I am a frequent flyer and often read their magazine with interest, Spirit. For several years now, there have been ads about this treatment center, Sierra Integrative Medical Center. for the last year, they have described diagnosing and treating patients that have lyme. (I am sure this is O.K. to post as that they take out a full page advertizement.)
Well, I am curious, since they describe patients by name, and show their pictures, are any of their patients posting here?
They have clinics in Reno and Chicago. Anyone care to share their expereinces either in a post or pm as appropriate?
I am curiouse! And again, for those of in the Moutain West, with limited resources, this could be another option, if they truly are helpful.
jif
Posts: 208 | From Santa Fe | Registered: May 2006
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posted
Found this in the archives....very old thread but wondering anyone know more about this organization???
Online googling seems inconclusive and questionable. YouTube has a video interview with country singer Randy Travis claiming this center, but more specifically Dr. Alex Duarte, saved his life...supposedly from lyme.
The current website for this treatment center features a picture and testimonial from Randy Travis but never mentions lyme disease or Dr. Duarte. The written testimonial mentions allergies(???)
The only doctor presented on the website is Dr. Bruce K. Fong. Found a few complaints online alleging that Fong is supposedly a frontman doctor/director whose mother allegedly founded the center, and complaints were filed against her where she ultimately surrendered her medical license which is presumably alleged to be associated with her son taking over the center.....though there were other sites that raised questions as to whether or not his mother ever really was the center director and may have been just the research director or something like that. It all sounded strange and skeptical which is why I am posting here to ask if anyone knows anything legitimately about this organization.
The article(s) about complaints filed alleged expensive treatments were provided through untrained staff....referencing one at $80,000 in treatments.
However, the website does state the initial consult is $350 which sounds typical and within range of what many doctors charge, but then it says something about about intake appts being 3-5 days with extensive testing that can range from $200-$2,500 dollars and infers unlikely that costs will be paid by insurance(s) as testing and treatments are outside of mainstream. None of that is unusual for lyme so that part didn't shock me.
However, it did bother me that only one doctor (Fong) is listed as affiliated with this center.
I felt compelled to post an inquiry to ask if anyone knows more about this center. Has anyone been treated, helped, hurt here???
After seeing the Randy Travis YouTube endorsement I was intrigued to learn more and really tempted further when I found this thread on LymeNet inferring it is reasonably priced treatment on the west coast.
I just hate to see any of us getting taken advantage of. There are honest providers out there who are truly trying to help patients like us. Maybe the Sierra Center is among them, but there is information onlinge suggesting otherwise as well.
Perhaps when Dr. Duarte (who apparently treated Randy Travis?) was there it was a better run facility? Information I found showed that in 2007 this center was in legal proceedings to organize their financial structure....one of the bankruptcy provisionals.
From every thing I have seen on Randy Travis I don't think he would endorse an organization he doesn't believe in. He is a strong man of faith so his endorsement will be significant to anyone who knows his life story. Maybe he was treated some time ago, before Bruce Fong took over the center. Perhaps when Dr. Duarte was affiliated with it that it was a more legitimate center.
Just posting a few of links I found to help others who may later be researching to find out more about this organization. I hope it is more credible than a few of these links suggest. Does anyone on LymeNet have personal recent experience with this organization? If so, it would be great to clarify about this organization.
If this center has become a sham after Randy Travis' treatment there, hopefully someone with connections can let Randy Travis know so he can have his endorsement taken off their homepage.
I would love nothing more than to read glowing personal testimonials from LymeNet members that they know of others who were helped by this organization!
Posts: 495 | From SF Bay area, CA | Registered: Dec 2007
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sparkle7
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10397
posted
Just because a celebrity is treated someplace & endorses it doesn't mean it's a good place for everyone to go...
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
Don't go there. It is all a big money-making racket now.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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posted
thanks everyone for adding more context to this....having LymeNet as a resource so incredibly valuable for us to check things out like this....thanks again and many will know now to steer clear of this one.
Posts: 495 | From SF Bay area, CA | Registered: Dec 2007
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
You're welcome. If you have any more questions, feel free to private message me. But I can just sum it up by saying it is not worth the time and definitely not worth the money.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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