Is Naturopathic Physician a regulated
health care profession in BC?
Yes. Naturopathic physician is a self-regulated profession
like medical doctors, and the regulatory body is The College of
Naturopathic Physicians of BC (CNPBC, formerly ANPBC). Naturopathic
Physicians are required complete strict medical education and
to pass licensing exams in order to practice in BC. They are also
required to obtain regular continuing education hours in order
to maintain their license.
What is Dr. Kwok's educational background?
Dr. Kwok received his Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND)
and Master of Science in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MSAOM)
from Bastyr University in Seattle. He was one of the only two
graduates who finished both degrees in four years. Dr. Kwok did
his undergraduate studies in Cell Biology and received his Bachelor
of Science (pre-med) degree from the University of British Columbia
How does Dr. Kwok's training and background
vary from other naturopathic physicians?
Currently Dr. Kwok is the only doctor in BC that has both naturopathic
physician license and doctor of traditional Chinese medicine license.
In addition, Dr. Kwok also has clinical training in Chelation
therapy, Ozone Therapy, NAET allergy treatment, and other intravenous
treatments.
Is Dr. Kwok also an MD?
No. Dr. Kwok is a naturopathic doctor (ND), not a medical
doctor (MD).
Is naturopathic medicine covered by the
Medical Services Plan (MSP)?
Provincial subsidies for naturopathic medicine were cut by the
liberal government on January 1, 2002. At present there is no
MSP coverage available for visits to an ND unless you are on premium
assistance. Please also know that there is only limited coverage
for premium assistance patients.
Will my extended health care plan pay for my visit, medication or treatments?
This varies depending on which extended health care insurance
company your employer has chosen and the particular plan you are
under. Check carefully and read the fine print. Most
plans are particular about what they will reimburse to their clients.
In general, most plans will reimburse 80% of the consultation
charge, some laboratory costs; but specific treatment (e.g. chelation,
iv treatment) and natural medicine are usually not covered.
What can I expect in my first consultation
with Dr. Kwok?
Dr. Kwok is a Naturopathic Physician and a traditional Chinese
medicine doctor. Dr. Kwok believes in a holistic medical
model, and looks at every aspect of your health from your diet,
lifestyle, environmental factors, stress factors, past medical
history, family history, and current medications and symptoms.
Dr. Kwok would perform necessary physical exams and also traditional
Chinese medical tongue and pulse diagnoses. After having all the
pertinent information, Dr. Kwok would then formulate a
treatment plan that is specific to you, including dietary/lifestyle
suggestion, natural medicine/treatment, or further tests.
The very first visit is intended for you to tell the doctor
your complete medical history and for the doctor to gather necessary
information in order to formulate the most effective treatment
plan for you.
If I go to Dr. Martin Kwok, can he guarantee
that he can help me?
A Naturopathic Physician, like medical doctors or any other practitioners,
will do all they can within their medical knowledge to help you.
No practitioner can nor will promise the patient a cure (not merely
symptom relief).
How many visits would I need for my condition?
In general, you can assume a fast recovery for acute illnesses,
and a longer treatment period for chronic ones. However, every
patient is unique and may respond differently to the treatment.
Therefore, the length of treatment and prognosis are best left
to be discussed between the individual patient and the doctor.
Is it safe to combine my prescription
drugs with naturopathic or traditional Chinese medicines?
This is an area that still requires a lot of research. In general,
it is safe to combine natural medicines with prescription drugs
when it is done under a physician’s guidance. It is
important to let Dr. Kwok know of all the prescription drugs and
supplements you are currently taking during your initial consult.
You should also inform the doctor if there are any medicine changes
in subsequent visits. Often as the body systems start to regain
their health/balance and be able to function on their own, the
need for pharmaceutical drug intervention may be decreased.
What if I have a question regarding
the visit or treatment plan?
Patients are encouraged to contact the clinic if they have any
question regarding the fees, medication or the treatment plan.
If you have a complaint, also don't hesitate to let us know.
We want to hear from you and find out what the concerns are, so
that we may provide you and future patients with better communication
and services.
