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Welcome to Thrive

THRIVE is a collaborative platform of conventional, integrative, & functional medicine practitioners coming together in one setting to provide personalized healthcare to clients.
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6401 Carnegie Blvd, Suite 2A, Charlotte, NC 28211

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Medical Marketing: The Big Business of Healthcare

Healthcare is big business. Americans spend more on medical services and products than consumers in other countries. In 2021 healthcare costs increased by over 4% to $4.3 trillion or $12,530 per person. This now accounts for 19.7% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The problem is health care costs are growing faster than the economy. Given the events of the past few years, one might think spending increases were related to the pandemic, but this is not the case. Most of the increases in spending were indirectly related to a massive increase in marketing, especially direct-to-consumer marketing. It is estimated over 30 billion dollars will be spent on direct-to-consumer marketing in 2021. Such promotions can be seen in drug advertising with disease-awareness campaigns. These have grown exponentially...

Now Hiring: Certified Medical Assistant

Thrive is looking to hire a Certified Medical Assistant to join our outstanding staff.  The job requires assisting our medical team in delivering the highest quality of care in our integrative and functional medicine practice.  Accountability, flexibility, and good interpersonal skills are vital to success in this position.  Essential functions include but are not limited to the following: Provide direct assistance to physicians Greet patients, take vital signs and confirm the purpose of visit or treatment Administer immunizations and medications Complete clinical documentation of patient history, examinations, and records Prepare and stock patient exam rooms Prepare laboratory specimens and personal basic laboratory tests Check supplies, place orders, and confirm delivery Support the practice in a team environment Hours:  7:30 am to 4:30 pm and/or 8:00 am...

The Hidden Cost of Healthcare and What Your Insurance is Really Getting You

It’s no secret that the American healthcare system has issues.   With over 63% of Americans disapproving of how health insurance currently works. But beyond the general frustration, how can you tell what your insurance covers and if you’re getting what you’re paying for?   The confusing language in healthcare insurance policies and a lack of education on what is and isn’t included means many Americans don’t know what their health insurance covers. While all health insurance plans are different and you should read your plan thoroughly, there are some basic costs most patients must pay:   Copay A copay is a small fee you pay for certain healthcare services while your insurance pays the rest of the cost. This usually covers general doctor visits, emergency room visits, and prescription drugs, though...

Pros and Cons of the 7-minute doctor’s visit

Depending on your medical needs, the 7-minute doctor’s visit could be a time-saving relief or a frustrating experience. This type of appointment is usually a general checkup, though you could also get a 7-minute doctor’s visit when you aren’t feeling well and need a prescription from the doctor. Before you schedule a 7-minute doctor’s visit, there are some pros and cons worth considering.   Pros   The most obvious advantage of this appointment type is that it saves you time. Research from Harvard Medical school found the average medical visit takes 121 minutes. However, most people only see the actual doctor for 20 of those 121 minutes while the rest is administrative time or due to other appointments running long, increasing the wait time of patients with appointments later...

We’re Nuts about staying Healthy – Here’s Why

Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t. Nuts are a great way to get a dose of heart-healthy fat, as well as a mix of valuable vitamins and minerals.  The National Center for Biomedical Information states that “by virtue of their unique composition, they are likely to beneficially impact health outcomes.”  Research suggest that regular nut consumption is unlikely to contribute to obesity and may even help in weight loss!  But that doesn’t mean that you should eat handful after handful.  Instead (like most things), moderation is key. Ideally, a serving  should be about the size of a golf ball. All nuts are not created equal. Many are high in fat content. They are one of the natural plant foods richest in fat.  Nuts are beneficial because...

Secrets to Winter Health and Energy

SECRETS TO WINTER HEALTH AND ENERGY Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupuncture and Qi Gong practices believe that human beings should live in harmony with their environment and seasons.  Each season represents an “element” and we have specific ways to balance, restore, maintain and boost your immune system and create harmony in this time of the year.  These treatments and dietary recommendations can help ward off the common cold, flu and help alleviate the blues and depression that can be called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) due to lack of sunshine and exposure.  Some of the best parts of acupuncture are its “side effects”.  These include stress reduction, increase energy and help with sleep disorders such as insomnia. TCM and the winter season: Everything in nature is both Yin and...

Eat Greens Every Day and Build an Internal Rainforest

  Have you ever gone through your week, and realized that you didn’t eat any greens? I used to do this and then would crowd in a salad here or there thinking that was enough. But was it enough?  NO!  We should be eating greens EVERY day, with EVERY meal.  Sounds strict, and I know a plate of greens isn’t as much fun to eat as a plate of French fries.  Let’s move past what our taste buds want and move forward to what our bodies need as a WHOLE. We need greens.  Greens help build your internal rainforest and strengthen the blood and respiratory system.  They act as a systemic purification, or detoxification, for our body, and help to balance our internal pH.  Dark, leafy greens are essential...

Exercise and Brain Health

[caption id="attachment_4816" align="alignleft" width="300"] Dr. Amy Fletcher[/caption] As we age maintaining a sharp mind gains increasing priority. We devote a lot of time focusing on optimal nutrition, gut health, immune support, and chronic disease prevention. Over the past several decades, our understanding of the brain and neurocognitive health has dramatically expanded. We are becoming more aware of the key factors that help determine the health of the brain. One of the most important factors for optimal brain health is a compound known as BDNF. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, is a primary brain protein or neurotrophin that directly influences brain function as well as peripheral nerve function and mental health. One way to think about BDNF is as a “brain fertilizer”. It helps to optimize how your brain works...

Functional Medicine is Designed for the 21st Century Patient

Functional Medicine is Designed for the 21st Century Patient If you are standing on a tack no amount of aspirin or pain medication will make the discomfort of the tack completely disappear. The medicine will only subdue the pain temporarily.  You must remove the tack to allow the discomfort to abate. If you are standing on two tacks removing only one is not enough to make you feel better. You must address both triggers to be completely free of the pain. Functional Medicine does this. Unfortunately, our current medical system addresses disease just this way. Instead of getting to the root cause of a problem, symptoms are simply treated with disregard for what is causing the problem in the first place. When a disease process has multiple symptoms...

How Sleep Apnea Impacts Cognitive function

[caption id="attachment_4826" align="alignleft" width="300"] Article by Harlee Palmer, PA-C[/caption] Sleep Apnea is a much more serious health issue that has major effects on metabolic health and brain function. Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the throat intermittently relax and block the airway. This causes snoring and a pause in breathing. The frequency of sleep apnea increases with age, obesity, alcohol use, male gender, cigarette smoking, hypertension, and diabetes. Sleep disorders do more than make one feel tired the next day. Studies show that when oxygen levels decrease, our brain takes a big hit—executive function declines, as well as our deductive reasoning skills. Brain imaging shows decreased volume in a part of the brain called the hippocampus and reduces gray matter. This can lead to hormonal imbalances, inflammation, and...

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