Question 1

What is Althera Alternative Care?

Accepted Answer

Althera Alternative Care is a clinician-led medical wellness practice in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We offer Concierge Primary Care / Direct Primary Care, longevity medicine, hormone optimization, peptide therapy, IV infusion therapy, medical weight and metabolic health, regenerative support, aesthetics, body sculpting, men's vitality, physical therapy, at-home concierge care, recovery therapies, advanced testing, and curated wellness products. We are built for people who want more than rushed visits, vague answers, and one-size-fits-all care.

Question 2

What makes Althera different?

Accepted Answer

Althera brings primary care, wellness, longevity, aesthetics, recovery, physical therapy, and optimization into one connected care model. Instead of treating each concern in isolation, we look at the full picture: symptoms, labs, hormones, metabolism, body composition, sleep, energy, stress, movement, inflammation, performance, recovery, and long-term goals. You are not a chart. You are a whole person. That is how we approach care.

Question 3

Is Althera a medical clinic, wellness clinic, aesthetics clinic, or physical therapy clinic?

Accepted Answer

Althera is a clinician-led medical wellness practice with multiple connected service lines. We provide Concierge Primary Care / Direct Primary Care, wellness and longevity planning, hormone and peptide care, IV therapy, regenerative support, physical therapy, aesthetics, body sculpting, men's vitality, testing, and recovery services. The goal is not to feel like several different businesses. The goal is one smarter care ecosystem for your body.

Question 4

Who is Althera for?

Accepted Answer

Althera is for people who want a more personal, proactive relationship with their health. Many patients come to us because they feel tired, inflamed, hormonally off, metabolically stuck, under-recovered, injured, aging faster than they want to, or simply ready to take better care of themselves. Others come because they want more access to a clinician, better follow-up, better wellness planning, or more thoughtful guidance than traditional healthcare usually allows.

Question 5

Do I need to know exactly what service I want before booking?

Accepted Answer

No. Many patients do not know where to begin, and that is completely normal. You can come to Althera with symptoms, goals, questions, labs, or curiosity. We will help identify the best starting point — whether that is Concierge Primary Care, labs, hormone evaluation, peptides, medical weight support, IV therapy, physical therapy, Kinotek movement assessment, regenerative care, aesthetics, or a combination of services.

Question 6

What is the simplest way to explain Althera?

Accepted Answer

Althera is a modern medical wellness clinic that helps patients feel better, function higher, recover smarter, and age with more intention. We combine primary care, labs, wellness strategy, hormones, peptides, IV therapy, physical therapy, aesthetics, body composition, movement analysis, and recovery tools in one personalized care model.

Question 7

What is Althera's CORE process?

Accepted Answer

Althera's CORE process is our structured way of getting to know your health before building a plan. For many patients, we begin by ordering comprehensive labs. Once your lab report is received, our team contacts you to schedule your consultation. During that visit, your clinician reviews your labs, goals, symptoms, concerns, history, lifestyle, body composition, and priorities to formulate a personalized care plan.

Question 8

Why does Althera start with labs?

Accepted Answer

Labs help us move beyond guesswork. Many symptoms — fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, low libido, inflammation, poor recovery, poor sleep, or feeling "off" — can have more than one cause. Comprehensive labs help us see patterns in hormones, metabolism, inflammation, nutrients, blood counts, kidney and liver function, glucose regulation, cardiovascular risk, thyroid function, and other wellness markers.

Question 9

How many biomarkers are included in Althera's lab panels?

Accepted Answer

Althera commonly uses comprehensive lab panels with 100+ biomarkers when clinically appropriate. The exact panel depends on the patient's symptoms, goals, history, and care pathway. The purpose is to create a broad, useful view of the body so the consultation can be more targeted and meaningful.

Question 10

What happens after my labs are ordered?

Accepted Answer

Once labs are ordered, you complete your blood draw through the appropriate pathway. After Althera receives the lab report, our team contacts you to schedule your consultation. During that consultation, your clinician reviews the lab findings in detail and connects them to your symptoms, goals, and care options.

