Frequently asked questions.
Do you bill insurance?
We accept Traditional Medicare. For patients with other insurance, services are offered on a direct-pay (cash-pay) basis. IPC does not bill private insurance directly, but we can provide a Superbill that you may submit to your insurance company for possible out-of-network reimbursement. You may also use Health Savings Account (HSA) funds for eligible services.
Laboratory tests, imaging, and other services performed outside IPC may be billed separately to your insurance by the facility providing those services.
What is integrative medicine?
Integrative medicine shifts the focus from simply treating disease to supporting health, healing, and well-being. Conventional medical treatments may be combined with evidence-informed complementary and mind-body approaches such as mindfulness, nutrition, breathing techniques, acupuncture, Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), and other neuroscience-informed therapies when appropriate.
By understanding each patient's medical history, goals, beliefs, culture, and lifestyle, we can develop a more personalized approach to care and help patients make meaningful, sustainable changes.
Core Principles of Integrative Medicine
Patient-centered care
The patient-provider relationship is collaborative and grounded in listening, empathy, trust, and respect for each patient's values and goals.Whole-person focus
Care considers nutrition, movement, sleep, stress, emotional well-being, relationships, environment, and lifestyle alongside symptoms, testing, and medical diagnoses.Integration of therapies
Conventional treatments, such as medications and medical therapies, may be combined with evidence-informed complementary approaches such as mindfulness, nutrition, breathing techniques, acupuncture, and mind-body practices when appropriate.Prevention and wellness
The goal is not only to manage symptoms but also to improve function, resilience, quality of life, and long-term health.Evidence-informed care
Recommendations are guided by available scientific evidence, clinical expertise, safety, and the individual patient's circumstances and preferences.
What conditions do you treat?
IPC provides care for a range of pulmonary, sleep, neuromuscular, neuroplastic and nociplastic conditions, as well as persistent symptoms that may benefit from a whole-person approach, including:
Pulmonary & Sleep Conditions
Persistent Asthma, including persistent symptoms despite guideline-based treatment
COPD, with a focus on improving function, symptoms, and quality of life
ALS/neuromuscular respiratory weakness
Diaphragm weakness, including respiratory weakness associated with Parsonage-Turner syndrome or due to an unknown cause
Obstructive sleep apnea
Recurrent bronchitis
Gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD-related respiratory disease
Nicotinedependence
Persistent & Neuroplastic Symptoms
Long COVID, including persistent shortness of breath, fatigue, and autonomic symptoms)
Chronic refractory cough
Breathing pattern disorder/dysfunctional breathing
Inducible Laryngeal Obstruction (ILO)/Vocal Cord Dysfunction (VCD)
Persistent shortness of breath despite reassuring evaluation
Post-viral symptoms,
Insomnia
Post-ICU Syndrome, including chronic fatigue, and persistent symptoms after critical illness
Post-polio syndrome
Anxiety with shortness of breath
Nociplastic & Chronic Pain Conditions
Temporomandibular Joint Pain (TMJ)
Who is the ideal patient?
IPC may be a good fit if you are looking for a whole-person approach to pulmonary health and healing and are interested in exploring how breathing, sleep, nutrition, stress, movement, and mind-body practices can influence your symptoms and overall well-being.
Many of our patients have undergone extensive testing or tried multiple treatments but continue to experience symptoms. Others have an established pulmonary condition but want to go beyond medications alone to improve their health, function, and quality of life. In some individuals, the nervous system can become sensitized and continue to generate or amplify symptoms even after the original trigger has resolved. When appropriate, we may use neuroscience-informed approaches, including Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), to help reduce fear around symptoms, restore a sense of safety, and improve function.
Our approach is especially suited to people who want to better understand their bodies, participate actively in their care, and explore evidence-informed strategies that support healing while avoiding unnecessary testing and treatment whenever appropriate.
What is the care philosophy at IPC?
IPC combines expert pulmonary medicine with evidence-informed integrative and mind-body approaches. Depending on your needs, care may include conventional medical treatment alongside breathing techniques, mindfulness and meditation, nutrition, sleep optimization, movement, stress regulation, Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), and other neuroscience-informed mind-body approaches.
We consider health across six interconnected areas: body, mind, spirit, social connection, sleep, and nutrition.
Our model emphasizes unhurried visits, careful listening, individualized care, and shared decision-making. We also help patients understand how the brain, nervous system, emotions, and past experiences can influence physical symptoms. When appropriate, we use approaches such as PRT to help patients change patterns of fear and threat associated with persistent symptoms and develop practical tools that support recovery and improved function.
What is Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)?
Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) is a neuroscience-informed mind-body approach developed to help people with certain forms of persistent or chronic symptoms. It is based on evidence that, in some people, the brain and nervous system can continue to generate or amplify symptoms even when there is no ongoing tissue damage that fully explains them.
PRT uses education, mindfulness, somatic awareness, and other techniques to help the brain interpret previously threatening sensations as safe. The goal is to reduce fear and hypervigilance around symptoms and help the nervous system develop healthier responses.
At IPC, these principles may be incorporated into a broader medical and integrative treatment plan after appropriate evaluation for underlying disease. PRT does not mean that symptoms are imaginary or “all in your head.” Rather, it recognizes that the brain and nervous system play an important role in how physical symptoms are produced and experienced.
Can I try IPC before committing?
Yes. We offer a free 20-minute introductory call with Dr. Sergew. There is no obligation. The call gives you an opportunity to discuss what you are looking for, learn more about IPC's approach, and determine whether the clinic is a good fit for your health goals.
How do I get started?
You can schedule a free 20-minute introductory call through the IPC website. After the call, we can discuss the type of visit or care approach that best fits your needs.