Integrative Primary Care in San Diego With a Connected Care Team
Good primary care should look at more than a list of symptoms. At Healthtopia, our integrative primary care in San Diego combines conventional medical care with attention to nutrition, lifestyle, hormones, supplements, and other factors that can affect how you feel.
You can establish a long-term relationship with a primary care provider while having access to integrative and naturopathic care within the same practice.
If you’re looking for a more connected approach to your health, call 760.230.1888 or book an appointment to get started.
What Does Integrative Primary Care Mean at Healthtopia?
Integrative primary care combines conventional medical care with additional attention to the factors that influence your health outside the exam room.
You still have a primary care provider who can diagnose conditions, prescribe medication, manage ongoing health needs, and order testing, while integrative and naturopathic providers can add another perspective when it supports your care.
Healthtopia was founded in 2018 by board-certified emergency physicians Dr. Joy Hardison and Dr. James Howard, with a goal of bringing conventional and integrative medicine closer together. Today, our team includes physicians, nurse practitioners, and naturopathic doctors who bring different areas of expertise to the same practice.
How Do Medical and Naturopathic Providers Work Together?
Depending on your needs, you may work with a medical provider, a naturopathic doctor, or both. An integrative doctor in San Diego can help connect conventional medical treatment with nutrition, lifestyle, and other complementary approaches when those perspectives are useful to your care.
Our medical providers handle conventional diagnosis, prescriptions, preventive care, and chronic disease management, while naturopathic doctors contribute nutrition, botanical medicine, supplement guidance, hormone care, and lifestyle support.
Because those providers work in the same practice, the different parts of your care stay connected to the same health history instead of developing in separate offices. Learn more about our approach.
MD, MPH
Dr. Joy Hardison
CEO, Emergency Physician, and General Practitioner
MD, MS
Dr. James Howard
COO, Emergency Physician, and General Practitioner
ND
Dr. Bridget Anderson
Chief of Staff and Naturopathic Doctor
ND
Dr. Alyssa Burnham
Residency Program Director and Naturopathic Doctor
What Conditions Can Integrative Medicine Help With?
People come to us for different reasons, from staying ahead of future health concerns to managing something difficult to improve with routine care alone. Your provider starts with what is happening now, then looks at the medical, lifestyle, and preventive factors that can help shape the next step.
Preventive and Ongoing Primary Care
Integrative primary care still includes the preventive and medical care you expect from a primary care practice. Annual visits, screenings, health monitoring, and ongoing management can all be part of your care, so you can work on long-term wellness without losing the practical medical care you need along the way.
Chronic Conditions and Risk Factors
Chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol require ongoing medical management, but daily habits matter, too. Medication management remains part of conventional care, while nutrition, activity, sleep, and other lifestyle factors can be addressed alongside it.
Hormone and Metabolic Concerns
Hormone and metabolic concerns can affect multiple areas of your health at once. When appropriate, we can consider symptoms, medical history, lab testing, nutrition, and lifestyle together when evaluating concerns related to hormone testing and replacement, thyroid health, weight, and metabolism.
Nutrition, Sleep, and Lifestyle Concerns
Nutrition, sleep, stress, and daily habits can all influence how you feel and function. If you’re looking for a holistic doctor in San Diego, our approach considers these factors alongside your medical history rather than treating them as separate concerns. Our holistic health services and wellness programs run through the same practice.
What Happens at an Integrative Primary Care Visit?
Your first visit starts with the reason you came in, not a checklist of everything that could possibly be wrong. We’ll talk through your current concerns and health history, then determine what additional information or testing would actually be useful.
Depending on your needs, your provider can review:
- Current symptoms and health concerns
- Medical history and existing diagnoses
- Prescription medications and supplements
- Recent lab work or testing
- Nutrition, sleep, activity, and daily routines
- Your health goals and priorities
- Whether additional testing or treatment is needed
You can leave with medical treatment, lifestyle recommendations, additional testing, or a combination of those steps, depending on what the evaluation shows.
Urgent care is also available through the same four San Diego clinics. If an illness or injury needs attention before your next primary care visit, you can stay connected rather than treating that episode as completely separate from your ongoing care.
Nearly 3,000 Patient Reviews Across Four San Diego Clinics
Choosing a primary care practice is about more than finding an office that accepts your insurance. You want to feel heard, understand what your provider is recommending, and know that your concerns will be taken seriously.
More than 2,900 patients have shared their experiences with our four San Diego clinics on Google, with location ratings ranging from 4.8 to 4.9 stars.
Testimonials
Does Healthtopia Accept Insurance for Integrative Care?
We are in-network with Medicare and most PPO plans for our medical providers, so integrative primary care delivered by physicians and other covered medical providers can often be billed through insurance. Coverage still depends on your individual plan and service, so call 760.230.1888 before scheduling if you’d like us to verify your benefits.
Naturopathic services are currently self-pay. New patient visits are listed at $300, while return visits range from $100 to $200, and many health savings accounts can be used toward these visits. Call before booking to confirm current pricing.
What Services Are Available at Each Healthtopia Location?
You can establish integrative primary care in San Diego at any of our four clinics:
All four locations offer access to conventional medical care alongside integrative and naturopathic services, although specific services vary by clinic. Our Encinitas location also provides on-site X-ray, splinting, and casting.
Virtual Care
Telemedicine is also part of our medical services, so ask when scheduling whether your visit can be completed virtually.
Mobile Primary and Urgent Care Throughout North County
We also provide mobile primary and urgent care throughout North County San Diego, at home, at work, or in skilled nursing, senior living, and assisted living settings. Call 760.230.1888 to learn more.
Ready to Establish Care?
You shouldn’t have to choose between a doctor who can write a prescription and a provider who will ask what you eat, how you sleep, and what else may be affecting your health.
Our integrative primary care brings those perspectives together within the same practice, so you can get the medical care you need while exploring additional approaches when they’re appropriate.
There is no membership or annual fee, and you don’t need a referral to get started.
Book an appointment online or call 760.230.1888.
FAQs About Integrative Medicine in San Diego
Do I need a referral or a membership to be seen?
No, you can book directly, and there is no annual fee or concierge program.
Do I have to see a naturopathic doctor for integrative care?
No, we have conventional medical providers with integrative backgrounds as well as naturopathic doctors, so the right provider depends on the type of care you need.
Will an integrative provider recommend supplements?
Supplements can be discussed, but recommendations should account for your medications, medical history, and other treatments, because natural products can still cause side effects or interactions.
What is the difference between integrative and naturopathic medicine?
Integrative medicine is the broader approach of coordinating conventional care with complementary strategies, while naturopathic medicine is a specific form of care provided by licensed naturopathic doctors. We offer both within the same practice.
Can Healthtopia be my actual primary care provider?
Yes, this is full primary care, including annual physicals, screenings, chronic disease management, prescriptions, and referrals to specialists when you need them. You don’t need to keep a separate doctor for the conventional side.