Question 11

What if I have insurance?

Accepted Answer

If you have insurance, Althera can schedule or send lab orders to a lab station such as TriCore or Quest, depending on availability and your situation. You should verify coverage directly with your insurance provider before completing the lab draw. Lab coverage depends on your plan, deductible, network, diagnosis codes, and benefit rules.

Question 12

What if I do not have insurance?

Accepted Answer

If you do not have insurance, Althera can draw labs in the clinic and send the panel to Althera's lab partner for testing. This gives cash-pay patients a more direct pathway to complete comprehensive testing without trying to navigate insurance-based lab ordering.

Question 13

Should I call my insurance before getting labs?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All patients using insurance for labs should verify coverage with their insurance provider before completing labs at the lab station. Althera can help order the labs, but your insurance company determines coverage, deductible application, network rules, and patient responsibility.

Question 14

Can I bring recent labs to my visit?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If you have recent labs, bring them or send them before your visit. Your clinician can review them and determine whether additional testing is needed. In some cases, existing labs are enough to begin the conversation. In other cases, a more complete panel may be recommended.

Question 15

What is included in the initial intake consultation?

Accepted Answer

The initial intake consultation is designed to understand your health in context. It may include review of symptoms, goals, health history, medications, supplements, lifestyle, recent labs, comprehensive lab results, body composition, and service interests. An InBody assessment is included in the initial patient intake consultation and is also offered as part of the CMC/DPC member service.

Question 16

What is Concierge Primary Care?

Accepted Answer

Concierge Primary Care is a membership-based care model that gives patients a more personal, accessible relationship with their clinician. At Althera, this means longer visits, better access, thoughtful follow-up, preventive planning, chronic care support, lab review, wellness guidance, and a care relationship that does not feel rushed or transactional.

Question 17

Is Concierge Primary Care the same as Direct Primary Care?

Accepted Answer

They are closely related. Direct Primary Care, or DPC, is a model where patients pay a membership fee directly to the clinic for primary care access rather than billing insurance for every visit. Concierge Primary Care is also membership-based, but the phrase emphasizes enhanced access, relationship, and personalized service. At Althera, we use both terms so patients understand the model.

Question 18

How much is Althera's CMC/DPC membership?

Accepted Answer

Althera's Concierge Medical Care / Direct Primary Care membership is $110 per month.

Question 19

What is the membership term?

Accepted Answer

The CMC/DPC membership has a minimum commitment of six months. After the initial six-month term, the membership continues month-to-month according to the membership agreement.

Question 20

What does the membership include?

Accepted Answer

Membership is designed to support everyday primary care and wellness needs, including longer visits, easier access to your care team, follow-up and care planning, preventive health guidance, lab review and clinical interpretation, medication management, chronic care support, wellness and longevity conversations, InBody assessment access, and coordination when specialty care is needed.

Question 21

Do CMC/DPC members receive discounts?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All Concierge Primary Care / Direct Primary Care members receive 15% off Althera products and services. This member benefit applies across Althera's broader ecosystem, including eligible wellness services, therapies, aesthetics, physical therapy packages, recovery services, products, and add-on offerings.

Question 22

Does membership include all Althera services?

Accepted Answer

No. The membership covers access to Concierge Primary Care and related primary-care support. Additional services such as IV therapy, peptide therapy, hormone therapy, aesthetics, regenerative treatments, body sculpting, physical therapy packages, advanced testing, supplements, and certain procedures are typically billed separately. Members receive 15% off products and services.

Question 23

Does Althera accept insurance for membership?

Accepted Answer

Althera's CMC/DPC membership is a direct-pay model. The membership is paid directly by the patient and is not billed through insurance. This allows us to reduce administrative complexity and spend more time focusing on care, access, prevention, follow-up, and patient relationship.

Question 24

Does membership replace health insurance?

Accepted Answer

No. Membership does not replace health insurance. CMC/DPC supports everyday medical care and wellness needs, but it does not cover emergency care, hospital care, surgery, specialist visits, imaging, outside labs, medications, or services performed outside Althera. Patients are encouraged to maintain health insurance or another coverage strategy for major medical needs.

