. Voluntary smoking or vaping will be a further challenge to your lungs.

Here are a few additional tips for keeping lungs healthy. If you know the principles of an anti-inflammatory diet… use them!

Eat a rainbow of fresh fruits and vegetables. Raw and lightly cooked are especially useful. Emphasize berries
Drink plenty of water, black or green tea. During this time, I suggest you take your weight in pounds, divide it by 2 and drink that many ounces daily. For example, a 150 lb person would drink 75 oz per day
Choose healthy fish, grass fed meat and dairy products, pasture raised eggs rather than grain fed animal products
Grass fed animals and animal products have a fatty acid profile that decreases, rather than increasing, inflammation
Limit your vices. Alcohol and sugar stir inflammation. Good news though… dark chocolate is anti-inflammatory, and good medicine!

We use curcumin, NAC and a wide variety of other herbs and nutrients to support lung function as well. Feel free to schedule a visit if you’d like an individualized plan.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

The Department of Health’s Website is an excellent resource for more information about the fires, symptoms to watch for and general resources.
Here’s a link to the EPA’s AirNow site, with location specific air quality information. Several of the weather apps now have this information as part of the daily forecast as well.
Build your own airfilter from a box fan and MERV 13 filters
Where to Play when it's Smoky in Seattle by ParentMap
King County information on preparing for Wildfire Smoke
https://envmedicine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/NAEM-Wildfire-Patient-Handout-Final.pdf

Spring Forward

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 03:17:01 GMT

We're so happy to celebrate this almost-Spring with you! We're also thrilled to announce that OSFM is back to being fully-staffed. Thank you all for your patience as we navigated our lean season. As it turns out, we are now more well-staffed than ever, with 2 docs offering telemedicine in addition to our in-house providers.

In this season's newsletter, we'll cover

- Provider updates

- Expanded telehealth services, and how to schedule them online

- Apple Health, Molina and Coordinated Care- Please select your PCP before your visit

- Hearing Screening

- Masking Policy update

- New online dispensary

- Dr. McDaniel is offering Craniosacral therapy

- Celebrating the return of the WATER COOLER!

Pro Tip on scheduling telehealth visits. You'll need to select the visit type SECURE ONLINE VIDEO VISIT and may need to click the button that says ONLINE as well, or at least shouldn't select IN PERSON. In addition, if you want to view the schedules for all our providers you may need to select the blue button in the middle of the screen that let's you see the schedules of providers you've never seen included in your search. Remember you can also call the clinic if you need a same day appointment and your doctor doesn't appear to have a visit available- we hide some appointments for urgent care needs.

We announced recently that Dr. Whitaker had her baby Levon, and now she's returned to practice . As always she's available for full spectrum naturopathic primary care including pediatrics. Welcome back Dr. Whitaker and Congratulations!

Dr. Short is also returning to OSFM. This last year has brought a new chapter to her family life and she is now only able to see patients via telemedicine. She will primarily focus on women and children’s mental health, in addition to providing parenting support for caregivers.

Dr. Short has a long-standing interest in assisting her patients’ in finding mental and emotional balance, and a desire to help patients feel more whole. She is able to provide both natural and more conventional treatments depending on her patient's needs. She looks forward to reconnecting with former patients and supporting new families too.

For those of you with Apple Health - we have an important message and task for you! Molina and Coordinated Care both require that you choose a Primary Care Provider for your plan. That PCP must be your doctor at OSFM, or your visit may not be covered. It's okay (not ideal, but okay) if you've selected another doctor in the practice, but an OSFM physician must be selected before your visit is billed or it may not be covered at all. In that case you'll be billed for your visit - and we hope to avoid that! The process is fairly quick, we're seeing about 5-15 minutes for people to make the change. You can do this by:

Logging onto your app and select a PCP right there, very quick if you have the app and account
Calling the telephone number on your card and speak to someone- they can make a same day change this has mostly been surprisingly quick and easy for folks

For Apple Health clients, you do not have to make these changes during open enrollment, you can do it anytime. You can also change from another Apple Health plan to one we take, which are Molina and Coordinated Care.

OSFM now has hearing screening equipment. We are able to do routine hearing screens for kids starting at 4 years of age and every couple of years through elementary school. The screener works for adults as well. Feel free to ask at your next visit if you would like a hearing screen.

Masking Update. On April 3, Washington State will no longer require masks in healhcare settings, long term care facilities and correctional facilities. This is BIG news and we expect, and even welcome, some awkwardness as we move into this new phase. We have been talking to you all about this often, so we know that many of you are no longer masking and will be thrilled with the change. We also know that many of you are still quite concerned about COVID and other infections and will not be excited about this change at all. The OSFM staff and physicians have been discussing how to ease this transition, managing our own sense of risk as well as meeting you in yours. We'll likely stop wearing masks during well visits as long as everyone is well, but will likely revert to wearing a mask for many reasons day to day.

Please DO wear a mask if you or anyone in your household is sick
Please know that we welcome you to ask us to wear a mask during your visit! We're quite used to them, and it will not be a hardship for us at all! If you're more comfortable with your provider masked, just ask

For more information about this change, see this announcement from the Department of Health https://doh.wa.gov/newsroom/masking-requirements-healthcare-long-term-care-and-correctional-facilities-end-april-3

Online Dispensary . Many of you have used Emerson Ecologics or Wellevate for ordering dispensary items over the years. We're switching to a company called FullScript . One reason is that we can access it from within our EHR program and send you specific recommendations. We're not attached to you buying any supplements from us in-house or online, although we do appreciate the support when you do. We ARE attached you having our specific recommendations. So you may get a link to this new dispensary during one of your visits or by email afterwards. And let us know if you haven't received the information and would like it- we'll get you set up.

Dr. Tracy McDaniel is now offering CranioSacral Therapy and Osteopathic Cranial Techniques - you can sign up for a full 50 minute session if you'd like. She's also incorporating some of this work into visits as treatment for certain medical conditions. Please call the clinic to schedule, as we don't have this set up on the portal yet. When this work is billed to insurance it often comes out of the same "bucket" as chiropractic visits and can be billed when medically necessary. Cash visits are $175 and do not need to have a diagnosis to justify the treatment. She's looking forward to offering treatments to infants in the future. For information about craniosacral therapy https://www.upledger.com/therapies/

And possibly the MOST EXCITING news to share... our WATER COOLER and TEA STATION are back online. Woo Hoo!

