Synergy Women's Health Offers 60-Minute FM Consultations Billed to Insurance
Portland, United States - August 14, 2026 / Synergy Women's Health Care /
A Portland gynecology practice established in 2011 integrates conventional care with a structured functional medicine membership program, offering patients a more thorough path to answers when standard appointments fall short.
Portland, OR. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation's 2024 Women's Health Survey, nearly one in two American women skipped at least one recommended preventive health service in the prior year, citing time, cost, and difficulty accessing appointments. Synergy Women's Health, a Portland-based practice co-founded by Dr. Michelle Sang, MD, FAARM, FACOG and Dr. Karen Ogryzlo, MD, is structured to address that experience across every stage of a woman's health journey, not only at the annual visit.
Key Takeaways
- Synergy Women's Health has served Portland women since 2011, providing conventional gynecology alongside an integrated functional medicine program.
- Co-owner Dr. Michelle Sang, MD, FAARM, FACOG holds board certification in both OB/GYN and Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine, with over 30 years of clinical experience in women's health.
- Co-owner Dr. Karen Ogryzlo, MD, and two nurse practitioners deliver full-scope conventional gynecology and can incorporate functional medicine principles under Dr. Sang's guidance, or refer patients directly to her for deeper integrative care.
- All office visits, including functional medicine consultations, are billed to insurance. The FM membership fee, available on a quarterly or annual basis, covers care coordination and extended access to Dr. Sang's time.
- Functional medicine care begins with a 60-minute consultation and standard lab work, with more specialized testing introduced only when the clinical picture supports it.
What Does It Mean When Your Questions Outlast the Appointment?
A 15-minute visit works well when the concern is straightforward. But many women arrive with something more complex: fatigue that persists despite adequate sleep, hormonal changes that resist easy categorization, or a sense that something is off even when routine labs return within normal range. Those conversations require more than a referral and a follow-up scheduled months away.
That is the gap Synergy Women's Health was built to close. The practice does not ask patients to choose between evidence-based medicine and a thorough, unhurried conversation. It provides both, with a clinical team structured to meet each patient according to her specific needs.
Who Is on the Synergy Women's Health Team?
The clinical team at Synergy Women's Health includes two physicians and two nurse practitioners, each contributing a distinct role to the care model.
Dr. Karen Ogryzlo, MD, co-owner of the practice, leads conventional gynecology care alongside the two nurse practitioners. Together they provide the full range of gynecological services: annual exams, birth control counseling, menopause management, preventive screenings, and related care. They also incorporate foundational functional medicine principles when appropriate, drawing on the framework Dr. Sang has established within the practice.
When a patient's concerns call for a more thorough evaluation - whether that involves a root-cause hormonal assessment, an integrative approach to a condition that has not responded to standard treatment, or a more comprehensive wellness plan - she can be referred to Dr. Sang directly or choose to enroll in the functional medicine membership program.
Dr. Michelle Sang, MD, FAARM, FACOG has practiced women's health as an OB/GYN since 1994 and holds additional board certification through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M). Her scope includes gynecological care and surgery alongside the functional medicine program, and she brings more than three decades of clinical experience to each patient relationship. The one area not currently in her schedule is the annual preventive exam, given the extended time her functional medicine consultations require. All other areas of women's gynecological health, including procedural and surgical care, remain part of her practice.
How Does the Functional Medicine Program Work?
The functional medicine program at Synergy is structured to work alongside a patient's existing insurance coverage rather than replacing it with out-of-pocket costs at every step.
Enrollment includes a membership fee, available on a quarterly or annual basis. That fee covers Dr. Sang's time, care coordination, and the extended access the FM model requires. All office visits, whether conventional or functional medicine in focus, are billed to insurance separately. This structure is designed to maximize what existing coverage already provides.
The first functional medicine consultation runs 60 minutes. That time allows for a thorough intake conversation, a careful review of the patient's history, and a collaborative discussion about what she is experiencing - not only what appears on a form. Follow-up appointments are scheduled every two to three months, based on each patient's evolving care plan.
Testing follows the same measured approach. Care begins with conventional serum labs, the same diagnostics most insurers already cover. Specialized testing - such as the DUTCH hormone panel, organic acid testing, or stool analysis - is introduced only when the clinical picture points in that direction and the benefit is clearly defined. The objective is a thoughtful, layered process, not a default to comprehensive panels from the first visit.
What Makes This Approach Different From Standard Gynecology?
The difference is not a philosophical position. It is a process.
Consider a woman in her early forties experiencing irregular cycles, disrupted sleep, and mental fog she cannot easily explain. Her annual labs fall within normal range. A standard visit might confirm that nothing appears clinically wrong and recommend returning if symptoms worsen. That is not inadequate care; it reflects what a brief appointment can realistically accomplish.
In the functional medicine model, that same patient enters a 60-minute consultation where her symptoms are mapped alongside her history, lifestyle, and what has already been ruled out. The clinical reasoning follows the individual, not a fixed protocol. Over the following months, the care plan develops alongside her. When more specialized testing becomes relevant, it is introduced with a clear rationale the patient understands and has agreed to.
