Neil Shah, MD

Frequently Asked Questions

So how does this work exactly?
For the initial consultation, we may spend 1 to 1.5 hours going through a comprehensive health history and getting clear on your health goals, priorities, preferences, and values. I like to do this initial assessment in-person at your home or office but virtual is available if you prefer or are outside the Austin area. I may recommend labs, imaging, or other biomarker assessments. At a follow-up appointment, we'll put everything together into a personalized health risk assessment and care plan, ranging from lifestyle interventions to medication prescriptions – all balanced and individualized to your priorities and values.Where are you located?
I'm based in Austin, TX and offer house calls anywhere in the Austin area. For virtual care, you must be physically located in Texas (or Massachusetts where I am also licensed) at the time of your consultation.Do you take insurance?
At this time, I do not accept insurance for my consultations, but my fees are fully HSA/FSA eligible. If requested, I'm happy to provide documentation that may help you count the visit towards your deductible or request reimbursement from your insurance company.How much does it cost?
• New patient virtual consultation: $400
• New patient house call: $450
• Follow-up virtual: $250
• Follow-up house call: $300
• Limited-time new patient bundle offer: Initial consult (house call or virtual) plus a virtual follow-up for $500 – a savings of $200.Are labs and imaging included in the price?
No – these are provided separately by external services. However, I'll do my best to recommend options that may be covered by your insurance whenever possible and to suggest high-value, affordable cash-pay alternatives.What makes this different from my typical general health doctor visit?
Two words: time and attention. This is not your typical 7-10 minutes of face time with your doctor that is mostly spent checking boxes on the computer screen. With me, you get unrushed appointments where we can go as deep and personal as needed. I'm focused solely on you and your health, not on what the insurance company decides I need to do to get paid for the visit. We'll have the time needed to customize a care plan based on your personal preferences, values, goals, and priorities. We'll also have time to dig into comprehensive lifestyle factors like nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress instead of reflexively jumping straight to pharmaceuticals (though I'm happy to prescribe when appropriate). The core value: long, unhurried visits with undivided attention on you and your health.Can you be my primary care doctor?
While there could be some overlap between my services and the full breadth of primary care, I specialize in preventive, metabolic, and wellness-oriented care. I do not manage any acute, urgent, or "sick care" needs. I encourage you to have a primary care doctor, and I'm happy to collaborate with them on your care.I'm curious to explore comprehensive wellness/lab/imaging tests like Function Health, Superpower, or Prenuvo. Can you help me evaluate which of these options could be helpful for me?
Absolutely. I can help you navigate these tests as well as make sense of the results when they come back.What if I already have a lot of biomarker data (like Function Health) and don't know what do with it all?
I'm very happy to review your existing data with you and recommend an evidence-based plan to optimize your health as well as support sustainable lifestyle changes.What other services do you provide?
• Medical weight management
• Hormone optimization for women and men
• Navigating complex chronic conditions under the care of multiple specialists.
• Pre-operative functional health optimization. i.e. setting patients up for success after surgery by optimizing health before going under the knife.
• Helping patients navigate the insanely complex healthcare system. Think of me as a "medical sherpa."Who is your typical patient?
I often work with men and women in mid-life with "borderline" health issues. i.e. mildly high cholesterol, "not quite" diabetic, occasional elevated blood pressure, etc. You're not sick enough to need meds, and you're given a generic platitude to "eat better, exercise more, and come back in a year." Meanwhile, you know you're not healthy. It's getting harder to maintain a healthy weight, and you don't have enough time or energy to do any of the healthy things you want to do. If this sounds like you, let's talk.How do I make an appointment?
I recommend starting with a free 15-minute introductory call by clicking here. You can also email [email protected] or text/call (512) 910-7050 to schedule an initial consultation.

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Texas Wellness MD
Validated Blood Pressure Devices

Looking for a reliable blood pressure device? ValidateBP.org and StrideBP.org are great resources but can be overwhelming to navigate. To save you time, I've dug through them and curated a list of devices along with Amazon/Walmart links. Note that if you click some of the links below, I may get a tiny commission from Amazon.All are FDA-cleared and have been validated by reputable independent organizations which is not true for many devices on the market. The pricier models may have extra features or better build quality, but all are validated to give reliable blood pressure readings. Personally, I've found that with a "nicer" device, I am more likely to check my blood pressure regularly.

$30 to $50

$60 to $80

$90 to $130

Wrist cuff devices: (Note: I generally recommend the upper arm devices above as they tend to be more accurate than wrist cuff devices. That said, if you absolutely want a wrist device, the ones listed here have been validated to be reasonably accurate.)

Always follow the instructions supplied with the device, but here are a few general tips for accurate blood pressure measurement:

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