Solid Food Introduction by Molly Gray, ND

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 05:32:20 GMT

I am incredibly passionate about starting kids off early with a nutrient-dense, healthy diet. Helping your child adopt these habits from the time they start eating solid foods will make them far more likely to persist through adolescence and adulthood and will yield dividends for life.

The early years of a child’s life are very important for later health and development. One of the main reasons is how fast the brain grows starting before birth and continuing into early childhood. A clean (chemical free), nutrient dense diet is important for nourishing this rapid brain develop.

The first two years are critical in developing health habits as children start becoming more restrictive by age 2. Breast milk is such a lovely “food” for kids so that I do not worry about nutrient component in the first year of life and yet if we wait to start variety after 1, kids are not receptive to it. It drives me crazy to watch toddlers become picky eaters, I find some comfort when I read that it is evolutionary - that kids keep themselves safe by not eating as much.

I am always looking for the “perfect book” to help parents get started. I have yet to find one that I think is the one and only food bible so I am starting one!

My food philosophy can be summarized by a few simple principles outlined in the list below. It is to strive for a diet that:
1. Is simple, based in whole “real” foods and includes lots of vegetables
2. Emphasizes local, seasonal, organic foods
3. Avoids the Dirty Dozen
4. Is high on variety, nutrient-dense foods and healthy fats
5. Avoids artificial colors, dyes, preservatives, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners

WHOLE FOODS: I love 2 lists that help determine if a food is a “whole food”

Cynthia Lair’s list of questions to determine if a food is a “whole food” Questions to ask before buying groceries:

How many ingredients does the food have? If it’s a whole food, it has one ingredient.
What has been done to it since harvesting? The less the better. Read the ingredient list on nutrition labels, and if you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it
Is this food part of a food or the whole thing? For example, orange juice is only a portion of the whole food, an orange is a whole food. It takes approximately 10 oranges to make an 8oz glass of juice. The orange is better for you because it contains fiber, which slows the absorption of sugar. We would never eat 10 oranges in one sitting, nor does our body easily digest the juice of 10 oranges at one sitting
Can you imagine it growing? You can picture a broccoli plant or an apple tree, but a river of diet coke?
Quiz revised from Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair

Michael Pollen’s “Food Rules”

Eat Real Food
Not too Much
Mostly Plants

DIRTY DOZEN : Brains are uniquely vulnerable during their accelerated development as a young child. I therefore think it is important to have clean foods without herbicides and pesticides. The Environmental Working Group puts out a list of the “dirty dozen.” These foods have the highest amount of residue left behind during tests by the US Department of Agriculture and FDA. It is extra important to choose organic when eating these foods. If you need to save money or can’t find organic choices, choose the foods with the lowest levels of pesticides, “clean fifteen.” A printable list and iphone application for the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen is available at https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php

SIMPLE: Baby food does not need to be different than your own. I support family meals with everyone eating together. If the family is not eating ideally than this is an opportunity to revamp the whole family’s food. Babies will be less picky if from day 1 you start with your food. Keep it simple.

I don’t love the long list of rules that come along with solid food introduction. I think solid food introduction should be as simple as offering a baby what the family is eating in a baby friendly way. I want parents to focus on foods to include in the diet rather than what to avoid.

The only food not safe to eat in the first year of life is honey. Foods to focus on include: fruit, vegetables, oils/ fats and protein. If the family is not eating what a baby can, take this an opportunity to revamp the family’s food.

VARIETY: Developmentally it is commonly seen that food variety decreases after 12 months. Goal is to have as much color, variety and texture prior to 12 months so that as a child becomes more selective you are left with some variety.

EAT HIGH QUALITY FAT: As long as it is a whole food, do not be afraid of fats. Fats are critical for every cell in our body – especially the fast development brains of children. Fats make up the wall around each cell and are crucial for bone health, brain health, mood, immunity and satiety. Eating fat does not make one fat. Eating fat is crucial for our health and satiety. Children need adequate amounts of health high quality fats. Great sources of fat- fish, free range grass-fed meats, butter, olive oil, coconuts, walnuts, avocados, sesame oil, eggs, nuts and seeds.

GUT HEALTH: Digestion is the foundation of health. We are not just what we eat, we are what we absorb and digest. Even with the best diet, if the body is unable to absorb nutrients in the digestive system- health suffers. Having the right gut bacteria is a cornerstone to health. Probiotics feed off fruits and vegetables and bad bacteria live off of sugar.
• Foods to include in the diet for a healthy gut biome: kefir, miso, kimchi, krauts, tamari, apple cider vinegar
• Foods/ lifestyle factors that damage probiotics: anti-bacterial soap, antibiotic medication, genetically modified foods, artificial sweeteners, chlorinated water.

VEGETABLES: Vegetables are often the first food kids will start avoiding as a toddler. My advice is to have at least 10 ways to get green vegetables into their life prior to one year so that if you lose most of them you are still left with something!
I recommend introducing the following vegetables before one year of age:
1. Pesto.
2. Green smoothie
3. Seaweed
4. Frittata
5. Kitchari
6. Cauliflower in all forms- cauli rice, cauli pizza crust, cauli gnocchi

MEAL PLANNING: My goal for you is for you to find 3 easy, simple meals for your whole family before one year of life. These are some of my favorite nutrient dense recipes that I have found even the pickiest of eaters will often keep these yummies as part of their palate.

Breakfast:
1. Oatmeal- packed with additional fat, nuts, seeds and berries.
2. Nutrient dense baked good (pumpkin muffins, zucchini bread, etc)
3. Frittata with vegetables and herbs
4. Smoothie that includes:
• 1 handful Vegetables (leafy greens, spinach, cauliflower rice, beets)
• 1-2 cups fruit
• Fat (nuts, seeds, full fat canned coconut milk)
• Protein (full fat plain yogurt, nuts, protein powder)

Lunch/ Dinner:
1. Sweet potato black bean spinach quesadilla
2. Sardine olive tapenade
3. Cauliflower pizza crust with pesto
4. Kitchari
5. Red Sauce loaded with vegetables
6. “patty recipes” a fun way to combine Protein + carb + veggies in a kid friendly way. Simple version would be a hamburger patty with shredded carrots and zucchini

Soups: start early with soups to have this vegetable rich option for your child.