Dr. Sang's approach draws on what the functional medicine field calls root-cause analysis - a methodology that examines contributing factors across hormonal, metabolic, nutritional, and lifestyle systems rather than addressing symptoms in isolation. This does not replace the evidence-based standards of conventional medicine; it adds context and depth where a single clinical snapshot cannot capture the full picture.
Who Benefits Most From the Functional Medicine Membership?
Patients who tend to find the most value in the FM program are those working through something that has not resolved through conventional care alone, or those seeking a more comprehensive, proactive approach to their health over time.
That might include someone navigating perimenopause who wants to understand her options beyond a single prescription. It might be a woman with a history of PCOS who is now considering fertility and wants a plan built around her specific hormone profile. It might be someone whose labs appear normal but who does not feel well, and who wants a structured process for understanding why.
One point worth stating directly: functional medicine is not a shortcut, and the membership model requires ongoing engagement. The process takes time, and answers are not always immediate or straightforward. For patients who want an active role in their care and are prepared to engage with that process, the outcomes are often meaningful. For those seeking a single visit and a fixed answer, a conventional appointment may be the more appropriate starting point - and that option is available at the practice as well.
What Can Patients Expect From the Conventional Care Team?
Patients who come to Synergy Women's Health for conventional care are seen by an experienced clinical team. Dr. Ogryzlo and the nurse practitioner team provide the full range of gynecological services, from annual exams and contraception counseling to menopause support and preventive care. Telehealth visits are available alongside in-person appointments, and the practice accepts most major insurance plans.
When a patient seen by the conventional care team has concerns that warrant deeper investigation, the internal referral pathway to Dr. Sang keeps care connected. There is no need to locate a new provider, re-explain a complete history, or navigate an unfamiliar system. The clinical conversation simply continues within the same practice.
Acting Now vs. Waiting: What the Difference Actually Looks Like
| Appointment length | 60 minutes for FM intake; full-scope conventional visits | Typically 15 minutes or less |
|---|---|---|
| ------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| Insurance use | All visits billed to insurance; FM membership fee covers coordination | Variable; may still face access gaps |
| Testing approach | Starts with covered labs; specialty testing added when clinically indicated | Often reactive, after symptoms worsen |
| Care continuity | Internal team referral pathway keeps care connected | Starting over with each new provider |
| Patient role | Collaborative, informed, active partner in care decisions | Often passive, receiving instructions |
| Timeline | Symptoms addressed before they compound | Conditions often escalate before getting attention |
Delaying care rarely produces a clearer picture. It typically results in a longer, more complex conversation later - about something that did not need to reach that point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Dr. Sang see patients for routine gynecological concerns, not just functional medicine?
Yes. Dr. Sang practices the full scope of gynecological care, including surgical care. The one exception in her current schedule is the annual preventive exam, which is handled by Dr. Ogryzlo and the nurse practitioner team. All other gynecological concerns, including procedures, can be addressed through her practice.
How does the functional medicine membership fee work?
The membership fee is available on a quarterly or annual basis and covers Dr. Sang's time, care coordination, and the extended support the FM program provides. All office visits, whether conventional or functional medicine in focus, are billed to insurance separately. This structure is designed to maximize existing coverage.
Do patients need to be enrolled in the FM membership to see Dr. Sang?
Patients enrolled in the functional medicine program have access to the full FM care model with Dr. Sang. Patients seeing the conventional care team may be referred to Dr. Sang for specific concerns without full enrollment, depending on clinical need.
What kind of testing is involved in the FM program?
Care begins with standard serum labs that most insurance plans cover. Specialized testing, such as the DUTCH hormone panel or other functional panels, is added only when clinical findings indicate it would meaningfully inform the care plan. The goal is staged, clinically justified testing rather than a default to out-of-pocket panels from the first visit.
Does the practice offer telehealth?
Yes. Both in-person and telehealth visits are available, giving patients scheduling flexibility without affecting the depth of the care conversation.
Does Synergy Women's Health accept insurance?
The practice accepts most major insurance plans. All office visits are billed to insurance regardless of the reason for the visit.
How can a patient determine whether the functional medicine program is the right fit?
A practical starting point is scheduling a conversation with the team. Patients navigating unresolved hormonal symptoms, perimenopause, fertility questions, or persistent concerns that have not found resolution through conventional care alone often find the FM program a meaningful match. A specific diagnosis is not required to explore whether a more comprehensive approach is appropriate.
About Synergy Women's Health
Synergy Women's Health is a Portland, Oregon gynecology and women's health practice providing personalized, evidence-based care since 2011. Co-owners Dr. Michelle Sang, MD, FAARM, FACOG and Dr. Karen Ogryzlo, MD, lead a clinical team that includes two nurse practitioners, offering both conventional gynecology and an integrated functional medicine membership program. In-person and telehealth appointments are available, and the practice accepts most major insurance plans.
Contact Information:
Synergy Women's Health Care
2525 NW Lovejoy St, Suite 300
Portland, OR 97210
United States
Synergy Women's Health Care
+1-503-227-4050
https://synergypdx.com