Question 25

Can I still use insurance for labs, imaging, prescriptions, or specialists?

Accepted Answer

In many cases, yes. Although Althera's membership is direct-pay, patients may still use insurance separately for outside labs, imaging, prescriptions, specialists, hospital care, or other covered services when applicable. Coverage depends on your insurance plan, deductible, network, and benefit structure.

Question 26

Is Althera only for people without insurance?

Accepted Answer

No. Many Althera patients have insurance. The membership is designed to fill a gap that insurance often does not solve: access, time, relationship, prevention, wellness strategy, and follow-up. Insurance may help pay for outside medical costs, but it does not always give patients the kind of primary care experience they actually want.

Question 27

Can Althera manage chronic conditions?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Althera can support many common chronic conditions within the scope of primary care, including blood pressure concerns, metabolic health, weight-related concerns, hormone-related symptoms, fatigue, medication management, wellness planning, and lifestyle-related conditions. For complex conditions requiring specialist care, we can help coordinate and support your broader care plan.

Question 28

Does Althera provide urgent care?

Accepted Answer

Althera can help with many same-day or timely primary-care concerns when appointment availability allows, but we are not an emergency room. For chest pain, severe shortness of breath, stroke symptoms, severe allergic reaction, major injury, uncontrolled bleeding, loss of consciousness, or any life-threatening concern, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

Question 29

Does Althera offer at-home Concierge Care?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Althera offers at-home Concierge Care options for patients who want a higher level of convenience, privacy, and personalized access. Availability, scope, visit limits, and pricing may vary depending on the program and patient needs.

Question 30

Who is at-home Concierge Care for?

Accepted Answer

At-home care may be useful for busy professionals, families, older adults, patients with mobility limitations, patients who prefer privacy, or patients who need a more convenient way to receive clinician-guided support. It is designed for appropriate medical and wellness needs, not emergencies.

Question 31

What can be handled through at-home care?

Accepted Answer

At-home services may include selected primary care visits, wellness follow-up, medication review, lab planning, health check-ins, certain assessments, and care planning depending on clinical appropriateness and availability. Some services must still be performed in clinic.

Question 32

Does at-home Concierge Care replace emergency care?

Accepted Answer

No. At-home Concierge Care does not replace emergency medical services, urgent care, hospital care, or specialist care. For urgent or life-threatening symptoms, call 911 or seek emergency care.

Question 33

Can members use their 15% discount for at-home care?

Accepted Answer

All CMC/DPC members receive 15% off Althera products and services. Specific at-home care pricing and eligibility should be confirmed with the team at the time of scheduling.

Question 34

What testing does Althera offer?

Accepted Answer

Althera may offer or coordinate comprehensive lab panels with 100+ biomarkers, InBody body composition analysis, resting metabolic rate testing, VO2/cardiorespiratory fitness testing, Kinotek movement assessment, hormone labs, metabolic labs, wellness markers, and follow-up progress tracking.

Question 35

What is an InBody assessment?

Accepted Answer

InBody is a body composition assessment that gives more useful information than a standard scale. It helps estimate body fat mass, skeletal muscle mass, body water balance, and other markers that can support weight management, metabolic health, fitness, wellness, and longevity planning.

Question 36

Is InBody included in the initial patient intake consultation?

Accepted Answer

Yes. An InBody assessment is included in the initial patient intake consultation and is offered as part of the CMC/DPC member service.

Question 37

Why does body composition matter?

Accepted Answer

The scale does not tell the full story. A patient may lose fat, gain muscle, retain water, or change composition without the scale fully reflecting progress. Body composition helps us understand fat mass, lean mass, hydration patterns, and meaningful change over time.

Question 38

What is resting metabolic rate testing?

Accepted Answer

Resting metabolic rate testing estimates how much energy your body uses at rest. This can help guide nutrition planning, weight management, metabolic strategy, and more realistic calorie and protein recommendations.

Question 39

What is VO2 testing?

