Boston's Evidence-Based Functional Medicine Practice
Board-certified physicians. 60+ biomarkers. Root-cause diagnostics with the rigor of academic medicine — not guesswork.
Board-Certified Physicians · MGH Specialist Network · 60+ Biomarkers · Boston, MA
15-minute call. No commitment. Just answers.
What Sets This Practice Apart
Published science, not trends
Every protocol backed by peer-reviewed research. No supplement stacking. No speculation.
Real diagnostics, not a basic blood panel
60+ biomarkers including ApoB, Lp(a), DEXA body composition, VO2 max.
Physician-directed, not coach-led
Board-certified physicians lead your care. MGH network for specialist referrals when you need them.
Ongoing partnership, not a one-time assessment
Quarterly retesting, protocol adjustments, trend tracking. Your medical team evolves your care as your data evolves.
What to expect when you join
Discovery call + comprehensive intake
Free 15-minute call first, then a 60-minute physician-led deep dive into your health history, family risk factors, and the questions your previous doctors could not answer.
Systems-level diagnostics
DEXA body composition, VO2 max, and 60+ biomarkers at partner facilities in Boston. Your physician orders everything based on your intake and clinical picture, not a cookie-cutter panel.
Your evidence-based protocol
Every recommendation with clear clinical rationale. Lifestyle, nutrition, exercise prescription, medication when warranted. No filler.
Quarterly reassessments
Biomarker retesting, protocol adjustments, and trend analysis each quarter. Your physician tracks your trajectory and evolves your care plan based on real data. Ongoing.
The first step is a 15-minute call. No cost, no commitment.
Real results from real members.
To have both a functional doctor and an MGH “Medical” doctor is terrific. I finally have a practice that combines integrative thinking with real medical rigor.
Interactions are focused on being proactive, holistic and specific to my needs and situation. Outstanding expertise and actionable recommendations.
My former primary care said my cholesterol was “a little borderline, you don’t need to do anything.” Protocol’s response was very different — “This is the number one thing.” Thirty days later I cut my cholesterol in half.
Is Protocol Right For You?
Protocol is right for you if:
- You believe in root-cause medicine but want it grounded in published evidence
- You've been frustrated by doctors who treat symptoms without investigating causes
- You want advanced diagnostics interpreted by physicians who see the full picture
- You're looking for a long-term medical partner, not a one-time assessment
Probably not right for you if:
- You're looking for the cheapest option
- You want a supplement-heavy protocol
- You need acute or emergency care
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Protocol a functional medicine practice?
We share functional medicine's core principles: root-cause investigation, systems-level thinking, treating the whole person. Where we differ is the evidence standard. Every intervention we recommend is grounded in published, peer-reviewed research. We do not speculate. We do not stack supplements without clinical reasoning. Think of it as functional medicine philosophy practiced with academic medicine rigor.
What diagnostics do you run?
60+ biomarkers, DEXA body composition, VO2 max cardiopulmonary testing, advanced cardiovascular markers (ApoB, Lp(a)), metabolic panels, hormones, inflammatory markers, and more. These are not add-ons — they are standard care for every member. All results are interpreted against optimal ranges, not permissive population-average “normal.”
Do you prescribe supplements?
Only when supported by published evidence and clinically indicated for your specific situation. We are not a supplement dispensary. Most of our interventions involve lifestyle, nutrition, exercise, and medication when warranted. Every recommendation comes with a clear rationale grounded in peer-reviewed science.
How is this different from my current functional medicine provider?
We integrate functional medicine thinking with full primary care, advanced diagnostics, and an ongoing medical coaching relationship. Our physicians are board-certified with MGH network access for specialist referrals. Every recommendation comes with a clear clinical rationale grounded in published science — not trends, not anecdote.
What does the membership include?
Comprehensive diagnostics (60+ biomarkers, DEXA, VO2 max), physician-led interpretation against optimal ranges, ongoing 1:1 medical coaching with a Healthspan Advisor, quarterly reassessments, full primary care, and specialist referrals through MGH when needed. HSA and FSA eligible.
Do you accept insurance?
Protocol is a membership-based practice. The membership fee is not covered by insurance. However, many of our diagnostic tests and specialist referrals can be billed to insurance. We provide documentation for HSA/FSA reimbursement upon request.
Do I need a referral?
No. You do not need a referral to join Protocol. Simply book a free discovery call and we will walk you through our approach, answer your questions, and help you decide if this is the right fit.
Learn More About Functional Medicine at Protocol
Functional Medicine at Protocol: Where Root-Cause Thinking Meets Real Evidence
The core philosophy of functional medicine is sound: look upstream for root causes, think in systems, treat the whole person rather than isolated symptoms. Most people searching for a functional medicine doctor in Boston already believe this. The question is not whether the philosophy is right. The question is whether the practice matches the philosophy.
Too often, it does not. The functional medicine landscape ranges from rigorous, physician-led practices to supplement dispensaries with a stethoscope on the wall. The gap between the best and worst is vast — and patients bear the cost of that inconsistency.
The Evidence Standard That Makes the Difference
Protocol was built to close this gap. Our physicians share the functional medicine commitment to root-cause investigation and systems-level thinking. Where we differ is the evidence standard. Every diagnostic we order, every protocol we build, every intervention we recommend is grounded in published, peer-reviewed science. Not trends. Not anecdote. Not what sold well at last year's integrative medicine conference.
This means we test 60+ biomarkers — including ApoB, Lp(a), advanced metabolic panels, hormones, and inflammatory markers — because the published evidence says these predict long-term health outcomes. We use DEXA body composition and VO2 max because the data on their prognostic value is extensive and unambiguous. We interpret results against optimal ranges, not the population-average “normal” ranges that most labs use — because “normal” is benchmarked against a population where 88% have at least one marker of metabolic dysfunction.
How a Physician-Directed Functional Medicine Practice Works in Boston
When you join Protocol, you are matched with a board-certified physician who leads a care team built around your health: physician, Healthspan Advisor, registered dietitian, and care coordinators. Your care begins with a comprehensive intake that focuses on your health history, family risk factors, goals, and the questions your previous doctors could not answer.
From there, your physician orders a systems-level diagnostic workup. Within weeks, you sit down with your medical team to review every result, understand what each biomarker means in the context of your whole health picture, and build an evidence-based protocol. Lifestyle. Nutrition. Exercise prescription. Medication when the science warrants it. No filler. No speculation.
Quarterly reassessments track your trajectory. Your protocol evolves as your data evolves. This is not a one-time assessment. It is an ongoing medical partnership — the kind of relationship that functional medicine promises but rarely delivers at this level of rigor.
Find Out if Protocol Is the Right Fit
Book a free discovery call. No commitment. We will walk you through our approach, answer your questions, and help you decide if this is the medical partnership you have been looking for.
15-minute call. No pressure. No supplement pitch.
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