Good primary care does not stop when the office closes. It shows up in the refills you need on time, the consult you can make at midnight, and the preparation that keeps you safe before surgery.
Comprehensive primary care is more than annual checkups and sick visits. It is the infrastructure of ongoing, day-to-day health management that keeps everything running smoothly between your major appointments. At Vitality Family Health in Oak Brook, IL, our membership-based model is designed to give you the kind of access and continuity that traditional practices simply cannot offer: timely medication management, around-the-clock provider access, and thorough pre-surgical preparation, all from a team that knows you, your history, and your health goals.
Running out of a medication you depend on is stressful, and chasing refills through automated phone systems and multi-day consultback windows should not be part of the experience. As a member of our practice, you have direct access to your provider for prescription refill requests. We manage your ongoing medications, review them regularly for effectiveness and interactions, and ensure that refills are handled promptly so there are no gaps in your care.
We also use medication refill touchpoints as an opportunity to check in on how your treatment is working. If a medication is not producing the desired effect, is causing side effects, or is no longer necessary because your underlying condition has improved through root-cause treatment, we adjust your plan accordingly. Every refill is an opportunity for better care, not just a rubber stamp.
For patients who take supplements as part of their functional medicine treatment plan, we provide the same level of guidance and oversight, ensuring that what you are taking is still appropriate, properly dosed, and not interacting with any other medications or treatments.
Health concerns do not follow business hours. A child spikes a fever at midnight. You wake up with chest tightness on a Sunday. A new symptom appears while you are traveling and you are not sure whether it warrants an emergency room visit. In these moments, the last thing you need is an answering service that takes a message and promises someone will consult back “during the next business day.”
Our members have access to a provider on consult 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When you reach out after hours, you connect with a practitioner who can help you assess the situation, determine whether you need to go to the emergency room, come into the office the next morning, or manage the issue at home overnight. Because we already know your medical history, medications, and ongoing conditions, the guidance you receive is informed and personalized, not generic triage from a stranger.
This level of access is one of the most valued benefits of membership-based primary care. It provides peace of mind and eliminates the uncertainty that drives unnecessary emergency room visits, while ensuring that truly urgent situations are identified and escalated immediately.
If you have a surgery scheduled, whether it is a minor outpatient procedure or a major operation, your surgeon may require a pre-operative medical clearance from your primary care provider. This visit ensures that you are medically stable for anesthesia and surgery, and that your surgical team has a complete picture of your health.
During a pre-operative visit at our practice, your provider will review your complete medical history, current medications (including supplements, which can affect bleeding, anesthesia, and healing), allergies, and any chronic conditions that could affect surgical outcomes. We perform a focused physical examination, order any required pre-surgical lab work or testing (EKG, blood work, metabolic panels), and provide your surgical team with the clearance documentation they need.
As a functional medicine practice, we also take this opportunity to optimize your body for surgery and recovery. This may include nutritional guidance to support healing, recommendations on which supplements to continue and which to pause before surgery (certain supplements affect bleeding time and anesthesia metabolism), blood sugar optimization, and stress and sleep support in the days leading up to the procedure. Patients who go into surgery well-nourished, well-rested, and metabolically optimized tend to recover faster and with fewer complications.
After surgery, we are here for follow-up care, medication management, and recovery support, working in coordination with your surgical team to ensure a smooth and complete recovery.
Our 24/7 on-call service is designed to help you assess and manage non-emergency health concerns outside of office hours. However, certain situations always require consulting 911 or going directly to the nearest emergency room: chest pain or pressure, difficulty breathing, signs of stroke (sudden one-sided weakness, facial drooping, difficulty speaking), severe allergic reactions, uncontrolled bleeding, loss of consciousness, or any situation where you believe your life or someone else’s life is in immediate danger. When in doubt, consult 911 first. You can always reach us afterward for follow-up coordination.
Members can contact our office directly by phone or through our patient communication channels to request refills. Because we know your history and your medications, refills are handled quickly without the delays common at larger practices. If your medication needs adjustment, we schedule time to discuss it rather than simply renewing a prescription that may no longer be right for you.
You connect with a provider on consult who can assess your situation, provide guidance, and help you determine the right course of action. This may be managing the issue at home, coming into the office the next day, or going to the emergency room if the situation warrants it. The provider has access to your health information so the conversation is informed by your history.
We recommend scheduling your pre-operative visit at least one to two weeks before your surgery date. This allows time for any required lab work, testing, and follow-up if an issue is identified. Check with your surgeon’s office for their specific timeline requirements, as some require clearance within 30 days and others within 7 days of the procedure.
Possibly. Certain supplements (fish oil, vitamin E, garlic, ginkgo, turmeric, and others) can affect bleeding time and should be stopped one to two weeks before surgery. Others may interact with anesthesia or post-surgical medications. During your pre-operative visit, we review everything you are taking and give you specific guidance on what to stop, when to stop it, and when it is safe to resume.
Medication refills, 24/7 on-call access, and pre-operative visits are available to members of our practice. If you are not currently a member, we invite you to schedule a discovery consult to learn about our membership model.
The discovery consult is a brief, no-cost conversation where you can learn about our practice, our membership model, and the full range of services we offer. There is no pressure and no obligation.
You may also want to read about Annual Well Checkups, Acute and Sick Care Visits, On-Site Lab Work, and Our Approach, since these services are part of the comprehensive, ongoing primary care we provide to our members.
Medically Reviewed By: Dr Kori Feldman, M.D.
Vitality Family Health & Wellness Partners is located in Oak Brook, Illinois, and serves patients throughout the Greater Chicagoland Area and the entire state of Illinois. These areas include but are not limited to the downtown Chicago area, surrounding suburbs, central, northern, and southern Illinois, and southern Wisconsin and Northwest Indiana.