FAQs

Records are very easy to obtain these days, staying within HIPAA compliance. We will simply send you a form to request your permission.

You will experience the difference when you visit me at AlereMD. Our entire office has been designed to create a relaxing, calm, and comfortable experience for you, from the reception area to the exam rooms. 

It won’t feel like a clinic. 

There is little, if any, waiting time to see your doctor. I have traditional examination rooms, but many times, you will see me in the comfort of my office. We will take the time to address your medical concerns and answer all of your questions, and your office visits will never feel rushed. 

Because my practice is limited to a small number of patients, not thousands, I can really get to know you so I can take a more proactive role in your health and wellness, and be there when you need me.

My goal is to provide you with an experience that will not just meet, but exceed, your expectations for a doctor’s office.

It is a model that allows Doctors to be Doctors. Membership medicine, sometimes referred to as “Concierge” medicine, is a model that emphasizes wellness and disease prevention and personalized care.

In the current clinic format, appointment times are determined by specialties and “industry standards”. It is a model that works for insurance companies, manufacturing cars, and feedlot cattle – it is not how we should manage patient care and their delicate health concerns. 

Since AlereMD is my own private, small practice, I can take the time with you that we need. By charging a monthly or annual fee, I am able to see many fewer patients, and provide you with extremely convenient, personalized and preventive care when you need it.

Your membership includes an annual comprehensive physical exam that is in addition to insurance-covered or Medicare-covered annual wellness visits. It incorporates comprehensive screening and diagnostic tests, and focuses on nutrition, fitness, healthy sleep, social and emotional wellness, and disease reversal. We will also determine a personalized schedule for regular follow up.

The result is a customized wellness plan which includes individualized follow-up and other forms of communication support throughout the year. This results in a far more connected version of primary care and guides you to achieving and maintaining more optimum health and disease prevention.

Plus…Dr. Rismyhr provides home food assessments that go beyond nutrition – meant to restore and renew your relationship with food.  

Members are led on scheduled outings to the best places to get real food in Houston – be it farmer’s markets, cheese shops, butchers, or other surprise spots. Complimentary food related books will be offered as well. 

I can provide a great amount of care by phone, text, email, and virtual visits when appropriate. I am available to discuss urgent concerns evenings and weekends when needed. I have created a practice where you can reach me when you need me, without having to jump through AI chat bots or complicated phone doom loops. 

You will enjoy greater convenience and peace of mind. You may also find a reduced need for visits to specialists and the emergency department/urgent care. 

See the many other benefits you will receive.

Absolutely. I believe patients would see their doctor more if it were easier to communicate, more private, and less hassle. 

At AlereMD, we make it easy for my patients to communicate with me and visit me in the office. I listen carefully to you to understand how your life, work and family situations may be affecting your health – physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

Besides acute care and managing illness, my focus is on helping restore your relationship with sleep, food, and fitness. We want to identify and prevent disease and other risk factors, concentrating our efforts on your lifetime health and wellness. Together, we will create a personalized plan to achieve and maintain your optimal health.

We specialize in providing primary medical care for ages 18 and up.

Our model works especially well for:

• Patients desiring easy and direct communication with their doctor.
• Patients who want a doctor to address the underlying cause of illness, not to just treat the symptoms.
• Patients who are seeking a careful and thoughtful second opinion on their current treatment plans.
• Those who want to take part in improving their health and staying well.
• Patients who want a physician with traditional training but an open mind to non-traditional approaches such as health coaching, meditation, acupuncture, etc.
• Those with high insurance premiums, high-deductible health plans or no insurance. 
• Patients who are too busy to spend extended time waiting in a doctor’s office to be seen.
• Those who wish to have their medical care remain private.
• Those who want to nourish their health to live well!

This can be a stressful and often confusing experience for patients and their families.

You will be cared for by the emergency room physician and/or hospitalist team. I will communicate with them, review your plan of care, answer questions, and make recommendations as needed. As your health care advocate, I will communicate directly with you and your loved ones and help you navigate the health care system.

