Bright-eyed students and faculty aren't the only ones filling Bastyr University California's new campus this fall. The new Sorrento Valley campus also sees the opening of a health clinic led by university faculty.
Bastyr University Clinic opened to the public last month, offering a full range of primary care services. Patients will meet with licensed naturopathic doctors (NDs) who address all aspects of family health. The clinic begins with two primary doctors and two examination rooms.
"We see this as phase one," says Moira Fitzpatrick, PhD, ND, FICPP, CHT, vice president for Bastyr University California. "We're going to provide excellent comprehensive health care and teach our students at the same time. As the university grows, the clinic will expand."
Diverse Services
Bastyr Clinic provides both naturopathic medicine, based on the body's natural ability to heal, and integrative medicine, which combines conventional and traditional medicine. The clinic's services include nutrition counseling, botanical medicine, physical medicine, mind-body medicine, intravenous (IV) protocols, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, craniosacral therapy and energy medicine. It also specializes in women’s health care, including hormonal support and annual exams.
Bastyr purchased the successful San Diego practice of Monique Mazza, ND, who joins the university as a clinical faculty member. The arrangement gives the clinic an existing base of patients and provides Dr. Mazza's patients with continuity of care.
"I'm excited to provide cutting-edge naturopathic health care to new and existing patients alike," Dr. Mazza says. "At the new clinic we'll have the added benefit of an integrative multi-disciplinary approach."
She says first-time patients will receive a comprehensive 90-minute initial evaluation and relevant laboratory examinations and testing. "Patients can expect our naturopathic doctors to be outstanding listeners and medical detectives who will discover and treat the underlying root causes of their health challenges," she says.
Collaborative Care
Clinical training is a core element of naturopathic medicine education, giving students practical experience alongside their classroom learning. Dr. Mazza and clinical faculty member Heidi Wittmann, ND, will provide patient care with student observation. As students advance in their program, they become more involved in patient care.
This mirrors the team care model at Bastyr's Seattle teaching clinic. The collaborative approach offers patients the expertise of doctors from diverse fields, Dr. Fitzpatrick says. Before moving to San Diego, she founded Emerald Center for Integrative Medicine, a well-known clinic in Seattle.
"For collaboration to work, you have to remember the patient is at the center of the team," she says. "The team has to communicate. That's why I think a training clinic is the best model for integrative care. It's one way to help get the egos out of it. We allow for diversity of opinion, but it always comes back to the best interest of the patient."
How to Visit
Bastyr Clinic is cash-based and offers 20 percent discounts to seniors and students. It also offers an income-based sliding fee scale to individuals and families. For appointments and other questions, please call (858) 246-9730 or visit the Bastyr University Clinic webpage.
