Frequently asked questions
Costs, referrals, insurance and what happens on a first appointment. If your question is not here, write to us.
01
Costs and insurance
Can I come with statutory health insurance?
Yes, expressly. Everyone is welcome here. We invoice privately, with statutory insurance you pay for treatment yourself. Many people choose this deliberately because they get more time, more diagnostics and one person who sees them through.
What does a treatment cost?
We invoice privately. The cost depends on the time involved and the treatment, and is discussed with you before your first appointment. If you would like an overview in advance, just write to us.
Will my insurance cover the cost?
Whether and to what extent the cost is covered by your health insurer or Beihilfe, the German civil-servant health subsidy scheme, depends on your personal tariff and the terms of your policy. Please clarify possible reimbursement directly with your insurer before treatment begins, we have no influence on their decision. If you have questions about the planned treatment, invoicing or the expected cost, do talk to us before your appointment. Subsequent changes to services already provided and invoiced are not possible. You receive an invoice from us that you can submit. Regardless of any reimbursement by your insurer, the invoice is payable in full within 14 days.
How do I get my invoice, and how can I pay?
The invoice comes by email only, not by post, so you can submit it to your insurer directly or print it as often as you like. Payment on site is currently not possible. The payment term is 14 days.
02
The first appointment
Do I need to fill anything in before the first appointment?
Yes, and it is worth it. Beforehand we send you two documents by email: our intake questionnaire and the treatment agreement. In the questionnaire you mark where it hurts and answer questions about the history, previous treatment, medication, sport, sleep and load. Both completed and signed back to info@functional-med.de, then your first appointment belongs entirely to the examination and the treatment.
What do I need to bring to the first appointment?
Nothing. All that matters is that the intake questionnaire has reached us beforehand, we send it to you by email after you register. If you have previous findings or images, you are welcome to bring them; it is not necessary.
Do I already need a prescription for the first appointment?
Officially a doctor's prescription is required for treatment. You can hand it in afterwards, what matters is the date on it. As a self-paying patient you need no prescription and can come straight away. If you are unsure, write to us: we settle it with you personally before you make an appointment.
How long does a treatment take?
That depends on the therapy and the findings and cannot be stated in general. We discuss it with you before the first appointment takes place and shape the session around what makes sense, not around a fixed grid.
What happens at the first appointment?
First we listen: what happened, what hurts, what needs to work again. Then the examination, clinical tests, mobility, stability and the whole movement chain. We include any existing findings. In the vast majority of cases we treat in the same session, and you go home with a clear plan and first exercises.
What does a treatment session include?
Four things: a thorough initial examination, a working hypothesis derived from it, the treatment itself, and individual guidance on what you can do at home. The last point matters to us, it often decides how quickly you get back to where you want to be.
How often do I need to come?
That depends on the findings. For an acute restriction one treatment can be enough. For longer-standing complaints we plan in blocks and after a few appointments look together at where we stand. We tell you from the start what to expect.
03
Appointments
Can I get an appointment at short notice?
For acute complaints we do our best to see you the same day. The registration form reaches us around the clock, and urgent enquiries are read at the weekend too.
Do you also treat at the weekend?
Our regular hours are Monday to Friday from 7 am to 8 pm. At the weekend the practice is closed, but urgent enquiries are handled even then: send us an enquiry with acute complaints, we take care of it and find the next possible appointment together.
Can I ask for a particular therapist?
Yes, just enter your preference in the booking form. We try to accommodate it. For short-notice appointments someone else from the team may take you on, all our therapists treat the full spectrum.
How do I cancel an appointment, and is there a cancellation fee?
Send us an email. We ask you to cancel at least 24 hours in advance. For later cancellations, or if you do not appear, the full amount is charged. This is also stated in the confirmation you receive from us after registering.
04
Treatment and practice
Do you also treat children or pregnant women?
That is not our focus, we concentrate on adults. Do get in touch, and we will point you to a suitable practice.
Do you treat in English?
Yes. A large part of our team studied or worked abroad and treats in English as a matter of course.
How do I get to you, and where can I park?
The practice is at Heilwigstraße 31A, in the red brick building right on the roundabout between Maria-Louisen-Straße and Heilwigstraße, please use the right-hand of the two entrances. Two marked parking spaces are directly in front of the practice. Further options in Isestraße (one-way street) and in Heilwigstraße across the bridge; electric charging points at Isestraße 143. By bus: Streekbrücke stop, line 19, right outside the building. By underground: Klosterstern (U1) or Eppendorfer Baum (U3), each a short walk.