New Members
Your guide to joining AnswersMD. From your first conversation to your comprehensive deep-dive visit and beyond, here's how we do things differently.
Most people have never experienced what a real doctor-patient relationship can be. Appointments that don't feel like a race against the clock. A physician who remembers not just your medical history, but your life. Someone who picks up the phone when you call.
At AnswersMD, we've built a practice around a simple belief: when your doctor has time to truly know you, everything changes. Problems get caught earlier. Care becomes proactive instead of reactive. And you finally have a partner, not just a provider, in your health.
"From the moment you join, you have a doctor with time for you. Not a call center, not a waiting list, not a runaround. A real person who knows your name and picks up the phone."
Dr. Douglas Shapiro, Founder
What follows is an overview of the comprehensive services we offer. But here's what matters: we tailor everything to you. Not every patient wants every test. Not everyone is comfortable with every procedure. We know that.
Your intake, your services, and your ongoing care are shaped by your needs, your preferences, and your goals. We guide, we recommend, we're here when you need us. But ultimately, you're in control. We're flexible, and we meet you where you are.
Your Journey
Every relationship starts with a conversation. Here's how the process unfolds.
A relaxed, unhurried call to learn about your health history, goals, and what you're looking for in a physician. We'll answer every question you have. No time limits, no pressure.
A complimentary face-to-face meeting with your prospective physician. This is about fit. You'll know quickly whether this is the right relationship for you.
Straightforward paperwork, no bureaucratic maze. Within minutes of enrolling, you'll have your doctor's direct cell phone number. Access begins immediately.
Your comprehensive welcome appointment. Full labs, imaging, physical exam, and the time to truly understand your health. This is where everything changes.
The Welcome Visit
The kind of comprehensive executive physical that people fly across the country for—built into your primary care. No waiting lists. No distant institutions. Just thorough, proactive medicine from a doctor who already knows you.
Your deep-dive is a multi-part process, not a single rushed appointment. It starts with an unhurried 90-120 minute consultation where your physician gets to know you—not just your symptoms, but your life. Your work, your family, your stressors, your goals. Because health doesn't exist in isolation.
From there, we map out your complete assessment: comprehensive labs, full-body MRI, specialist referrals, and any additional testing based on your age, gender, family history, and risk factors. This isn't a one-day event—it's the thorough foundation for everything that follows.
Minute initial consultation
Lab markers tested
Body MRI scan
Personalized health roadmap
You'll leave knowing exactly where you stand and what comes next.
Comprehensive Testing
Your welcome visit includes an extensive panel of laboratory tests that goes far beyond the standard annual physical. We're looking for patterns, not just problems.
Standard checkups often catch issues only after they've become serious. Our comprehensive panel establishes your baseline, identifies early warning signs, and gives us the data to practice truly preventive medicine.
Red cells, white cells, platelets, hemoglobin. The foundation of understanding your body's basic function.
Liver and kidney function, electrolytes, glucose. A complete picture of your metabolic health.
Beyond basic cholesterol. LDL/HDL particle size and count, triglycerides, Lp(a). The metrics that actually predict risk.
TSH, Free T3, Free T4, thyroid antibodies. Not just "is your thyroid working" but "is it optimal."
Your three-month blood sugar average. Catching diabetes and pre-diabetes years before symptoms appear.
hs-CRP, ESR, homocysteine. Chronic inflammation is linked to heart disease, cancer, and aging.
Vitamin D, B12, folate, iron, ferritin, magnesium. Deficiencies that affect energy, mood, and immunity.
Testosterone and estrogen. Optimizing hormones is key to vitality at every age.
PSA, CA-125, CEA, and others based on your individual risk factors. Early detection saves lives.
Additional testing such as genetic screening or autoimmune markers may be added based on your health history and risk factors.
Blood work tells part of the story. But some things, tumors, aneurysms, organ abnormalities, can only be seen. That's why every AnswersMD member receives an annual full-body MRI scan.
Unlike CT scans, MRI uses no radiation, making it safe to repeat year after year. This gives us a complete picture of your internal health and, critically, a baseline to track changes over time.
We've caught early-stage cancers, undiagnosed aneurysms, and silent organ issues during routine MRI screenings. Problems that, caught early, are treatable. Problems that, caught late, are not.
Identify tumors, aneurysms, and abnormalities before symptoms appear
Safe imaging technology you can repeat every year without concern
Establish your normal so we can detect even subtle changes over time
Know what's happening inside your body, not just what blood tests reveal
Before Your Visit
A few simple things to bring or think about before your deep-dive visit.
We'll request records from previous providers, but bring anything you have: recent labs, imaging results, specialist notes, hospital discharge summaries.
Write them down. That symptom you've been dismissing, that family history that worries you, that medication you've always wondered about. Now's the time to ask.
A complete list of everything you take: prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, supplements. Dosages matter. Bring the bottles if you're unsure.
After Your Deep-Dive
The deep-dive visit establishes our relationship. But the real value is what comes after: a physician who knows you, available whenever you need them.
Your doctor's actual cell phone. Text, call, or video anytime. Nights, weekends, holidays. Real answers from someone who knows you.
When you need to be seen, you're seen. No waiting weeks. Call in the morning, come in that afternoon. Your schedule, not ours.
Too sick to come in? Recovering from surgery? We come to you. At home, at the office, at your hotel. Medicine that meets you where you are.
We manage the referrals, share records, and follow up after every specialist visit. You're never navigating the healthcare system alone.
Take the First Step
It starts with a conversation. No commitment, no pressure. Just an honest discussion about your health and whether AnswersMD is right for you.
Start Your JourneyQuestions first? Get in touch or call 813-727-3233