FAQ

Prism Medical

41608 Indian Trail Rd

Rancho Mirage, CA 92260

760.278.1887

hello@prismpsp.com

Hours By Appointment Only

Basic Info

Is Dr. Buckle Accepting New Patients?

Dr. Buckle is currently accepting a limited number of new patients to ensure the highest quality of care. If you're interested in becoming a patient, we kindly ask that you complete a brief application. Following your application, we'll schedule a discovery call. This process helps us determine if our services align with your needs and ensure we're the right fit for you. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to potentially working with you.

To apply and be added to the waitlist, please Click Here.

Do You Take Walk-Ins?

Dr. Buckle does not take walk-ins; all services, including prescription pick-ups, are only by appointment.

What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine is a distinct healthcare approach that emphasizes the body's innate healing abilities and strives to find the root cause of illness rather than just treating symptoms. It integrates traditional natural therapies with modern scientific knowledge to promote optimal health and prevent disease.

What is a Naturopathic Doctor’s training?

Naturopathic physicians are clinically trained primary care physicians who have graduated from a four-year naturopathic medical school with a post-grad and undergrad background completed as well. In California, NDs are licensed and regulated under a supervising board.

Do you prescribe medication?

Yes! Licensed naturopathic doctors (NDs) are trained as primary care providers to diagnose, prevent, and treat acute and chronic illnesses. NDs complete rigorous education in pharmaceutical drugs during their four-year, science-based medical education, and they may prescribe medications when indicated as allowed by state regulations. However, naturopathic doctors typically don’t prescribe drugs at the first sign of symptoms or trouble.

Instead, NDs work with natural, less invasive therapies without strong side effect profiles before reaching for the prescription pad.

They support and enhance a patient’s innate capacity for healing with evidence-based therapies such as lifestyle modification, clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, and behavioral medicine, to name a few. Overall, naturopathic doctors believe that natural and conventional medicine are not mutually exclusive.

NDs are also trained to identify when and whether a patient is overmedicated and when prescriptions, OTC medicines, and supplements can be tapered off or discontinued.

What is the difference between an MD versus an ND?

There are similarities between MDs and NDs, but it mostly comes down to philosophy. Two major things to know:

• Naturopathic doctors (NDs) receive training in the same biomedical and diagnostic sciences as medical doctors (MDs) and osteopathic doctors (DOs). The difference primarily lies in philosophy and a naturopathic medical education curriculum which includes certain areas of study not covered in most conventional medical schools.

• Rather than just suppressing symptoms, naturopathic doctors will work to identify the root causes of a patient’s illness and develop personalized treatment plans to address them. Naturopathic doctors are trained in various modalities to optimize and restore health, such as nutraceuticals, IV nutrient therapy, pharmaceuticals, physical medicine, botanical medicine, lifestyle interventions, clinical nutrition, and hydrotherapy.

Can you be my Primary Care Physician?

As a naturopathic doctor, I am trained and licensed to be a primary care provider; however, I ask that you retain a separate PCP while working with me. This also makes the most financial sense for you. A PCP is responsible for ensuring regular screening exams and basic preventative health measures are met, which may become an out-of-pocket expense when performed by me.

Your PCP also serves as a point of contact for emergencies and emergent conditions, which my office is not set up for. My goal in working with you is to dive deeper into the aspects of your health, and I consider myself a specialist in integrative medicine in this role. As part of my care, however, I will also check in with you regarding the status of screening exams and can address acute care needs such as treating a cold or infection.

Financial

Do you take insurance?

We choose not to contract with any insurance companies. There are many reasons for this, but one of the most important is that the care Dr. Buckle provides will not be based on what an insurance company will and will not pay for but on what he believes is in your best interest. This allows us to provide you with the highest quality care possible.

For patients with health insurance, Dr. Buckle can provide a superbill (a document stating services rendered; diagnoses at the visit; pertinent CPT codes; charges for the visit, medications/supplements purchased, and additional services completed) for patients to send to their insurance companies for possible reimbursement once out-of-pocket payment is made.

Why Don't You List The Price For Every Procedure?

We understand that financial considerations are important when seeking medical care. However, we refrain from listing specific prices for each procedure on our website or to prospective patients who have not had a discovery call with Dr. Buckle. The reason is twofold: Firstly, it's essential to consult with Dr. Buckle to ensure that a particular treatment is indeed the best solution for your unique health concern. Secondly, in many cases, there might be a more cost-effective solution that not only aligns with your budget but is also more beneficial for your health. We believe in personalized care, and that extends to ensuring that you receive the most appropriate and economically efficient treatment for your needs.

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept Cash, Checks (established patients only), Apple Pay, and all major credit cards including Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express.

We also gladly accept Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) payment for patients that have that option.

Do you have financing available?

Yes, financing is available for all services that are offered at Prism Medical through Advance Care. Advance Care can offer six or fourteen months of zero percent interest with competitive rates.

If this is an option you would like to consider it takes 5 minutes to apply and once approved you would get a Advance Care card sent in the mail within 7-10 business days. Once received you can then pay for your treatment in-office so it is best to plan scheduling any appointments financed through Advance Care accordingly.

Treatment

Is PRP considered Stem Cell Therapy?

Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP) is not the same as Stem Cell Therapy. PRP uses the growth factors from a person’s platelets to stimulate tissue healing and without the addition of stem cell products.