Who we are
We are a team of healthcare professionals who care about our patients
Primarily we are qualified and experienced Specialist General GPs (and are registered with AHPRA and the Australian Medical Board) who have gone on to do further training to become specialised in Nutritional and Environmental Medicine. Working as GPs, it became apparent that optimal and sustained improvement in the health of our patients came from addressing the root cause(s) of illness and that this required an expanded tool kit to include Nutritional, Environmental, Lifestyle and Functional Medicine assessment and testing skills.
Nutritional and Environmental Medicine Queensland (NEMQ) was established in 2008 and relocated to our current purpose designed clinic in Teneriffe. In 2020 the decision was taken to rebrand our practice as Queensland Integrative Medicine (QIM) to better describe our clinical services. Today, in addition to Specialist GPs, we work with other healthcare providers, including a Holistic Dentist and a team of Nutritionists who are all trained in Nutritional and Environmental Medicine and support our patients to make the necessary changes to improve their health. Our caring team of Receptionists are completing degrees in Health Science, further enhancing the delivery of QIM’s clinical services.
Our Philosophy & Approach
Targeting the root cause of illness
QIM's philosophical approach to health care is to address the fundamental question of why you have become sick and what is required to fully restore and optimise your health. In our opinion it is both sensible and more effective to address the underlying cause of illness rather than simply treating the symptoms of ill health. The intended outcome of this approach is a measurable and sustainable improvement in one’s mental, emotional and physical health.
Nutritional, Environmental, Lifestyle and Functional Medicine health assessments and interventions are central to both good health and good health care. Effective changes to your health behaviours require a period of time and a step-by-step process to adapt to a new way of living. Most people require support, a collaborative therapeutic alliance and a personalised management plan appropriate for their needs. Few people can just 'do it' without active support. The QIM team has the knowledge and skills to guide you through this process.
What is Integrative Medicine
QIM’s definition of Integrative Medicine:
Integrative Medicine is an approach to healthcare that:
- Combines the principles of nutritional, environmental, functional and lifestyle medicine with conventional medicine to produce optimal health outcomes.
- Incorporates the rapidly expanding understanding of how Epigenetics and Nutrigenomics drive the development of chronic illness ie; how diet, lifestyle behaviours and environmental factors alter gene expression causing disturbance of physiological systems and processes (dysfunctions) that if not addressed ultimately progress to chronic disease.
- Integrates the key clinical services (Nutritional & Environmental Medicine, Conventional Medicine, Integrative Dentistry and Clinical Nutrition) to provide comprehensive personalised integrative health care.
Key elements of the Integrative Medicine approach to healthcare are:
- Patient centred (rather than disease centred).
- Entails patient commitment and accountability working in a therapeutic alliance with their Physician to achieve optimal treatment outcomes.
- Experience based application of a ‘Systems Biology’ approach which acknowledges that the individual biological systems and processes supporting our health (nervous, hormonal, cardiovascular etc) are interconnected whereby a stress in one system can affect the other systems.
- Utilises both conventional medicine and functional medicine testing to identify the root cause of illness.
- Emphasises evidence based lifestyle-based prescriptions as a primary therapy together with prudent application of conventional and other evidence-based therapies.
- Recognition of Genomic / Biochemical individuality and how this determines one’s response to diet, lifestyle and environmental interventions meaning advice needs to be tailored to the individuals unique DNA (‘one person’s medicine may be another’s poison’).
- Recognising that an optimal ‘Lifestyle Blueprint’ for each individual is becoming attainable with the rapid progression of Nutigenomic research.
QIM Team
Dr. Michael Woodbridge
Dr M. Cecilia Oliver
Dr. Ercelle Celis
Dr. Leigh Woodbridge
Jessie King
Jacqui
Senior Receptionist & Business Development & Clinical Support
Tiffany
Jay
Senior Receptionist
Clinic Information
Cancellation Policy
We require 48 hours’ notice for all rescheduled or cancelled appointments (a minimum of 2 working days). Cancellations within 48 hours will result in a 50% cancellation fee.
Zero Tolerance Policy
QIM has a zero tolerance policy for abusive or threatening behaviour directed towards practitioners, staff or patients. Without exception those who abuse will be required to leave the clinic immediately and their medical care transferred to another practice.
Clinic Facilities
QIM is located in Teneriffe on the Brisbane CBD fringe. There is free undercover parking immediately behind the clinic. We share the premises with Queensland Integrative Dentistry (formerly New Directions Dentistry Qld) and Your Solution Compounding Pharmacy.
There is a comfortable waiting room or a courtyard area in front of the clinic (ideal for children but they must be supervised by an adult). Care has been taken to ensure a relaxed environmentally friendly environment. For consideration of patients with chemical sensitivities, our staff do not wear perfume and we do not use scented products in the clinic (eg; flowers, aromatherapy oils etc). We ask that you do the same please. We are also a non-smoking clinic.
After Hours Care
QIM is unable to provide after-hours care. Medical emergencies should be directed to your nearest hospital emergency department.
Privacy
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FAQ
Click here to read QIM's Frequently Asked Questions