What Makes a Good Functional Medicine Doctor?

How to find an integrative medicine practitioner who combines medical expertise with a whole-person approach to healing

When my wife Amy was struggling with mysterious symptoms after our youngest son's birth—joint pain, profound fatigue, and a parade of traditional doctors who dismissed her concerns as the complaints of an "old mom"—we learned firsthand what it means to need a doctor who sees the whole picture. 

It wasn't until a nutritionist suggested she might have developed celiac disease that we found answers. Six weeks on a gluten-free diet, and her symptoms disappeared.

That experience, among others, led me to transition from emergency medicine after 25 years and pursue integrative medicine. It taught me that finding the right functional medicine doctor can be transformative—but not all practitioners in this field are created equal.

With functional and integrative medicine moving into the mainstream, patients have more options than ever. But after more than four years running my integrative medicine practice, I think it’s time to revisit a fundamental question: how do you know if your functional medicine doctor is truly effective? 

The answer matters deeply, especially for those managing chronic conditions like digestive disorders (such as SIBO), diabetes, heart disease, or autoimmune conditions that conventional medicine often struggles to address comprehensively.

What sets functional medicine apart

Functional medicine represents a fundamental shift in how we approach health and illness. Where conventional medicine excels at acute care—fixing a broken bone, fighting an infection, managing a heart attack—it often falls short with chronic, complex conditions that have multiple contributing factors and are impacting multiple body systems.

A functional medicine doctor operates from a different paradigm entirely. Instead of asking "What drug matches this symptom?" they ask "Why is this person sick in the first place?" This root-cause approach, combined with viewing each patient as a unique individual rather than a collection of symptoms, forms the foundation of effective functional medicine practice. Your body has an amazing ability to heal itself and the job of a good doctor is to determine what is out of balance and provide the support to re-establish that equilibrium. 

The American Board of Integrative Medicine defines this approach as care that "reaffirms the patient–practitioner relationship, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence, and uses all appropriate therapeutic approaches to achieve optimal health and healing." 

In practical terms, this means your functional medicine doctor should be combining proven conventional treatments with evidence-based complementary therapies and lifestyle interventions.

Why time with the patient matters

One of the most telling indicators of a quality functional medicine doctor is how much time they spend with you. Research consistently shows that integrative physicians spend significantly more time with patients—often twice as long as conventional doctors during follow-up visits.

This isn't just about customer service. A 2020 randomized trial compared standard 30-minute primary care visits with expanded 60-minute integrative consultations for patients with GERD (acid reflux). The same physician saw patients in both settings, so the only difference was the visit style. The results were remarkable: patients who received the longer, integrative-style visits had significantly greater symptom improvements over the following weeks.

When researchers analyzed video recordings of these visits, they discovered something fascinating. The integrative consultations showed distinct interaction patterns—the doctor appeared more engaged, friendly, and relaxed, with more eye contact and open body language. The patients, in turn, were more responsive and engaged. This deeper quality of interaction didn't just make people feel better; it actually activated better healing responses.

The lesson is clear: when a functional medicine doctor takes time to truly understand your story, it's not just about building rapport—though that matters too. It's about gathering the comprehensive information needed to identify root causes and develop personalized treatment plans.

When evidence-based care meets holistic medicine

A skilled functional medicine doctor must walk a careful line between innovation and evidence. They should be grounded in solid medical science while remaining open to therapies that conventional medicine might overlook. This means using treatments from both conventional medicine and complementary modalities, but only those with reasonable basis in research or clinical evidence.

For example, an effective functional medicine doctor treating Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) might combine standard antibiotics like rifaximin with herbal antimicrobials that have shown similar efficacy in studies, while also implementing dietary changes and stress reduction techniques that address underlying causes. 

A recent clinical study in Spain demonstrated this comprehensive approach—combining conventional antibiotics with herbal treatments and personalized low-FODMAP diets—led to dramatic improvements in patients' quality of life, even when follow-up breath tests hadn't completely normalized.

This evidence-based approach extends to staying current with research. The field of integrative and functional medicine is rapidly evolving, with new insights emerging about the microbiome, nutrient biochemistry, and environmental influences on health. A good functional medicine doctor invests in continuing education and can explain the rationale behind their recommendations.

Food as medicine

Perhaps nowhere is the difference between functional and conventional medicine more apparent than in the emphasis on lifestyle factors. While a conventional doctor might briefly mention diet and exercise, a skilled functional medicine doctor views these as primary therapeutic tools. The simple fact is that nutrition, as an in depth course, is taught in less than 30% of medical schools today. It is one of the reasons I went ‘back to school’ to learn about the principles of integrative medicine in my mid 50s. 

Research shows that 84% of integrative physicians use nutritional protocols to support their patients' health. This makes sense when you consider that many chronic diseases—diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune conditions, digestive disorders—have strong connections to diet, stress, sleep, and other lifestyle factors.

A quality functional medicine doctor will dive deep into your nutritional patterns, often spending significant time discussing not just what you eat, but when, how, and why you eat. They understand that "food as medicine" isn't just a catchy phrase—it's a clinical reality supported by extensive research.

Take diabetes management as an example. Studies have shown that intensive lifestyle programs can reverse type 2 diabetes in many patients. Combining diet, exercise, stress management, and group support could actually reverse coronary artery disease. A functional medicine doctor skilled in metabolic health will leverage these findings, tailoring nutrition plans and lifestyle interventions alongside appropriate medications or supplements.