Easy weekly meal plan formula:
1 crockpot meal + 1 fish meal + 2 vegetarian + 1 poultry + 1 red meat + 1 leftovers

Easy main meal plan formula:
Pick a Protein, Grab 2 veggies, Flavor with some Fat. Optional Carb

PUREE IDEAS FOR 6-9 MONTHS:
1. pumpkin + fig + hemp/ Coconut/ olive oil
2. sardines + capers
3. root veggies + ghee
4. chicken thighs + cauliflower + ghee
5. Salmon + sweet potato
6. lamb + cauliflower + apricot
7. carrots + apple + beef

BOOK REVIEW:
In my search for the perfect food introduction book I have read quite a few and I thought it would be helpful to walk you through what I do and do not like about ones that I have read.

Nourished Beginnings Baby Food

By Renee Kohley

I love this one! Great variety with a focus on nutrient density. Aesthetically pleasing to flip through- like art work! Does not include allergens so if you are trying to introduce allergens prior to 6 months as an opportunity to lower risk of allergies later in life this one does not help with that.

High quality organ meats are an incredible super food for babies but this is not a common food for many families. Because I want baby food to feel simple to wrap one’s mind around an entire food group- I don’t want to create pressure of stress for you, but an awareness of the health benefits if it’s feasible for your family.

Super Nutrition for Babies I absolutely love the food philosophy in this book! … "pathway to optimal health for us all is to eat a healthy diet,… “the younger the child when you begin optimizing his/her diet the greater the tools he or she will have to succeed, … if you supply the body with the correct nutrients it can do wonderful things.” I think their differentiation of food categories is brilliant- crap, okay, pure and super power foods. A lovely book that I highly recommend but I do find the book feels a bit elitist. I love the idea of starting babies with salmon “roe”. What a nutrient dense lovely food… until you check the price! I don’t want anyone to feel they need to spend a $100 on their baby’s first food

Baby Led weaning

I love baby led weaning for development hands on experience for kids. I have found in my practice that babies that are 100% baby led are pickier eaters than babies offered a larger variety. There is a slim chance your baby will pick up

a puree of beets, spinach, pumpkin, cottage cheese combination! I typically recommend a combination of both puree and baby led. I think puree is a more efficient way to get nutrient and flavor density and baby led is great for development.

Megan Garzia online course Lovely paleo food introduction focused on nutrient density.

Nourishing Meals Cookbook and Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook

Love these recipes. Everything I have ever tried from these are delicious. I recommend reading the food philosophy chapter like a novel. Ahhh… I very much agree with their food philosophy.

Greens 24:7 by Jessica Nadel for green veggie ideas Some beautiful ideas to add greens to the whole families diet! Spirulina added to granola- brilliant!

Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair

I have to respect the maiden of whole foods cooking in the Pacific Northwest! She has inspired so many after her- Tom Malterre, Jennifer Adler. A beautiful woman with great family recipes with a baby option on the bottom of each recipe.

The Simply Real Health's Baby Food Files:

https://simplyrealhealth.com/simply-real-baby-the-baby-food-files-are-now-here/ Sarah is an inspiration to me! I love her food philosophy, tips on life and food. I find her recipes simple, delicious and perfect for the whole family. Check our her new "Baby Files" PDF on food introduction- amazing as is everything she touches!

Michael Pollen’s Food Rules A coffee table stable for all!

Feeding Littles online course: Still needing to watch but have heard great things!

Solid Starts . Parents rave about this online and instagram resource

RECIPE LINKS

I am the type of person that absolutely cannot follow a recipe. I change things constantly but I love these as nspirational starting places

• Oatmeal (sugar and dairy optional) https://www.thespruceeats.com/overnight-chia-seed-oatmeal-4151799

• Baked good with veggies:

https://simplyrealhealth.com/noahs-blueberry-morning-baby-cake/

https://nomnompaleo.com/paleo-pumpkin-muffins

• Eggs with veggies:

https://www.theforestfeast.com/blog/2017/5/3/mothers-day-brunch

https://thenaturalnurturer.com/crustless-potato-asparagus-quiche/

https://www.createkidsclub.com/egg-frittata/#tasty-recipes-8780

• Smoothies:

http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2014/10/green-smoothie-recipe-for-babies-and.html

http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2012/08/peach-ginger-mint-green-smoothie.html

http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2009/09/super-antioxidant-smoothie.html

• Kitchari: for the 4-6 cups of veggies my favorite

recommendations: onion, celery, greens and cauliflower.

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/05/my-favorite-kitchari-recipe/

http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2009/09/summer-vegetable-kitcheree.html

Cauliflower

https://www.superhealthykids.com/recipes/cheesy-cauliflower-dippers/ 

https://eatcaulipower.com

https://www.floraandvino.com/creamy-stovetop-cauliflower-oats/

• Soups:

http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2010/02/cream-of-broccoli-soup-dairy-free.html

https://www.ilovevegan.com/creamy-vegan-broccoli-soup/

• Red sauce with Veggies:

https://simplyrealhealth.com/social-distancing-meal-veggie-puttenesca/

• Patty recipes:

https://wholelifenutrition.net/articles/recipes/sunny-sunflower-seed-burgers

(double the parsley and carrots)

http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2010/01/quinoa-salmon-burgers-gluten-free-egg.html

(double the green herbs)

http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2010/02/spicy-thai-mung-bean-burgers.html

(double the green herbs and leave out the pepper)

OSFM Fall Updates 2.0

183:906186916 (Tracy McDaniel) — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 01:23:00 GMT

Hello dear OSFM family. Let's try this again! We heard from many of you that you didn't receive our recent newsletter. I thought I'd save you all some notifications and just send it by text... Alas, here I am offering you our NEWS once again, in both text and email. This version CONTAINS THE LINK TO SIGN UP FOR FALL PHOTOS, so make sure to click in even if you have already read the rest!

OSFM is ending our contract with Cigna/ ASH, and are temorarily not taking Molina/ Ambetter/ Coordinated care
A reminder that we are short staffed this fall/ early winter
We're thrilled to announce the arrival of a very special NEW HUMAN!
A naturopathic twist on the love of all things Pumpkin
Non-covered services fee - frequently asked questions
Fall photo shoot with Alec Mills just around the corner- first-timers SIGN UP HERE

One Sky Family Medicine will no longer contract with Cigna/American Specialty Health Network as of January 1, 2023, and are temporarily out of network with Molina and Ambetter/ Coordinated Care.