I appreciate that it can be logistically difficult to get to the doctor’s office. I will see patients in their home, nursing facility, or rehab facility in medically appropriate situations, and on a case-by-case basis. 

I have a great relationship with all specialists, many of whom you already have a rapport with. When you do need to see a specialist, I will help you find the right doctor and coordinate your care. When making referrals, we can consult with your specialist prior to your appointment, as needed.

However, as your primary care physician, I can manage a lot and we can discuss at your visits where I can consolidate and simplify your care.

Of course! This is one of the greatest benefits of our membership model. Because illness and injury do not respect regular office hours, you may call at any time for urgent matters. If you have a life or limb-threatening emergency, you should call 911 or go to the ER immediately.

You can speak with me wherever you are, and I will help with any medical conditions that can be handled by a virtual visit. If you have a condition that requires in-person evaluation and treatment, I will direct you to appropriate nearby care, and coordinate follow-up when you return home.

As a member of AlereMD, you are never alone. Even when out of town, I will still be available by phone for your urgent needs. You will be notified by email before any vacations. 

If I am not available, I will have another trusted physician available to assist you for any urgent matters or to be seen in the office.

Yes, we accept most major insurance plans. 

Absolutely.  I am a participating provider with Medicare and will bill Medicare on your behalf.

Our practice is well suited to handle the more complex medical issues and medication management often associated with older patients. We can spend the time necessary to manage chronic disease and the use of medications and work together to optimize your health and wellness.

Yes, you do. My medical practice is not an insurance provider, and it is very important to maintain a medical insurance policy (and/or Medicare) to cover outside testing and specialists, as well as expensive, unusual, and unpredictable events such as surgery, emergency care and hospitalization.  

That said, good insurance does not always equal good healthcare.

The current insurance-based system makes primary care more difficult to provide, and less effective too. At AlereMD I strive for the opposite – my goal is to provide all the primary care services you need.

By charging a set fee, I can spend more time with you and focus on your individual health needs to maintain and improve your health and even help you reverse chronic disease. I want you to see me as often as you need to, because my goal is healthy and happy members!

We are currently offering a discounted founding member rate and discounts for additional members of your household. Membership fees can be paid annually, quarterly, or monthly. Please visit our Fees page for details.

Yes, it can for many of our patients. We expect many patients will have fewer out-of-pocket medical costs. We can better manage the risks of the majority of your health issues and concerns because of our smaller practice and more connected care model.

Also, studies have shown that an alarming number of procedures, imaging studies (such as X-rays, CT scans, MRI’s), labs, and surgeries are performed unnecessarily. With proper monitoring, I will make sure you get the tests that are appropriate and medically necessary. Not only is this a cost savings issue, but a better health issue too.

In addition, the membership fee is designed to be eligible for HSA, FSA or HRA funds—please check with your tax advisor or plan administrator. 

Studies show that membership medicine can lead to:

• Less dependency on medications 
• Fewer specialty referrals
• Fewer emergency and hospital visits
• Savings on labs and imaging
• Less need for expensive test ordering

Yes. One of the most important aspects of personalized medicine is limiting the practice size to be able to devote more time and energy to each patient. Therefore, once we have reached our ideal practice size, we will establish a waiting list.

You may cancel your membership any time after the first three months, with thirty days’ notice.  If you prepaid your membership fee for the year you will be reimbursed for the remaining months.

Please note: If you cancel your membership and decide to rejoin the practice at a later date, you may be placed on a waiting list pending membership availability. You would also be subject to any price increases that have occurred since you originally joined the practice.

Yes, if you are not an established patient of mine, I ask that we meet each other in-person (or virtually) to be sure my practice is a good fit for you. You may use our Contact form to request a meeting or sign up for an information session.

Yes! Family members or friends may want to provide a loved one the gift of membership. It’s a great way to provide support and peace of mind and ensure personalized attention for their well-being.

You can apply online now or Contact Us.

Please remember that space is limited, and members are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Once all available slots are filled, we will add your name to our waiting list, so I encourage you to let us know soon if you would like to join.

I look forward to welcoming you to AlereMD!