The importance role of coaching in functional medicine

The patient-doctor relationship in functional medicine should feel fundamentally different from conventional care. Instead of the traditional authority-based dynamic where the doctor prescribes and the patient follows orders, effective functional medicine creates a partnership.

Your functional medicine doctor should see themselves as your guide and support system, helping you become an active participant in your healing process. This coaching mindset manifests in several ways: they take time to explain the rationale behind each recommendation, discuss pros and cons of different approaches, and involve you in decision-making about your care.

Research on health coaching consistently shows that patients who feel empowered and supported are more likely to adhere to treatment plans and achieve better outcomes. Cleveland Clinic's Center for Functional Medicine runs group medical appointments that combine physician care with peer support, and studies show participants achieve greater improvements in quality of life, mental health, and weight loss compared to those receiving only individual visits.

The coaching relationship should feel warm, empathetic, and optimistic while remaining realistic. A good functional medicine doctor won't make grandiose promises but will provide encouragement and honest communication about what is and isn't known about your condition.

Managing complex chronic conditions

Functional medicine originated to address the gaps in chronic disease care, so your doctor should demonstrate particular expertise in complex, multifactorial health issues. 

Many effective functional medicine doctors are board-certified in a primary specialty like internal medicine or family medicine and have additional certification in functional medicine through organizations like the Institute for Functional Medicine. Personally, I did a fellowship in Integrative Medicine through the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine in San Diego. 

While credentials alone don't guarantee excellence, they do indicate a commitment to specialized training in this approach.

For digestive issues like SIBO, IBS, or inflammatory bowel conditions, your doctor should understand the complex interplay between gut microbiome, diet, stress, and immune function. For metabolic conditions like diabetes or obesity, they should be able to address not just blood sugar and weight, but underlying factors like insulin resistance, inflammation, and hormonal balance.

Testing and prudent investigation

Functional medicine often involves more comprehensive testing than conventional medicine—detailed nutritional assessments, gut microbiome analysis, food sensitivity testing, or hormone panels. However, a skilled practitioner exercises clinical judgment about which tests will actually guide your care.

Beware of doctors who routinely order extensive, expensive test panels without clear justification. A good functional medicine doctor should be able to explain why each test is relevant to your case and how the results will influence your treatment plan. They prioritize tests that are most likely to provide actionable information, especially if you have budget constraints (If you’re interested in what we test for at Dignity Integrative, here’s how we approach holistic blood and lab testing).

Similarly, effective functional medicine doctors know when to refer to specialists or recommend conventional treatments. If you have heart disease, a skilled integrative cardiologist might combine lifestyle interventions and targeted supplements with appropriate medications, rather than pushing you to abandon proven conventional therapies entirely.

Red flags: when to look elsewhere

Not all functional medicine practitioners meet these standards. Several warning signs should prompt you to consider other options.

Be cautious of doctors who feel more like supplement salespeople, pushing expensive proprietary products without a clear rationale. While supplements can play important roles in functional medicine, ethical practitioners prioritize which ones you actually need and avoid overwhelming you with dozens of monthly bottles.

Similarly, be wary of practitioners who guarantee cures or promise quick fixes for complex chronic conditions. America has a long history of ‘snake oil’ salesman peddling miracle cures—and they’ve always found a ready group of hopeful patients willing to believe this is possible. 

Responsible doctors will be optimistic while remaining honest about uncertainties and the effort required from both doctor and patient. As I’ve said, many of the recommendations in functional medicine may be simple, but they’re not easy!

Extreme approaches should also raise red flags—drastic "detox" programs, very high-dose treatments without proper monitoring, or recommendations that seem dangerous or unsupported by medical literature.

Evidence for effectiveness

The patient experience benefits of functional medicine are clear, but does this approach actually improve health outcomes? Growing research suggests it does, particularly for chronic conditions.

A large study at Cleveland Clinic compared patients treated in functional medicine clinics versus conventional family practice. After six months, functional medicine patients showed significantly greater improvements in global physical health scores, with gains sustained at twelve months. The functional medicine model's focus on lifestyle changes and root causes appeared to enhance overall health-related quality of life.

For specific conditions, the evidence is equally encouraging. Integrative approaches to digestive disorders like SIBO show particular promise when combining conventional antibiotics with herbal antimicrobials and dietary interventions. Diabetes and heart disease respond well to the intensive lifestyle focus that functional medicine provides. Even complex conditions like autoimmune disorders often improve when underlying triggers—whether dietary, environmental, or stress-related—are identified and addressed.

Finding your partner in health

Choosing a functional medicine doctor is ultimately about finding a healthcare partner who sees you as a whole person, not just a collection of symptoms. The best practitioners combine solid medical training with genuine curiosity about what makes you unique. They take time to understand your story, create personalized treatment plans based on evidence, and support you in making sustainable changes that address root causes of illness.

The field of functional medicine represents medicine's return to its roots—the healing relationship between doctor and patient, the recognition that health encompasses far more than the absence of disease, and the understanding that our bodies have remarkable capacity for healing when given the right support.

For those managing chronic conditions that conventional medicine struggles to address comprehensively, finding the right functional medicine doctor can be truly transformative. Look for the qualities outlined here, trust your instincts about the relationship, and remember that the best outcomes often come when you find a practitioner who sees you not just as a patient, but as a partner in the journey toward optimal health.

The difference between a good functional medicine doctor and a mediocre one isn't just about credentials or techniques—it's about their commitment to understanding you as a unique individual and supporting your body's innate wisdom to heal. When you find that partnership, the results can be life-changing.