We are in-network with:

Regence/ Uniform
Premera Blue Cross
Lifewise
First Choice Health Network
Kaiser (PPO plan only)

We're currently having difficulty with both Molina Healthcare and Ambetter Coordinated Care. We expect to be in-network with both again eventually, but for now they are denying coverage for all visits (except for existing patients of Dr. Gray who have Molina who will continue to have their visits covered) We'll be writing off charges for this issue through 10/10/22. However, until those contracts are once again active we'll need to collect cash for those services.

You can find our cash prices here on the website. If you have out-of-network coverage, we'll be happy to give you a detailed receipt at the time of service, please make sure to ask while you're here because the standard electronic version is not sufficient for reimbursement.

We realize that scheduling is a bit harder than usual , and want you to know we're working hard to keep the schedule running smoothly and keep visit wait times short. Our medical team is short several doctors right now, which we expect to be the case for a bit longer but not permanently! We've recently hired a new medical assistant, and look forward to you meeting Gal, and and excited to bring on Dr. Nassim Huertas as our first year Natruopathic Reisdent. We'll have their bio's up on the website soon.

We'd love to welcome Levon Whitaker Eves earthside! Dr. Whitaker is now officially on leave and will be returning February 2023. Please join us in congratulating her and her family on their new arrival.

We wanted to share one of our favorite treatments for constipation . A beloved naturopathic teacher, herbalist, midwife and physician Mary Bove, ND taught us this one in school. So simple... so effective, and perfect for Autumn!

Hemp/Pumpkin/ Fig puree

Blend 1 can pumpkin puree + 10 figs (soaked overnight)
Add 1 tsp hemp oil to 2 TBS of puree
take 2 TBS 2-3 x/ daily by mouth

Non-Covered Services Program A reminder for those of you who have opted out of the monthly Non-Covered Services Fee by selecting the per-visit option. If you need forms, recommendations or other provider support and it's been more than 2 weeks since you were last in, please schedule a visit and we'll be happy to take care of those things for you. For detailed information on the program, visit out Non-Covered Services Page

It's nearly time for our yearly Free family portrait event with our friend Alec of Alec Mills Photography . Alec has photographed 30 One sky families each fall for many years. This year she will prioritize people/ families who have not snagged an appointment in past years. Get a feel for her work by checking out some favorites from last year's event -- https://www.alecmillsphotography.com/Blog/OneSky-Family-MedicineMiniPortraitEvent . All One Sky families receive $100 Full session packages if they desire to book outside of this free portrait event. Once again, here's the link to SIGN UP

May the cool fall days, the clear crisp air and the rhythm of fall be rejuvenating for you all!

Welcome baby Levon!

183:906186916 (Tracy McDaniel) — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 01:22:11 GMT

Ooooooh! It's so wonderful to be able to introduce you all to baby Levon being snuggled by mama Dr. Whitaker and big brother Jack. Congratulations to this beautiful family!

OSFM Fall Updates

183:906186916 (Tracy McDaniel) — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 14:22:46 GMT

With the school year starting and the weather cooling, we wanted to share some updates from the OSFM team as we cross over into Autumn!

OSFM is ending our contract with Cigna/ ASH
October 3, 2022 flu/ bivalent COVID booster clinic
A reminder that we are short staffed this fall/ early winter
Non-covered services fee - frequently asked questions
Fall photo shoot with Alec Mills just around the corner

One Sky Family Medicine will no longer contract with Cigna/American Specialty Health Network as of January 1, 2023 . We are in-network with Regence, Premera, Lifewise, First Choice Health Network/ Kaiser PPO plans and Molina Healthcare. Please see our cash prices listed on the website, and check your out of network benefits if you'd like to submit for reimbursement. We'll be happy to give you a detailed receipt at the time of service, please make sure to ask while you're here because the standard electronic version is not sufficient for reimbursement.

Monday October 3 will be our 2022 Flu/ COVID vaccine clinic . You can schedule either vaccine online by choosing the COVID vaccine visit type and noting whether you'd like a COVID booster, flu or both. It's fine to schedule a flu vaccine only, but you'll still need to select the COVID vaccine visit type to do so. Just a glitch in the scheduling system.

PRO TIP: If you cannot see any appointments available on the portal, click the long blue bar in the middle of the page that says "Discover other providers from One Sky Family Medicine"

flu vaccine will be available for adults and children 6 months +
we'll be offering bivalent COVID boosters for adults and children 12 years +, as long as it's been 2 months + since finishing primary series or having most recent booster.

SCHEDULE NOW

We realize that scheduling is a bit harder than usual , and want you to know we're working hard to keep the schedule running smoothly and keep visit wait times short. Our medical team is short several doctors right now, which we expect to be the case for a bit longer but not permanently! OSFM is actively in search of a new doctor. We're excited to be bringing on our next Naturopathic Resident in 2 weeks and also have a wonderful new medical assistant, Gal. We'll have their bio's up on the website soon.

Dr. Whitaker will be out on parental leave beginning in mid-October . She'll be available for telemedicine visits through mid-October, you can schedule online and select Secure Online Video Visit as the appointment type, or call the clinic and we'll help you schedule an appointment.

It's nearly time for our yearly Free family portrait event with our friend Alec of Alec Mills Photography . Keep your eye out for our booking announcement coming soon. Alec has photographed 30 One sky families each fall for many years. This year she will prioritize people/ families who have not snagged an appointment in past years. Get a feel for her work by checking out some favorites from last year's event -- https://www.alecmillsphotography.com/Blog/OneSky-Family-MedicineMiniPortraitEvent . All One Sky families receive $100 Full session packages if they desire to book outside of this free portrait event.

May the cool fall days, the clear crisp air and the rhythm of fall be rejuvenating for you all!

Job Opening for Naturopathic Physician

183:906186916 (Tracy McDaniel) — Sun, 04 Sep 2022 01:15:07 GMT

Are you a licensed Naturopathic Physician who LOVES primary care, pediatrics, women’s health, fertility, and preconception? Gyn care and menopause ? Serving the LGBTQIA+ population? If so, we would love to talk to you.

OSFM is a busy, fun, mixed insurance-based/ cash integrative primary care practice in the Ravenna neighborhood of north Seattle . We see patients in-person and by telehealth and use AthenaOne EHR . OSFM is about to have 2 doctors out on medical leave . We have been considering hiring our next doctor for some time, and this is the nudge we needed to begin the process.

