It doesn’t really concern Dr. Marina Franzoni-Acosta that she’s not, as she puts it, “rolling in the dough.”
All that matters to the naturopathic physician and owner of the Wethersfield-based Connecticut Natural Medical Center, LLC, is that she’s doing more for her patients than prescribing medication.
Acosta belongs to the growing field of naturopathic medicine that has tripled over the past 10 years, according to the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges. The University of Bridgeport’s College of Naturopathic Medicine, the only accredited naturopathic school on the East Coast, defines naturopathy as a specialized system of primary health care that relies “on an art, science and practice of preventing, diagnosing and treating conditions of the human mind and body.”
Acosta, a Hartford native, graduated from the Bridgeport program with dual degrees in naturopathy and acupuncture. She also has an undergraduate degree in biochemical and genetic engineering from Trinity College.
“I was searching for a way to help people find a peaceful environment in and outside your body,” she said. “This isn’t a 9-5 for me. I try to live my life with the philosophy of natural medicine.”
In 2004, Acosta took out loans from Webster Bank and opened up her own naturopathy practice on Franklin Avenue in Hartford.
“I started growing so fast,” said Acosta, noting that her strong network of contacts in the community she grew up in helped to build her practice quickly early on.
In 2007, Acosta decided to take her practice to an old carriage house in Old Wethersfield. She was drawn to its old, natural feel-which she felt was the antithesis of a “typical sterile environment.”
Acosta says she sees up to 15 patients a day and often spends more time with them than their insurance co-pays will cover. Most of her expenses from being a small business owner, she says, come from paying malpractice and liability insurance. Her sole employee is her sister, who works as her full-time secretary.
“I wouldn’t pay myself to get other things paid. That’s how much I love my business. My accountant advises against that,” she said with a smile, noting her business last year made close to six figures.
One of the downsides to the naturopathic industry, says Acosta, is its relationship with the insurance industry. She said many insurance companies are unwilling to pay for the amount of time necessary for her to meet fully help her patients. She is hopeful that new doctors will recognize the importance of naturopathic medicine.
Stacey Munro, N.D. and legislative chair for the Connecticut Naturopathic Physician Association (CNPA), is currently working on bringing naturopathy to Native American reservations.
“We believe that our emphasis on preventative medicine and patient education saves health care dollars by teaching people how to be well. The state of Connecticut mandates that insurance companies include Naturopathic physicians on their panels,” Munro said.
Acosta does make the point that it’s critical her patients continue to meet with their regular doctors.
“We work complementary with patients’ doctors. It’s not mine is better than yours; it’s working side by side to help treat the body as a whole,” she said, mentioning it can take anywhere from eight weeks to six months to see results from her naturopathic treatments.
“You spend years of your life doing something a certain way, it’s going to take time to transition,” she said.
Sometimes, she works with diabetic patients on something as simple as realizing that soda and other lifestyle choices can impair their blood sugar levels. For a person with a sleeping disorder, she said, there may be a longer process to restful nights. Typically, she will test urine and saliva to measure an insomniac’s melatonin levels. She describes this process as getting a “blueprint” of the person so she’s able to find and then regulate their discrepancies. The supplements Acosta gives her patients range from $5 to 80, she said.
“I’m all about fixing the root, so the branches grow great. That’s the fundamental thing I learned in med school,” she said.
Joanna Smiley writes the weekly Local Insight column. Reach her at jsmiley@HartfordBusiness.com.