Accepted Answer

VO2 testing evaluates cardiorespiratory fitness and how your body uses oxygen during exercise. It can be useful for performance, longevity planning, cardiovascular fitness, and training guidance.

Question 40

Why does Althera use testing?

Accepted Answer

Because better data leads to better decisions. Testing helps us move beyond guesswork and create more personalized plans for energy, weight, hormones, performance, recovery, physical therapy, and longevity.

Question 41

What is Kinotek?

Accepted Answer

Kinotek is an advanced movement assessment system that uses motion-capture technology to help measure, visualize, and understand how the body moves. It can create patient-friendly visual reports that show mobility, asymmetries, compensations, and overall movement quality.

Question 42

How does Kinotek work?

Accepted Answer

Kinotek can perform fast movement assessments using a camera-based system. The patient completes selected movements, and the system generates visual feedback, scores, and data that help the care team explain what is happening and where improvement may be needed.

Question 43

Why does Althera use Kinotek?

Accepted Answer

Movement problems are easier to understand when patients can see them. Kinotek gives patients and clinicians a shared visual language. It can help identify mobility limitations, imbalances, compensations, and movement patterns that may affect pain, performance, injury risk, or recovery.

Question 44

Is Kinotek part of physical therapy?

Accepted Answer

Kinotek can be used as part of physical therapy, recovery planning, performance assessment, or wellness tracking. It helps support more objective baseline measurements and can be repeated over time to show progress.

Question 45

Who may benefit from a Kinotek assessment?

Accepted Answer

Kinotek may be helpful for patients with joint pain, stiffness, mobility concerns, injury recovery, athletic goals, posture concerns, movement asymmetry, balance issues, or anyone who wants a clearer picture of how their body moves.

Question 46

Does Kinotek diagnose injuries?

Accepted Answer

Kinotek is a movement assessment tool, not a stand-alone diagnostic test. It helps identify movement patterns and objective data that can inform clinical evaluation, physical therapy planning, exercise programming, and progress tracking.

Question 47

Does Althera offer Physical Therapy?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Althera offers in-clinic and at-home Physical Therapy services. PT can be used for pain, mobility, injury recovery, strength, balance, movement quality, function, performance, and long-term durability.

Question 48

Does Althera offer PT packages?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Althera offers Physical Therapy packages for clinic-based therapy and at-home therapy services. Packages can be designed around the patient's goals, needs, and availability.

Question 49

Who is Physical Therapy for?

Accepted Answer

Physical Therapy may be helpful for patients recovering from injury, dealing with joint or muscle pain, rebuilding strength, improving balance, restoring mobility, preventing future injury, improving athletic performance, or needing guided movement support after a procedure or regenerative treatment.

Question 50

How does PT fit into Althera's larger care model?

Accepted Answer

PT fits naturally into Althera's Restore and Optimize model. A patient may combine PT with Kinotek movement assessment, InBody tracking, regenerative care, red light therapy, IV therapy, peptide support, recovery tools, or medical care when appropriate.

Question 51

Can PT be done at home?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Althera offers at-home Physical Therapy services for patients who need or prefer care in their own environment. At-home PT may be useful for mobility limitations, post-injury recovery, busy schedules, older adults, or patients who benefit from therapy in the same setting where they move every day.

Question 52

Do CMC/DPC members get a discount on PT?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All CMC/DPC members receive 15% off Althera products and services, including Physical Therapy services and packages.

Question 53

Can Physical Therapy be paired with regenerative care?

Accepted Answer

Often, yes. Many patients benefit from a plan that includes regenerative support and guided rehab. Regenerative treatments may support tissue health, while Physical Therapy helps restore movement, strength, function, and long-term outcomes.

Question 54

What is hormone optimization?

Accepted Answer

Hormone optimization is a clinician-guided process that evaluates symptoms, lab results, medical history, and health goals to determine whether hormone support may be appropriate. Hormones influence energy, mood, sleep, metabolism, libido, strength, focus, body composition, skin, and recovery.

