”We seek to help people heal one person at a time by addressing that individual’s unique goals and within the context of a root causes paradigm.
- Dr. Derek Guillory
Dr. Derek Guillory has been curious about why people are sick for as long as he can remember. As a teenager, he suffered from ongoing symptoms that no one could explain, so he asked himself, “Why am I sick, and why can nobody help me?” That question led him to study medicine at UT Southwestern in Dallas, TX, and eventually become certified in emergency and functional medicine.
Through a combination of functional and traditional medicine, Dr. Guillory aspires to re-invent the way medical practitioners work. “As a medical doctor, I can write prescriptions, prescribe surgeries, and order regular diagnostic tests; those things are lifesaving and important,” he explained.
Dr. Guillory opened Root Causes Medical Clinic in San Antonio, TX, allowing him to love and genuinely support his patients. Dr. Guillory mentioned, “The first step in the total reinvention of medicine is loving the person coming to seek my help.” The new practice will enable him to collaborate with multiple specialties and access more tools than a mainstream doctor’s office. “Our mission at Root Causes Medical Clinic is to be an instrument of healing for people (and the world) by exposing and effectively treating the underlying causes of disease. We seek to help people heal one person at a time by addressing that individual’s unique goals and within the context of a Root Causes paradigm.” Dr. Guillory shared.
A membership-based model is also one of the key ingredients to changing how a medical practice works, as it can lower the cost of medicine over time. “What I’m doing here is building a community where we’re all in this together. We all need to work together to address common causes of diseases, such as lifestyle and environmental factors,” explained Dr. Guillory. He looks at genetic factors and uses the tools of naturopathic physicians, chiropractors, herbalists, and homeopathic medicines.
Dr. Guillory considers BankMD to have been essential to the success of Root Causes Medical Clinic. The financing allowed him to hire employees, buy equipment, and get the word out about his unique business. “My experience with BankMD has been great. They made it simple to fill out all the paperwork and access the credit I needed to expand my business.” “I think the big difference with BankMD is just the personalized attention. I have one point of contact, and I have a cell phone number, and I’ll call him when I need something, and he gets it done,” said Dr. Guillory.