We are open to the following possibilities:

Permanent full-time, employment
Permanent part-time on-site employment
Part-time remote employment- telemedicine and after hours on-call coverage (WA license required)
Locum tenens- 6-12 months beginning in September 2022

We care deeply about working with fabulous humans and doctors who excel in primary care and preventive medicine as well as their specific areas of interest . We are a collaborative team, have a strong sense of community, have a wonderful patient population, and are committed to group learning and development.

Our ideal candidate is someone who:

is a creative and nimble thinker, a problem solver
will step into the group and help shape the practice for the better
is passionate about Naturopathic Medicine and has a deep relationship to the Principles of Naturopathic Medicine
loves working with people- including kids and babies
is willing to work with families all along the vaccine-choice spectrum, from full CDC schedule to declining all vaccines, with patience and respect
practices medicine with Heart

We would be thrilled to work with a well-established and experienced physician who has a deep understanding of pediatrics and whole family primary care . We would also consider a new physician, especially if they have completed a 2-year residency and have pediatric experience .

Employment details: OSFM is known for being family-friendly and extremely flexible to help facilitate physician control of work/ life balance . We pay a salary that is calculated quarterly based on productivity . We offer benefits for full-time employees (4+ days of patient care) including health insurance, dental, long term disability insurance, CME allowance, liability insurance .

For more information about the practice, please visit our website www.oneskyfamilymedicine.com If you are interested in the position, please send a CV and cover letter to tmcdaniel@oneskyfamilymedicine.com

A Season of Change

183:906186916 (Tracy McDaniel) — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 15:38:59 GMT

Hello from your OSFM team on a hot summer evening. We hope you're all well-hydrated, cool enough and have been enjoying our beautiful northwest home this year. As we move into this late summer, we wanted to share some information and clinic updates with you.

Back to school forms and physicals
COVID 19- we now have Novavax for adults and Pfizer for kids 6 months and older
How we'll be providing estimates of cash visits when we're out of network with your insurance
Electronic health records and the Cures Act- sharing data with apps, privacy and lab reporting
Important staff updates

GEARING UP FOR BACK TO SCHOOL SEASON

Now is a great time to schedule Well Child Visits, Sports Physicals and vaccine visits . Make sure to bring any forms you need with you to your visit, and please pre-fill the portions you can.

If your child is up to date on their physical (within the last year) and you need a vaccine or sports form completed, please fill it out as much as possible and upoad it to the portal if you are on the monthly NCS plan. We'll be happy to fill out those forms by portal. If you are not on the NCS monthly plan, then please schedule a visit and we'll do it then.

If you simply need a Certificate of Immunization Status , you can access it through the state website which you can find on our website at https://www.oneskyfamilymedicine.com/immunization-records. Their help line is quite good, so give them a call if you have trouble accessing your records.

COVID-19 NEWS AND UPDATES

Do you need rapid home COVID tests ? Try asking at the counter of your local pharmacy. Your insurance will cover 8 tests per family per month. For more information, visit https://doh.wa.gov/emergencies/covid-19/testing-covid-19. You can also order free tests from COVIDtests.gov

OSFM now has Novavax, a non-mRNA based COVID-19 vaccine . If you are 18 years or older, have never had a COVID vaccine or are allergic to the mRNA vaccine components, we'll be happy to schedule you for this 2 shot series. Please call the clinic to schedule, as we are only giving them at specific times until we have more supply- if you schedule online, we may not have vaccine for you when you arrive.

We also now have COVID vaccine for all children 6 months and older . We currently carry the Pfizer COVID vaccine for children and Moderna and Pfizer for adults. You can schedule this online by selecting the COVID vaccine visit type.

Please remember that masks are still required when you visit the clinic in person. And please make sure to let us know if you are ill before your visit, we often start with a short phone call before bringing people into the clinic so that we know what precautions are necessary.

INSURANCE, BILLING AND REGULATIONS UPDATE

The Non-Covered Services program has been going well, allowing us to continue to provide administrative and support services that are not billable to insurance. Some of you who have chosen the per-visit option have come to find that you do in fact need more frequent support between visits. If you're finding yourself holding back from asking for support, we suggest you reconsider the monthly option.

We were able to work out our credentialing issues with Cigna (American Specialty Health ), at least for the time being. For those of you who have Cigna insurance, you may want to begin a conversation with us about other options moving forward as we're not sure how much longer we'll be contracted with them.

There's a lot going on in the regulations pertaining to medical care . One change is the No Surprise Billing Act , which helps protect folks from unexpectedly high medical bills when they didn't know their provider was out of network. We've been directed to send folks an estimate of their visit when we are not in-network with their insurance, so if that is the case for you, you'll be asked to sign an estimate form each time you come for a visit stating that you know that you can see an in-network doctor at a lower cost. We'll send these forms electronically, and you can sign right from your phone or computer. We've also spruced up our website so that findng cash prices is easy! We can't list everything, but have done a thorough job of listing our most common visit types, labs and procedures.

Another big change being rolled out is under the 21st Century Cures Act . A main goal is helping people have access to their own medical records, interfacing with apps like apple health and other patient facing tools. You'll begin to notice that your visit notes show up in their entirety rather than just as a summary. That means that you'll see more medical terminology and shorthand which can often be confusing to people who aren't in the medical field. In addition, you will likely begin receiving your own lab results before we've even reviewed them . This will be great in some ways, and potentially problematic in others. For example, many people find it stressful to see abnormal lab results without an explanation. Normal labs may be closed out before we see them, so if your labs were done as a part of a workup of a problem, make sure to schedule your follow up visit so we can continue to explore the cause of your issue. Please know that this change is coming from Congress, and is well intended. If you have questions when you see your results, please schedule a visit and we'll be happy to go over them in detail with you. Lastly, be on the lookout for apps asking you for access to your health data . With your permission, they may pull data from your electronic medical record for use in your chosen applications.

OSFM STAFF UPDATES

Dr. Kate Short will be out of the office indefinitely to care for a family member who is undergoing medical treatment. We’ve assured her that we will take excellent care of those of you who have been under her care at One Sky Family Medicine. When you call the clinic to schedule your next visit, please call well in advance so that we can discuss your healthcare needs, check insurance compatibility have a bit extra time to help get you on the schedule at a time that works for you. You are also welcome to text Noel using the SpruceHealth app https://spruce.care/oneskyfamilymedicine or send us a message on the patient portal. We understand that this change is sudden, and that many of you have been with Dr. Short for many years. Please know that we’ll do our best to help you land with the right doctor for you and/or your family.

