The Practice

As a primary care, naturopathic physician, much of Dr. Donovan's practice involves managing patients with various chronic health problems that include heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, ulcerative colitis, crohn's disease, and other chronic inflammatory disorders.

Dr. Donovan has been in private practice as a naturopathic physician since 1985. He practices from a philosophy based in the Naturopathic Principles:

• The healing power of nature;
• First do no harm;
• Find the cause;
• Treat the whole person;
• Prevent disease;
• Doctor as teacher;
• Maintain wellness.

That philosophy directs him to use the least invasive and most health-promotive, effective therapies relevant to each patient's particular disorder and associated needs. In some cases this may only call for dietary and lifestyle changes with some nutritional supplementation while in other cases it may require surgical intervention and/or prescription medications. Once the best treatments have been established and begun, Dr. Donovan will then guide and assist his patients in discovering the nature and direction of their healing path hidden within their disease process.

In his practice at University Health Clinic in Seattle, he works with a variety of patients of all ages who present a full spectrum of acute and chronic disorders. He utilizes all diagnostic modalities from physical exam and blood tests to CT scans and MRIs as they may be needed to evaluate and monitor the health of his patients. As a primary care provider, Dr. Donovan is a strong advocate for preventive medicine. He advocates annual exams and routine blood work such as PAP screens, blood counts, cholesterol and lipid levels, fasting blood sugars, and other routine exams and tests appropriate for each patient's age, sex and medical history. When diagnostic conundrums occur or when diagnostic procedures are required outside his scope of training or expertise, Dr. Donovan will refer his patients to any one of a number of excellent specialists in the Seattle area with whom he has an established working relationship. When necessary, he will co-manage his patients with these specialists as well.

As a naturopathic physician in the state of Washington, Dr Donovan has prescriptive capabilities for a large variety of natural medicines and pharmaceuticals. These include various natural and synthetic hormones; all antimicrobials/antibiotics, nutritional supplements, botanical and homeopathic medications; and some antihypertensives and diuretics. Dr. Donovan believes that all medicines and therapies from nutritional supplements and exercise to prescription medications and surgery have their value when prescribed at the right time, in the right dose, for the right patient, to manage and treat the appropriate disorder. With this unbiased philosophy, Dr. Donovan utilizes all forms of therapeutic interventions to manage and treat his patients although his primary treatment modalities are homeopathy, botanical and nutritional medicine, diet and exercise. His guiding principle in the use of all therapies is they assure the highest level of optimal health and wellness for his patients with the least intervention and potential harm.

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