Question 55

Does Althera offer hormone therapy for men and women?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Althera offers hormone evaluation and optimization for both men and women when clinically appropriate. Care may include symptom review, lab testing, medical history review, risk assessment, treatment planning, and ongoing monitoring.

Question 56

What symptoms may suggest a hormone evaluation is worth considering?

Accepted Answer

Patients often seek hormone evaluation for fatigue, brain fog, low libido, mood changes, poor sleep, weight gain, reduced strength, slower recovery, hot flashes, night sweats, irregular or changing cycles, erectile concerns, loss of motivation, or feeling "not like myself." These symptoms can have many causes, so evaluation matters.

Question 57

Is hormone therapy based only on lab numbers?

Accepted Answer

No. Good hormone care should never be based on labs alone. At Althera, we consider symptoms, health history, medications, risk factors, lifestyle, goals, and lab findings together. The goal is not to chase a number. The goal is to understand what is happening and whether treatment is appropriate.

Question 58

What labs are needed for hormone therapy?

Accepted Answer

Recommended labs depend on the patient and clinical concern. Hormone evaluation may include testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, thyroid markers, CBC, CMP, lipids, A1c, insulin, PSA for men when appropriate, vitamin levels, inflammatory markers, or other labs based on symptoms and history.

Question 59

Is hormone therapy safe?

Accepted Answer

Hormone therapy can be beneficial for properly selected patients, but it also has risks. That is why Althera uses medical review, lab evaluation, informed consent, and monitoring. Hormone therapy may not be appropriate for patients with certain cancers, clotting disorders, uncontrolled medical conditions, pregnancy, or other risk factors.

Question 60

How often do hormones need to be monitored?

Accepted Answer

Monitoring depends on the treatment plan, dose, symptoms, and patient history. Patients starting or adjusting hormone therapy usually require follow-up labs and visits. Once stable, monitoring may be spaced out according to clinical judgment.

Question 61

What are peptides?

Accepted Answer

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as signaling molecules in the body. Depending on the peptide and the clinical goal, peptide therapy may be used to support recovery, tissue health, metabolism, body composition, energy, sleep, immune resilience, performance, and healthy aging.

Question 62

What does Althera use peptides for?

Accepted Answer

Peptides may be considered for recovery support, tissue and joint support, metabolic health, body composition, sleep and resilience, immune support, energy and mitochondrial support, healthy aging, performance optimization, skin, hair, and wellness support. Each protocol should be individualized.

Question 63

Is peptide therapy right for everyone?

Accepted Answer

No. Peptide therapy is not appropriate for everyone. Althera evaluates your medical history, medications, symptoms, goals, risk factors, labs when needed, and treatment priorities before recommending a protocol.

Question 64

Are peptides FDA-approved?

Accepted Answer

Some peptides are FDA-approved medications for specific conditions. Many peptides used in wellness and optimization settings may be compounded and may not be FDA-approved for the specific wellness use being discussed. Althera uses careful informed-consent language and clinician oversight.

Questions Are Welcome Here.

Start with a 15-minute consult.

Bring us your symptoms, goals, and questions.

Questions Are Welcome Here.

Start Here6

What is Althera Alternative Care?

What makes Althera different?

Is Althera a medical clinic, wellness clinic, aesthetics clinic, or physical therapy clinic?

Who is Althera for?

Do I need to know exactly what service I want before booking?

What is the simplest way to explain Althera?

The Althera CORE Process9

Concierge Primary Care / Direct Primary Care13

At-Home Concierge Care5

Labs, Biomarkers, InBody & Testing7

Kinotek Movement Assessment6

Physical Therapy7

Hormone Optimization7

Peptide Therapy7

Medical Weight & Metabolic Health8

IV Infusion Therapy7

Regenerative Medicine7

Aesthetics, Body Sculpting & Skin Health9

Men's Vitality & Apex-P12

Recovery & Wellness Technologies6

Products & Supplements5

Financing, Payment & CareCredit8

Appointments & Getting Started6

Employers, Teams & Partnerships4

Safety, Claims & Expectations9

Start with a 15-minute consult.

Bring us your symptoms, goals, and questions.