Functional Medicine in Maine and New Hampshire: In-Person vs Telehealth

You have probably already tried the conventional route. You described your symptoms, your bloodwork came back "normal," and you walked out with no real answers. If you live in Maine or New Hampshire and you are tired of being told nothing is wrong while you feel worse every month, you are exactly who we built this clinic for.

We are Med Matrix, a functional medicine practice in South Portland, Maine. A lot of people ask us the same practical question before they ever book: do I have to come in person, or can I do this online?

The honest answer is that it depends on where you are in the process. This post walks you through how we actually run care, who should come in, who can follow up by telehealth, and how the logistics work when you live an hour or three away.

Why We Start With an In-Person Visit

Functional medicine only works when the data underneath it is real. That is why your first step with us happens in our South Portland office, not over a video call.

At that first visit we run an 80+ biomarker blood panel and a full body composition scan, on site, drawn and recorded the same day. We are not guessing from a five-marker panel your last doctor ordered. We are looking at thyroid, metabolic, inflammatory, hormonal, and nutrient markers together, because that is where the real story usually hides.

You also sit down for a 60-minute provider consultation. Not seven rushed minutes. A full hour to go through your history, your symptoms, and what the numbers actually mean for you.

That kind of baseline is hard to fake remotely. Once we have it, the rest of your care gets a lot more flexible.

What the First Visit Actually Includes

People appreciate knowing what they are walking into, so here is the shape of a new-patient onboarding with us.

• The 80+ biomarker blood panel, drawn on site in South Portland
• A full body composition scan to see muscle, fat, and where you actually stand
• In-depth health questionnaires you fill out before you arrive
• Our medical team reviewing everything together before you sit down
• A 60-minute provider consultation to build your plan with you, not at you

New-patient onboarding runs approximately $1,200 to $1,500 all-in, depending on the panel your provider orders. New patients also get a $100 voucher to put toward that first step. We are upfront about cost because surprise bills are part of what broke your trust in the system, and we are not going to repeat that.

How Telehealth Fits In After Your Baseline

Once we have your labs, your scan, and your plan, most of the ongoing work does not require you to drive back to South Portland every time.

Follow-up visits run $275 and many of them can happen by telehealth. Reviewing lab trends, adjusting a dose, checking in on energy and sleep, troubleshooting a side effect: all of that travels well over video. For someone in Bangor, Augusta, or across the line in Manchester or Nashua, that is the difference between staying in care and quietly dropping off.

Telehealth is the maintenance layer. The in-person visit is the foundation. We do not pretend video can replace a blood draw, and we do not make you drive two hours for a conversation that did not need a parking spot.

Who Should Come In Person

Some situations really do call for showing up, at least to start. If any of these sound like you, plan on the in-person route.

• You are brand new to us. Everyone starts with the in-person baseline. There are no exceptions, because the plan is only as good as the data.
• You have a complex, multi-symptom picture. Stubborn fatigue, suspected Lyme disease, lingering long haul COVID, or an autoimmune pattern usually needs hands-on assessment and the full panel.
• You are starting a therapy that benefits from in-office care. Things like IV nutrition, ozone, or in-clinic monitoring are easier to do well when you are physically here.
• Your labs are due for a fresh draw. We periodically re-run markers to see how your body is responding, and that means a quick trip back in.

To be clear about how we use supportive therapies: treatments like IV nutrition, NAD, and ozone are used as adjunct care under provider oversight to help you feel better and support the work your plan is doing. They are not cures, and we will never sell them to you as one.

Who Can Follow Up by Telehealth

If you already have your baseline with us and your plan is up and running, telehealth probably covers most of what comes next.

• You are stable and adjusting. Hormone and metabolic plans often need small tweaks over time, and a video visit handles that well.
• You live far from South Portland. Northern Maine, the seacoast, central New Hampshire: the drive should not be the reason you fall out of care.
• You are reviewing results. When your re-test labs come back, we can walk through them together on screen.
• You have a quick question that is not so quick. A side effect, a refill question, a plateau. These are real visits, and they fit in a video window.

This hybrid setup is how patients across our functional medicine program stay consistent. Consistency is what actually moves the needle, and the easiest way to lose it is to make every visit a half-day expedition.

What We Help People With Across Maine and New Hampshire

The hybrid model applies across most of what we do, whether you came in for energy, hormones, weight, or something harder to name.

On the hormone side, men come in for men's health and testosterone replacement therapy when low testosterone is dragging down energy, drive, and recovery. Women come in for women's health and hormone replacement therapy when perimenopause and menopause symptoms stop responding to "just deal with it."

We also see a lot of people who want their metabolism addressed at the root, not just lectured about willpower. That is where medical weight loss with semaglutide comes in, paired with real lab work so the plan fits your body.

Others come in for thyroid and adrenal issues, sleep problems, joint pain, or peptide therapy aimed at recovery and longevity. The thread through all of it is the same: real testing first, then a plan, then steady follow-up that does not punish you for living in Aroostook County.

The Practical Logistics for ME and NH Patients

Let's talk about the parts people actually plan their week around.

Getting here. Our office is in South Portland, Maine, right off the main corridor that runs up and down the coast. For most New Hampshire patients near the seacoast or southern part of the state, it is a straightforward drive, and you only need to make it for the in-person pieces.

Timing your visits. The first visit is in person. After that, we work with you to schedule follow-ups by telehealth wherever it makes clinical sense, and we reserve in-person trips for lab re-draws and anything hands-on.

Speed of response. When you reach out, you are not waiting days for a callback. Our speed-to-lead is under 5 minutes during business hours, so you can get your questions answered and your first visit booked while it is still on your mind.

Who you are working with. We have 7 providers, and you can read about each of them on our meet our staff page. You will be matched with the provider who fits your situation, and your telehealth follow-ups stay with your care team rather than bouncing you around.

The numbers behind the practice matter too. We have served 3,000+ patients and hold 4.9 stars across 150+ Google reviews. A lot of those reviews come from people who started skeptical after years of being dismissed elsewhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I do my entire treatment by telehealth if I live in New Hampshire?

Not the whole thing. Your first visit needs to be in person in South Portland so we can run the 80+ biomarker blood panel and the full body composition scan and sit with you for the 60-minute consultation. After that baseline, most follow-up visits can be done by telehealth.

How much does it cost to get started?

New-patient onboarding runs approximately $1,200 to $1,500 all-in, which covers the testing, the scan, and your first provider consultation. New patients get a $100 voucher toward that. Follow-up visits are $275, whether in person or by telehealth.

How far do patients travel to see you?

We see people from all over Maine and from across New Hampshire. The point of the hybrid model is to limit how often you have to make the drive. You come in for the baseline and for lab re-draws, and you handle the rest of your long-term care from home by video when that fits.

Are the IV and ozone therapies a cure for my condition?

No. Therapies like IV nutrition, NAD, and ozone are used as supportive, adjunct care under provider oversight. They can help you feel better and support your overall plan, but we do not present them as cures, and your provider will be clear about what each one is for.

How fast can I get an appointment?

Fast. When you reach out, our team responds in under 5 minutes during business hours, and we will get your first in-person visit on the calendar so we can build your baseline and your plan from there.

You have spent enough time being told your numbers are "fine" while your body says otherwise. Come in once, let us run the real testing, and let us build a plan that follows you home by telehealth instead of chaining you to a waiting room. Start Feeling Like Yourself Again and book your first visit with our South Portland team today.