Aches, pains and virtually all health problems can now get the full attention of medical, wellness, therapeutic and holistic professionals at a new integrated health facility in Toronto.

Just a couple months old, the concept behind Wellpoint Health Centre in Yorkville is unique — it pairs family physicians with chiropractors and a host of other therapists to create a team approach to health care in one state-of-the-art facility. The different avenues of innovative, preventative medicine enable patients if needed to receive more than one diagnosis without leaving the building, and therefore find the best treatment.

“Patients are getting specialists in all fields — if you only see one doctor you only get one approach,” said Dr. Michael Berenstein, the centre’s chiropractor.

But doctors and chiropractors working together?

“Some of the public and some doctors are skeptical about chiropratic, a lot of times people think doctors and chiropractors don’t get along well,” said Berenstein. “But what we’ve done here is integrated chiropractic with the medical model to work as a team.”

Dr. Sanjeev Sharma, a family physician at Wellpoint, said physicians working alongside chiropractors, acupuncturists, etc. enables a coordinated case management approach and communication among doctors.

“I cannot speak for the general medical community, but for us one of the things we felt could optimize a patient’s outcome was by coordinating a multidisciplinary team to manage any patient issue. By doing so at one site we maximize our chances of having a favourable outcome.”

He said having an on-site pharmacy allows therapists to provide depth on pharmalogical treatment options.

The 12,000 square-foot facility more resembles a spa than a doctor’s office. Waiting rooms have leather couches, a plasma screen TV and a rock waterfall, and attractive art dresses the walls. It is unlike a typical waiting room, great for those who typically feel queasy and uneasy in doctors’ offices.

Located by the Bay/Bloor subway stop, Wellpoint contains male and female family doctors that are taking new patients, a cosmetic physician, neurologist, chiropractic with low-level laser therapy, massage therapy, a chinese medicine and acupuncture practitioner, registered dietitian, cardiologist, sleep specialist, athletic therapist, and live cell microscopy, a listening centre and on-site pharmacy.

Berenstein, an honours graduate of the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College and York University, where he studied biology and kinesiology for four years, says he sees a lot of patients referred to him by Wellpoint’s physicians.

Frequently a patient would make an appointment with a doctor for unexplained headaches, or wrist pain caused by carpel tunnel syndrome. The doctor might advise the patient to see a neurologist, who then might suggest an appointment with a chiropractor, who might think physiotherapy would compliment those treatments to further relieve pain.

Dr. Berenstein blends his chiropractic treatment with advanced, low-level, non-invasive and painless laser therapy, which he says works on common injuries that haven’t been treatable in the past, such as carpel tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow.  

He deems his cutting-edge, high-powered laser is quicker, more effective compared to other laser machines, economical and convenient, since many patients go to a clinic solely for laser therapy. He feels the chiropractic and laser compliment one another to allow the body to heal itself.

He has now partnered with Performance Orthotics to use state-of-the-art technology to analyze the mechanics of the feet and determine abnormal foot function. People suffering from biomechanical imbalances affecting their back, hip, and knees — diagnosed after a full, head to toe analysis by Dr. Berenstein — could benefit from the use of orthotics.

For a health centre in the upscale Yorkville area, it is not uncommon for people to assume it expensive. Dr. Berenstein says his prices remain competitive and are covered through most extended health cares; doctors’ appointments are covered by OHIP.

“We’re not above and beyond OHIP. It’s the same system everywhere,” he says.

Dr. Berenstein says his his patients are typically in his office for 20-30 minutes.

“I spend time with my patients. I don’t rush anyone out the door. One of the myths (in chiropractic) is you’re in, you’re out. They get a full treatment and they get my full attention.”  

Call 416-960-9288 or visit www.wellpointhealthcentre.com or www.bendchiropractic.com for more information.

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