The first 90 days: measure, decide, act, remeasure

Weeks 1 to 2: the baseline

You start with a free online assessment covering your health history, current medicines and supplements, symptoms and goals. Be thorough here; details such as snoring, alcohol intake, cycle changes or past steroid use change which tests are useful.

If labs are appropriate, your clinician orders a panel and you visit a nearby patient service center, usually early in the morning, especially if testosterone is being measured. A typical panel may include lipids with apoB and Lp(a), HbA1c and glucose, kidney and liver function, thyroid, ferritin, vitamin B12 and D, a blood count and hormones relevant to you. Standard screening questions also cover sleep apnea risk, mood and alcohol use.

Getting an accurate baseline

A baseline is only useful if it reflects your normal life. A few simple steps make your first results easier to interpret and to compare later.

• Draw blood on a typical week, not the morning after a red-eye flight or a big celebration
• Book an early-morning slot if testosterone is being checked, since levels are highest in the morning
• Follow any fasting instructions you are given, and drink water
• Avoid hard exercise the day before, which can temporarily raise some muscle and liver markers
• Tell your clinician about biotin and other supplements, which can interfere with some lab tests
• If you have a cold or other acute illness, consider rescheduling

Weeks 2 to 4: the review

Once results are back, you meet a licensed clinician by video. You go through each result, what it means for you and what, if anything, needs action. Bring questions and any home readings you have, such as blood pressure or sleep data.

There are three broad outcomes, and all of them are useful.

Something worth treating: for example, confirmed low testosterone with symptoms, perimenopause symptoms affecting sleep and work, or weight-related risk that qualifies for medical treatment. Something worth watching: a borderline result that is best rechecked after lifestyle changes. Or a clean baseline: results that give you a reference point for the future, with no treatment needed.

Weeks 4 to 12: act, if there is something to act on

If treatment is appropriate, your clinician explains options, benefits, risks and costs, and you decide together. Prescriptions are filled by a licensed U.S. pharmacy and shipped to you. Some medicines are compounded; compounded medications are not FDA-approved and are not the same as branded products.

During this period, follow-up is usually by secure message. You report side effects, questions and progress, and your clinician adjusts the plan. If a referral is needed, such as for a sleep study, imaging or a specialist, we tell you why and what to ask for.

Around week 12: remeasure

Many treatments and lifestyle changes need about three months to show up in labs. Around week 12, your clinician will usually reorder the relevant tests, such as lipids, HbA1c, liver enzymes or hormone levels, and compare them with your baseline. For safety, some treatments require specific monitoring; testosterone therapy, for example, involves checking hematocrit and PSA.

This is where the value of a baseline shows. Rather than wondering if something helped, you can see it in your own numbers and in how you feel.

If the numbers have not moved, that is useful too. It may mean a dose needs adjusting, that a different cause is at play, or that the change you made did not stick in a busy quarter. Your clinician will talk through the options rather than simply adding more treatment.

After that

From here, the rhythm depends on your results and treatment, not a fixed subscription calendar. Some people check in every few months during dose adjustments; others recheck once or twice a year. You can stop at any time, though some medicines should be tapered or stopped with clinician guidance.

What you will need, and what we do not do

• A valid ID and an address in a state where our clinicians are licensed
• A list of your medicines, supplements and any recent lab results
• A device with a camera for the video visit
• Your own primary care doctor or executive physical for exams, imaging and cancer screening, which HealifyMD does not provide