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Steps: Practicing Functional Medicine

GATHER PURPOSE
GATHER ONESELF: Mindfulness; optimizing the
IFM TOOLS (examples)
• Mindful Meditation
therapeutic relationship • Health History and Intake Forms
• Medical Symptoms Questionnaire
GATHER INFORMATION through intake forms, • Timeline
questionnaires, the initial consultation, physical exam, • Chronological Story
and objective data. A detailed functional medicine • ATMs and the Patient’s Story
history taken appropriate to age, gender, and nature • ABCDs of Nutrition Evaluation
of presenting problems. • Request and Report
• Nutrition Physical Exam Forms

ORGANIZE PURPOSE
ORGANIZE the subjective and objective details from
IFM TOOLS (examples)
• Functional Medicine Matrix
the patient’s story within the functional medicine • Antecedents, Triggers, Mediators
paradigm. Position the patient’s presenting signs, • Modifiable Lifestyle Factors
symptoms, and ATMs, along with the details of the • Clinical Imbalances
case history on the timeline and functional medicine • Organizing the Functional Nutrition Evaluation
matrix.

TELL PURPOSE
TELL the story back to the patient in your own words
IFM TOOLS (examples)
• The Patient’s Story Reviewed & Shared with
to ensure accuracy and understanding. The re-telling Integration of the Functional Medicine Perspective
of the patient’s story is a dialogue about the case (i.e. ATMs, timeline, and matrix)
highlights, including the antecedents, triggers, and • Personal Development Exercises to Create and
mediators identified in the history, correlating them Strengthen the Therapeutic Relationship
to the timeline and matrix. • Reflective Listening
• Motivational Interviewing
• Acknowledge patient’s goals.
• Coaching & Behavioral Modifications
• Identify the predisposing factors (antecedents).
• Identify the triggers or triggering events.
• Identify the perpetuating factors (mediators).
• Explore the effects of lifestyle factors.
• Identify clinical imbalances or disruptions in the
organizing physiological systems of the matrix.
Ask the patient to join in correcting and amplifying
the story, engendering a context of true partnership.

ORDER PURPOSE
ORDER and prioritization emerge from the dialogue
IFM TOOLS (examples)
• Matrix
of professional and patient. The patient’s mental,
emotional, and spiritual perspective is of primary
importance for prioritizing the ‘next steps.’

INITIATE PURPOSE
INITIATE further functional assessment and
IFM TOOLS (examples)
• Your Functional Medicine Prescription
intervention based upon the above work: • Referral for Functional Nutrition Evaluation
• ABCD Order Form
• Perform further assessment
• Physical Exam Form
• Initiate patient education and therapeutic
• PFC-MVP Biomarkers
intervention
• Diet, Nutrition, and Lifestyle Journal
• Referral to adjunctive care if needed
• Mindful Eating
• Nutrition Professional
• Functional Nutrition Fundamentals
• Lifestyle Educator
• Core Food Plan and Therapeutic Suites
• Healthcare Provider
• Specialist

TRACK PURPOSE
TRACK further assessments, note the effectiveness of
IFM TOOLS (examples)
• Medical Symptoms Questionnaire
the therapeutic approach, and identify clinical outcomes • Body Composition Tracking
at each visit—in partnership with the patient.

© 2022 The Institute for Functional Medicine Version 7