Our dear Dr. Lauren Whitaker is having a baby , and will be taking parental leave this fall and early next year. If you'd like to see her before her leave begins we suggest you schedule in August or September. As always, we'll be here to care for you while she's out of the office and will make sure she's up to speed on your health when she returns.

Dr. Mary Barret is about to finish her 2 year residency with OSFM and will be moving to Texas, starting her own practice and getting married! We're so lucky that she has agreed to provide telemedicine services for our patients here in WA during her transition out of state. We have a new resident joining the practice as well, stay tuned for an introduction in the fall. We are so excited that Dr. Alexandra Owen will be staying for a second year of residency.

This is a lot of staffing change, we wanted to let you know that we'll be doing our best to keep our scheduling running smoothly. It might take a bit longer to get an appointment this fall, and we ask for your patience as we navigate being short staffed. OSFM is conducting a search for another full time naturopathic physician and a medical assistant. Let us know if you know of anyone who would be a great fit!

Non-Covered Service Promo ending this week, website updates and a Big Welcome to our new MA!

183:906186916 (Tracy McDaniel) — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 04:00:48 GMT

Happy Spring! The Wildness of moving through this year into the green, stormy weather feels cathartic and clearing. We hope you are basking in the freshness of it all. We're writing to share some clinic news and remind you of our upcoming Non-Covered Services program implementation.

We're thrilled to offer an updated, simplified website . We hope that you'll be able to find all of your usual resources, but are still working on pulling through some of our most frequently used content from the previous site. Please let us know if you have a hard time finding anything! You'll notice that our COVID information has been consolidated and tucked away a bit, you'll find it under the Services tab now.

By now we're hoping you're up to speed on our Non-Covered Services rollout , coming May 1st. We've been touched and honored by the support we received in response to our announcement. Thank you. We were able to use our new website to make the process electronic and simple, you can now check out by signing up on the website. You'll be able to manage your subscription there as well, though that page isn't working quite yet. For those of you who sent in your forms on paper right away- Thank You and we'll load them up when your first payment is due. We were delighted to have several people offer to contribute extra in order to help establish a scholarship fund for people who need a little help covering the fee. If you'd like to contribute, choose the "donation" option on the check out page, you can choose as many $5 increments as you'd like to donate to the program monthly. Stay tuned if you'd like to be on the receiving end of this generosity!

This is the LAST WEEK to sign up for the monthly option before May 1st, 2022 and get the first 2 months for less than $2. Make sure to use the coupon code at checkout to get your discount. It seems to be hiding but it's there! Sign Up Here

For people who haven't signed up for on the the monthly options, on May 1, 2022 we'll begin collecting $45 at each visit. For a refresher on the program and what it's all about, see our Non-Covered Services page.

OSFM is looking for a new Medical Assistant ! Do you know of someone who would be a good fit? Someone fabulous. Please contact us at hello@oneskyfamilymedicine.sprucecare.com

We've updated our Visit Fees to be more consistent to help with planning the financial aspect of your care. Previously, our fees have been set to align with our insurance contracts. Now, we've simplified them and kept our cash-paying patients foremost in our mind and posted them more clearly on the website . These are the discounted fees that we offer for people paying cash at the time of their visit, and for whom we will not be billing insurance.

We're now formally out of network with United Healthcare, so people seeing us who have this insurance are now generally paying cash, getting a receipt and managing their reimbursement requests directly. If you happen to have United Healthcare's Apple Health Plan , keep in mind that you can switch your plan at any time of the year. We take Molina Apple Health. If you'd like to change, you can do so at the Washington State Healthcare Authority website.

Non-Covered Services Fee at OSFM

183:906186916 (Tracy McDaniel) — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 05:36:28 GMT

Hello dear OSFM family. We have news, and it’s been a long time coming… Over the past several years the practice of primary care medicine has been changing rapidly, in terms of both cost and complexity. You may or may not know that small, independent primary care practices are disappearing at an alarming rate. Most primary care practices today are owned and operated by large medical centers with significant resources, connected to and funded by their specialty clinics. We have spent the last several years trying to navigate how to survive and thrive in a model designed for large practices with doctors seeing more than 30 patients a day and who are doing 6–15-minute visits. That's not who we are.

At OSFM, we offer comprehensive, integrative, naturopathic family medicine. Doing so takes time, mindfulness, and resources in a way that is a mismatch with the current insurance model. We have found that we spend a sizable portion of each day providing “Non-Covered Services”, as they’re known in the healthcare world, and that doing so has begun to affect our ability to keep the clinic running smoothly. These Non-Covered Services are an important part of providing holistic care for you and your family. Rather than limiting these activities, we have decided to embrace them and more intentionally carve out staff time and resources to do them and do them well. To do this, we’ll need your help.

We have looked at this puzzle from every angle. We have crafted a solution and, in the process, gained clarity about what must be protected. We will:

Stay an independent practice, and are not interested in merging with one of the big institutions
Continue to accept insurance and manage insurance billing for the people we provide care for
Contract with insurance plans that reimburse adequately and will stop working with insurance plans that don’t
Prioritize health plans that cover people with lower incomes
Continue to provide affordable cash-pay options for people who do not use insurance to pay for their care
Manage our practice size and schedule to remain a “small practice” so we can continue to provide highly personalized care and schedule you quickly when you need a visit
Remain committed to protecting the length of our visits, allowing spaciousness so that we can cover what is needed rather than joining the race, making each doctor move faster, seeing more people in less time
Cultivate a clinic environment that allows us to be available to you during important medical milestones

So, what does this mean for you? Beginning May 1, 2022, we will be joining a movement among small practices intended to protect our way of providing care. We will be instituting a Non-Covered Services Fee for all patients in the practice. This out-of-pocket monthly or per-visit fee will cover the cost of administrative and care coordination services we provide that are NOT covered by your insurance. This is a hybrid approach, as we WILL continue to bill insurance as we always have for the health care services that they cover and will institute the Non-Covered Services fee only for non-covered services. We wanted to give you plenty of notice and time to plan and ask questions.

