Frequently asked questions

Adults (18+) who live in Arizona, Montana or Washington and are in one of those states at the time of their visit, who are ready to take an active part in recovering from chronic illness.

Yes: a licensed naturopathic doctor (ND, or NMD in Arizona) graduated from a four-year, in-residence naturopathic medical program accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) and passed the two-part national licensing exam (NPLEX) to earn a state license; Dr. Madeira earned his doctorate at Bastyr University. NDs train in the same biomedical and diagnostic sciences as MDs and DOs, plus clinical nutrition, botanical medicine and lifestyle medicine. Where MDs and DOs often lead with medications and procedures, NDs focus on finding and addressing the underlying causes of illness, using the least invasive effective approach first.

A licensed naturopathic physician is not the same as a “naturopath” without medical training, a title that isn’t protected everywhere; in Arizona, Montana and Washington, NDs are licensed and regulated by a state board, and you can verify Dr. Madeira’s licenses on his bio page. An ND is not anti-conventional medicine: when you need a medication outside the naturopathic scope, a specialist or a procedure, your primary care doctor handles the referral, and Dr. Madeira works alongside your other doctors. Because Apollo is 100% telemedicine, he doesn’t do physical exams or hands-on treatments, and he isn’t a substitute for emergency or urgent care.

You start with a free discovery call, then an in-depth video visit that reviews your history, symptoms, records and labs, including hidden environmental exposures such as mold and heavy metals. Together you build a plan that follows the naturopathic therapeutic order: first remove what’s getting in the way of your health, then support the body’s own ability to heal, and add stronger therapies only as needed. You’re an active partner throughout, and the plan is reviewed and adjusted at each follow-up visit.

NMD stands for Naturopathic Medical Doctor, the title used in Arizona. ND stands for Naturopathic Doctor, the title used in Montana and Washington. Both require the same Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree and the same national licensing exam; only the state’s title differs.

No. Naturopathic doctors are licensed or regulated in 23 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, including Arizona, Montana and Washington. Licensed states also require a jurisprudence exam, background checks and ongoing continuing education. In states without licensing, the title “naturopath” may not be regulated at all, so it’s worth checking a practitioner’s training and license.

In licensed states, naturopathic doctors can train and practice as primary care doctors, but Apollo Health Clinic is a telemedicine practice focused on complex, chronic illness and doesn’t offer physical exams. We recommend keeping a primary care doctor for physical exams, routine screenings and urgent needs, and Dr. Madeira is glad to coordinate with them.

Online. All visits are by secure video or phone, so there’s no office to travel to.

It is a 30-minute Zoom call to talk through your goals, your current situation and what is motivating you to improve your health. Together we decide whether working together is a good fit. It is a non-clinical consultation, so no medical advice, diagnosis or treatment is given on the call.

Environmental medicine looks at how exposures such as heavy metals, mold toxins (mycotoxins) and other environmental toxins can contribute to chronic illness, and how to identify and reduce that burden to support your recovery.

Many patients come to Dr. Madeira after hearing exactly that. A root-cause approach looks more broadly, including at environmental exposures, digestion, sleep, stress and nutrition, to understand what may be driving your symptoms.

Healing from complex chronic illness is not a quick fix. It takes commitment, and timelines vary from person to person.

Licensed naturopathic doctors can order laboratory tests, and NDs are trained in pharmacology. Prescribing authority depends on the state: Arizona, Montana and Washington each set their own scope, and controlled substances have additional federal and state limits, especially by telemedicine. When a medication is outside that scope, Dr. Madeira coordinates with your primary care doctor and your other doctors.

No. Apollo Health Clinic is a private-pay (cash-based) concierge telemedicine practice, which allows longer, unhurried visits and a plan built around you rather than insurance rules. HSA cards are accepted, and labs ordered through outside laboratories may have separate costs. Full pricing is on the Pricing page.

Not at this time. Telemedicine follows the patient’s location, and Dr. Madeira is licensed in Arizona, Montana and Washington, so care is limited to adults who live in one of those three states and are in one of them during each visit.