What makes this practice different?

The best of conventional medicine, with the time and freedom to do so much more.

Nice to meet you! I'm Dr. Kat Lopez MD, an experienced family medicine physician who has spent nearly a decade running an independent, direct-pay medical practice in Portland. I provide comprehensive primary care, with a particular focus on integrative and functional medicine, prevention, longevity, and the complicated health problems that rarely fit neatly into a 15-minute appointment. I tend to do more complex laboratory evaluations than most conventional doctors, but that’s a decision we make together based on your preferences. I tailor our work together, honoring your natural curiosity, health beliefs, and what is realistic in your life. Some people love supplement recommendations and detailed testing; others just want to be able to make an appointment in a reasonable amount of time. My patients recognize that having an experienced doctor “in the family,” so to speak, means that when something scary happens, they won't be left navigating a disconnected healthcare system alone. They'll have me at their fingertips, ready to thoughtfully guide their care, even in the most overwhelming circumstances.

My approach is grounded in conventional medical science, but it isn't limited to prescriptions. Nutrition, sleep, stress, hormones, metabolism, physical activity, environmental exposures, and emotional well-being are all legitimate parts of medicine. I consider them alongside laboratory findings, imaging, medications, and specialist recommendations.

your Membership includes:

• Same or next-day visits with your personal physician

• Ten relaxed, hour-long visits per year are included; additional visits are $500

• Unlimited direct communication by phone, email, and text, with prompt responses during working hours (I get off the screens after dinner, as should you!)

• In-depth review of your personal and family medical histories

• Meticulous assessments of your body and mind

• Comprehensive, customized plans to support your health

• Access to hereditary cancer genetic testing and innovative screening options, including the Galleri Multi-Cancer Early Detection Blood Test

• Careful coordination with your other doctors and specialists

• Advanced services including functional medicine and mind-body medicine

How is this different from conventional, insurance-based primary care?

In a typical insurance-based practice, physicians often have too many patients and too little time. Short visits encourage a fragmented approach: one symptom, one diagnosis, one prescription, one referral. Even excellent physicians struggle to provide truly individualized care under these conditions. I've deliberately built a practice that allows me to enjoy being a physician. Having enough time and energy for my patients makes medicine more satisfying for me, and I believe that makes me a better doctor. It also makes me a happy doctor.

I work directly for my members, not an insurance company or healthcare system. My patient panel is intentionally small, appointments are unhurried, and there's time to explore how seemingly unrelated symptoms might fit together. We can investigate thoroughly when appropriate, but we can also decide that more testing or treatment isn't necessary.

And perhaps most importantly, I'm accessible. My patients can text or email me directly, rather than navigating phone trees, portals, and rotating clinical staff. You can easily schedule a phone call, virtual visit, or office visit without a long wait.

How is this different from naturopathic medicine?

I respect the contributions of naturopathic medicine, particularly its attention to nutrition, lifestyle, and the body's capacity to heal. But my training and professional responsibilities are those of a medical doctor (MD), with residency training in family medicine.

I diagnose and treat the full range of conditions appropriate to primary care, prescribe conventional medications when indicated, order and interpret medical testing, manage chronic diseases, and coordinate care with medical specialists. My medical training included hospital-based care, and I've spent many years managing serious and complex illnesses in collaboration with specialist teams.

I also incorporate evidence-informed complementary approaches when appropriate. The goal isn't to choose between "natural" and conventional medicine. It's to choose the most effective, appropriate, and least burdensome approach for each individual.

How is this different from a typical functional medicine practice?

Functional medicine is often offered as a consultation service, separate from a patient's regular primary care. Some practices emphasize extensive specialty testing, supplement protocols, or packages of follow-up visits.

I practice my unique type of functional medicine within an ongoing primary care relationship. You don't need one doctor to investigate your fatigue, another to prescribe your blood pressure medication, and a third to help with menopause or metabolic health.

I consider the whole person, including the ordinary, unglamorous but essential work of good primary care.

My philosophy is simple:

Good medicine requires a trusting relationship with an open-minded, independent, experienced physician. One who happily does the necessary research to understand and guide most any problem. Our relationship is a safe place, where you are the special focus of my caring attention. Your fears and intuitions matter to me.

your Membership includes:

• Same or next-day visits with your personal physician

• Ten relaxed, hour-long visits per year are included; additional visits are $500

• Unlimited direct communication by phone, email, and text, with prompt responses during working hours (I get off the screens after dinner, as should you!)

• In-depth review of your personal and family medical histories

• Meticulous assessments of your body and mind

• Comprehensive, customized plans to support your health

• Access to hereditary cancer genetic testing and innovative screening options, including the Galleri Multi-Cancer Early Detection Blood Test

• Careful coordination with your other doctors and specialists

• Advanced services including functional medicine and mind-body medicine