What are “Non-Covered Services”? Non-Covered Services are all the things we do that insurance plans will not pay for and which are complementary to our healthcare services. These services are not considered “medically necessary” by insurers or are not covered unless provided on the day of your visit. These Non-Covered Services are not direct patient care, but consist of the communication, administrative work, and care coordination services we provide to ensure that you and your family are receiving the most comprehensive and holistic wellness care we can offer. Some examples of these services include:

Portal messaging between visits with a provider. This has become a significant part of our care and a major way we communicate with people.
Administrative work such as completing sports physical forms, vaccine certificates, FMLA and disability paperwork when needed outside of a visit
Insurance coordination and support, including pre-authorizations for medications, imaging, and procedures, advocating for reimbursement based on medical necessity for naturopathic testing and treatment
Troubleshooting pharmacy and lab issues
Pandemic response, planning and education

Options. We know you each interact with us differently, so we have designed our approach to give you options. You can choose to pay at each visit or opt into a lower monthly payment that covers these services all year long.

Monthly Non-Covered Services Fee $29/month for an individual, $75/month max for a family. This monthly plan is for those of you who want to continue to get the collaborative care and services that you have come to expect from OSFM, without needing to come in for a visit or pay separately each time you have a question or need support.
Per-Visit Fee for Non-Covered Services $45/visit Some of you only see us rarely or come in for a visit each time you have a question or need support. You don’t message on the portal and hardly ever ask questions or need recommendations between visits. You don't need forms, lab or pharmacy help from us except right around the time of your visit. This may be the option for you. This per-visit-fee will be an add-on charge each time you have a clinic visit and will cover the usual burst of Non-Covered Services for 2 weeks after your visit.
Patients who are Self-Pay (no insurance) We’ve included the per-visit level of support built into the cost of the visit and patients will have 2 weeks of support following their visit included. This applies to situations where we will not be submitting any claim to a health plan. If you would like to have access to the Non-Covered Services between visits, we recommend choosing the monthly option.

You can find a copy of the Non-Covered Services Agreement HERE

If you select the Monthly option, consider signing up before May 1st and set up automatic payment and you will get the first 2 months free.

We deeply value the relationship we have with each of you. This shift will help us preserve our ability to tend you in a system that wants faster, bigger, more algorithmic healthcare when we KNOW that this time calls for exactly the opposite. Thank you for supporting us as we deepen our resilience and allow us to continue offering you the independent naturopathic primary care you want and expect.

For more information visit www.oneskyfamilymedicine.com , send us a message on the portal or give us a call if you'd like to talk more about these options.

Yours in Health,

The One Sky Family Medicine team

Dr. Blackham is Moving!

183:906186916 (Tracy McDaniel) — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 19:38:51 GMT

Naturopathic primary care in Wallingford

I'm grateful for the community of doctors and patients at One Sky Family Medicine who provided fertile ground for my growth as a naturopathic physician, and will miss the warm homey environment and friendly faces!

We'd like to congratulate Dr. Blackham who, after 2 years of residency and 1 year with us as a staff physician, will be leaving One Sky Family Medicine to start her own practice at Alder Grove Healing Arts Center in Wallingford. She will no longer see children under the age of 12 for primary care, but she will continue to see adolescents and adults for primary care and all ages for naturopathic adjunctive care.

Dr. Blackham will be seeing patients at OSFM through the end of January 2022, so now is a good time to schedule a visit to discuss your ongoing care options. If you would like to see Dr. Blackham at her new practice, please visit her website www.seattle-naturopathic.com for scheduling and contact information. Thank you for your years of service, Dr. Blackham, we wish you the best!

Lauren Blackham, ND

4010 Stone Way North Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98103

https://seattle-naturopathic.com/

drlaurenblackham@gmail.com
Ph: (206) 801-1741 Fax: (206) 456-2764

If you'd like to see one of the other physicians at OSFM, we'll be happy to match you with another OSFM doctor .

Hello from the Deepening Darkness

183:906186916 (Tracy McDaniel) — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 19:04:47 GMT

Comings and goings, boosters, covid vax for kids and a new contraceptive option!

December is almost here, we're nearing the longest dark night of the year. Doesn't that feel just about right? It's been good to be with you these last months, as we've had reprieve from pressure of the pandemic. Like you, we're watching this new Omicron Variant closely. Not sure yet what to make of it, but watching closely.

What's happening at One Sky? We're glad you asked!

Dr. Blackham is leaving to start her own practice
We've welcomed our new Resident Alexandra Owen, ND
Pediatric Covid-19 vaccine is here and available
Moderna vaccine in stock for primary doses and boosters
What?! A new low tech, non-hormonal birth control option. Very cool. We needed some good news!
Open Enrollment and the WA healthcare exchange updates and conundrums

It's been a delight to have Lauren Blackham, ND as a part of the OSFM team for 3 years now. She's completed her Residency, stayed with us for an extra year and is now launching her own practice in Wallingford. We'll miss her and wish her a smooth transition and all the best in her new endeavor. You can read more about her practice here .

We're thrilled to introduce our new Resident Alexandra Owen, ND . She graduated the ND program at Bastyr University in the Spring, though we've known her for quite some time as a student. Dr. Owen has a special skill for working with kids and is an excellent physician. We're so excited to have her with us for the next 2 years. You can read more about her here .

COVID news . Sheesh, can you believe we're still talking about COVID? We are talking about it in a different way, though, have you noticed? The conversations now are more about figuring out how we're going live with this virus rather than how to get rid of it, though our nervous systems are still debating the details.

In the meantime, we want to let you know that we have received our pediatric vaccine as well as plenty of booster. We now have:

Pediatric Pfizer for kids 5-11 years of age
Moderna vaccine for adults 18+, for their primary doses and boosters
We do not have vaccine for kids 12-18. That's still coming in packages of 1000+, we'll get it when they package for smaller clinics.

We're not doing "COVID vaccine clinics" at this point, because we have plenty of vaccine and have decided to integrate these appointments into our regular clinic day for now. Please make sure to select COVID Vaccine as your visit type when you search for an appointment online. If you need to come at another time of day, you can schedule it as an IMMUNIZATION visit, but know that you'll have to re-do your check-in once we get the visit scheduled properly. Moderna boosters are available for anyone who finished their primary series of Pfizer or Moderna 6 months ago, or J&J 2 months ago.

WA verify is the new, much easier website for accessing your COVID vaccine record online and getting a QR code . Please also remember to bring your card if you come for a second or booster dose of COVID vaccine so that we can update it for you.

We have plenty of flu vaccine . We've decided not to do a separate flu clinic this year but feel free to schedule a flu vaccine anytime. As always, we have preservative free, quadrivalent vaccine. We also have flu-mist this year for kids 2-19 years of age who are eligible.

New contraception? What is this strange new magic? When was the last time we had new contraception? It's been a WHILE! We look forward to hearing from those willing to share their experiences, but so far we're excited to share what we've learned about this simple approach to birth control. Phexxi was approved in 2020, and works using simple ingredients that acidify the vagina, creating an environment that keeps sperm from making it upstream. It is placed using an applicator and must be used within 1 hour of penis in vagina sex. Efficacy is pretty decent, though it offers no protection against sexually transmitted infections. Check it out on their website https://www.phexxi.com . It does require a prescription for now, which we're happy to do or you can use their online service.

Lastly, since it's open enrollment time, we wanted to give you a heads up that we're having some issues with our United Healthcare contract, and specifically expecting challenges with the healthcare exchange United Plans . We've had a direct contract with them for many years that has allowed us to continue to work with United when most other naturopathic practices have ended their relationship with the company due to poor reimbursement. This year it's looking like we may lose our "grandmothered" contract, at the same time the company is requiring a slew of new administrative work on the part of contracted doctors to act as gatekeepers of patient care. They're requiring their customers to have named PCP's to manage referrals and complete a complex pre-authorization process. To complicate matters, they're insistent on calling us "specialists" rather than "primary care providers". That means you'd need to have another doctor be your primary and refer you to us for specialty care, which is associated with higher copays and co-insurance. We wanted to let you know right away, because the United Exchange plan is the one we're hearing from folks complain about most. Commercial United plans through employers seem to be fine for now. Stay tuned for more information as we continue our negotiation.

It's difficult even for us to keep up to date on all the "sub-plans" but we think that the following Exchange plans are covering people's care here

Molina Marketplace
Premera Individual Exchange plans
Molina Apple Health
Coordinated Care Apple Health
Ambetter Individual Exchange plans (some question about this one too)

We encourage you to confirm that we're covered before you select your plan. You can double check out TIN 45-4855451 and NPI numbers are as follows (the top type 2 number is for the organization and the bottom type 1 numbers are the individual provider numbers:

OSFM group (type 2) NPI 1013268622

Barrett type 1 NPI 1194337097
Gray type 1 NPI 1639256027
McDaniel type 1 NPI 1427048651
Owen type 1 NPI 1669049961
Short type 1 NPI 1477974392
Whitaker type 1 NPI 1417401498

We hope that you and those you love are well connected and supporting each other, and that you find some peace, rest, and healing this Winter season.

Spring greetings and updates

183:906186916 (Tracy McDaniel) — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 19:44:54 GMT

Hello dear Ones, and happy almost-spring. What a glorious thing it will be to see the arrival of this new season, as we begin to see our COVID numbers fall and vaccinations rise. We're feeling such gratitude at the possibility that we may be able to gather together soon with loved ones, begin to unwind the tension, grieve losses, and look toward the waning of this pandemic with an eye toward rebuilding our lives and routines in ways that are ever more aligned with our values. We continue to be so honored to walk with you as you navigate all that has happened this past year.

Topics in our update...

COVID vaccine update
online group visits with Dr. Blackham
Telemedicine platform choice is made!
evening and weekend hours
phone system, texting and a secure app
pre-travel COVID testing
Welcome back Dr. Whitaker!

OSFM now has a functional system for delivering COVID-19 vaccine and we've given over 200 doses. Currently we are not receiving any vaccine as the DOH supplies the larger centers, but we hope and expect to have vaccine to offer again fairly soon. We keep our COVID-19 Vaccine page updated with the latest information, so make sure to check there for appointment availability, a link to the phase finder tool and links to other locations that have vaccine when we don't.

We've had so many meaningful conversations recently with people who are committing to their health in a new and deeper way. If this resonates with you, consider joining Dr. Lauren Blackham in her new online group-visit program "Establish the Foundations of Health" Dr. Blackham is offering a 6-week group course focused on establishing the foundations of health to foster joy, movement, community, healthy eating, and mindfulness. The group will meet virtually at 6:30-8 pm on Mondays April 5-May 10. The visits will be billed as medical visits – covered by insurance the way your visits are normally covered. This course will support you in making dietary and lifestyle changes that are challenging to make but have long-lasting and deep health benefits. We will cook together, practice mindful movement, and share and learn about beneficial lifestyle changes. During each visit you will have a brief individual check-in with the doctor to discuss your individual health goals. This group course is a great complement to your existing treatment plan. Please call the front desk during business hours to sign up: 206-363-5555.

We'd like to thank you all for your patience with us as we tried out several different telehealth options over the past couple of months. This felt like an important decision to get right, as we know that telemedicine is here to stay and we want the process to be smooth and reliable. We have chosen a platform that is integrated right into your Athena medical record, is accessible from the portal, allows access from your phone or computer, allows screen sharing and that allows us to have multiple people join the call. We've upgraded our internet speed, and think our new system will meet our needs and yours. You'll now be able to test your connection before entering the online "waiting room", please let us know if you need any help getting set up for your visit.

We're increasing our same day telehealth availability , so if you call with an acute concern we hope to be able to have someone available most days to do a visit right away. In addition Dr. Blackham is offering evening hours 3 days a week and seeing patients on the 2nd Saturday of each month.

Our phone system transition is pretty much complete as well. If you haven't already texted us, know that that is now an option. We'll send out a practice-wide invitation soon, but in the meantime you can call the clinic to set up texting or download our secure app. If you use the app then our messages will show up there. If you sign up for SMS, then they'll show up in your regular text feed but are accessible to anyone who can get to your text feed. Either way, it's quite secure on our end. You can also send us documents and photos this way, though we still prefer the Athena portal for medical images or sensitive documentation.

We've had several requests for COVID PCR testing for people who are going to fly on an airline that requires it . We do have the ability to do that in house in about an hour. The cost is $375 at the time of service and it will not be covered by insurance. For more information see this recent article from the Seattle Times , WA COVID Travel recommendations and CDC guidance.

In case you haven't heard, Dr. Whitaker is back from her parental leave and is in clinic Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. You can call to schedule or book online. We're sorry to say that baby Jack won't be attending your visits, but please trust us that he's just as fabulous as you'd expect. Welcome back Dr. Mama Whitaker!