Questions You're Probably Asking
Dr. Ford Brewer and the PrevMed Health team answer the most common questions about telemedicine, HeartReveal screening, clinical programs, insulin resistance, inflammation, and preventing heart attacks before they happen. Straight answers, no jargon.
Getting Started
How does telemedicine work? Can I really get good care remotely?
Yes — telemedicine is how I run my entire practice and it works. I see patients through secure video visits. Your labs are done at a facility near you (or you submit labs you already have), and we handle everything else remotely — results review, protocol building, medication management, follow-ups.
Most of what I do doesn't require a stethoscope. It requires looking at the right data, interpreting it correctly, and building a protocol around what it tells us. The lab results don't care whether I'm in the same room as you or on the other side of the country. And neither does your plaque.
How do I become a patient?
If you have decided you want to explore becoming a clinical patient with us, you can either call 859-721-1414 or schedule a meeting with one of our patient enrollment representatives. Our representatives will guide you through the options that best suit what you are looking for.
There's no application process, no referral needed, and no waitlist.
What's the first step if I'm not sure this is right for me?
Start with HeartReveal. It's a focused screening — an entry-point lab panel that tells you whether plaque-related risk factors, insulin resistance, or inflammation are in play. You don't have to commit to anything else. If the results come back clean, great — you've bought peace of mind. If they show something worth investigating, you'll be glad you looked now instead of waiting for symptoms.
HeartReveal is the starting point, not a comprehensive workup — the deeper testing happens inside a clinical program.
You can sign up for your HeartReveal labs or schedule a meeting to get started.
I'm not local. Does that matter?
No. I run a national telemedicine practice. Your labs can be done at a facility near you, and we coordinate everything remotely. The only thing that matters is whether you want answers about your arteries - not your zip code.
About the Practice
What's the difference between PrevMed and what my cardiologist does?
Most cardiologists focus on intervention — stents, surgery, medication management after a cardiac event. I focus on prevention — finding plaque before it ruptures, stabilizing it with lifestyle and targeted medications, and monitoring it over time.
The practical difference: your cardiologist will run a stress test to see if you have a blockage severe enough to need intervention. I'll run imaging and advanced labs to find plaque while it's still soft and treatable — years or decades before a stress test would flag anything. Stress tests and risk calculators estimate probability. I actually look inside your arteries.
I'm not replacing your cardiologist. If you need an intervention, you should absolutely see one. But by the time you need an intervention, prevention has already failed. My job is to make sure it doesn't.
Who will I see — Dr. Brewer or the team?
You'll work with a team Dr. Brewer has personally trained. Our physicians and nurse practitioners manage ongoing care. Dr. Brewer's direct involvement depends on your program — Personal Care Program patients work with him directly; Clinical Program and Advanced Clinical Program patients get his methodology applied through our clinical team with his case-level oversight.
Why should I trust you?
I started off as an ER doc. I watched people come in with heart attacks and strokes that could have been prevented. It drove me crazy. So I went to Johns Hopkins to learn prevention, ended up running their program, and taught past presidents of the American College of Preventive Medicine. I've been doing this for over 40 years.
But the real reason to trust me is simpler: I'm my own patient. I found plaque in my own arteries at 57. My arterial age was 73. Today it's 52. I reversed 21 years using the same protocol I build for every patient.
Labs & Testing
What is your HeartReveal Test?
HeartReveal is a focused screening — an entry-point lab panel that looks at the markers most likely to reveal plaque risk, insulin resistance, and inflammation. It includes Lp(a), ApoB, hs-CRP, homocysteine, fasting insulin, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, and particle count — biomarkers that tell us whether plaque is forming and what's driving it, not just whether your cholesterol number is "high" or "normal."
It's a starting point, not a comprehensive workup. The deeper testing happens inside a clinical program.
Results come back in about a week. Our team reviews everything and walks you through what each finding means. See the full biomarker breakdown on our labs page →
How does HeartReveal pricing work?
We share pricing directly on your initial consultation — it varies by location, lab partner, and which markers you need. The point is this: HeartReveal is designed to be the most affordable, lowest-friction way to find out whether plaque, insulin resistance, or inflammation is in play.
Submit a lab inquiry → and our team will walk you through it.
I already had labs done by my doctor. Can you use those?
Yes. You can submit your existing labs through the same form you'd use to order a HeartReveal screening on our labs page. Our team reviews what you have and tells you what it shows — and what might be missing. Most standard labs don't include the advanced markers we look for, so there may be gaps. But whatever you've got is a starting point, and we won't make you duplicate tests you don't need to.
What's a calcium score? Do I need one?
A calcium score is a CT scan that detects calcified plaque in your coronary arteries. It takes about 10 minutes and costs $50 to $200 at most imaging centers. It's one of the only tests that actually looks inside your arteries, unlike risk calculators that estimate from the outside.
Whether you need one depends on your lab results and risk profile. If HeartReveal shows risk factors, imaging is usually the next step. I'll tell you which tests make sense for your situation — I don't order tests for the sake of ordering them.
Clinical Programs & Treatment
What's the actual difference between the three clinical programs?
The protocol is the same. The difference is frequency, depth, and access.
The Clinical Program (our best-value option) covers annual baseline check-ins and our core prevention methodology. The Advanced Clinical Program (limited availability) adds quarterly check-ins, expanded imaging, and active medication management. The Personal Care Program adds monthly check-ins, comprehensive imaging, and direct access to Dr. Brewer himself.
Which program fits depends on your risk profile and how closely you want to be monitored — we'll talk through it on your initial call. See full program details →
Will you just put me on statins like everyone else?
No — and yes, depending on what your labs and imaging show. My approach is lifestyle first, medications when needed, always in that order. The most powerful strategies for stabilizing plaque have nothing to do with anything I can prescribe. Nutrition, exercise, stress management, sleep — these are the foundation.
But I'll be direct: I take statins myself. When I discovered plaque at 57, I had been avoiding statins like most of my patients — because of the side effects. Eventually I bit the bullet, and it was the right call. Medications are a tool. I'll tell you the benefits, the risks, and what I would do in your situation. Then you decide. I support your decision either way.
What does "lifestyle first" actually mean in practice?
It means we build your prevention protocol starting with the things that matter most — and none of them come in a pill bottle. Nutrition tailored to your metabolic profile (not a generic diet sheet). Exercise appropriate for your age, condition, and goals. Stress management and sleep. These are the most powerful plaque-stabilizing strategies available, and they're the foundation of every clinical program I build.
Medications get added when the evidence supports them — not before, and not instead of lifestyle. In my protocol, a statin without a lifestyle plan is like putting a bandaid on a broken pipe. You need to fix the pipe first.
Can you actually reverse plaque?
I've heard people say you can't reverse plaque. I don't believe that — because I've done it. My arterial age went from 73 to 52 in about two years. That's a 21-year reversal. I've seen similar results in patients who commit to the protocol.
But "reversal" isn't magic, and it's not guaranteed. What we can reliably do is stabilize plaque — stop it from growing and make it less likely to rupture. Stabilization is the immediate goal. Reversal is what sometimes happens when you do everything right, consistently, over time. I'll never promise reversal, but I will promise we'll do everything the evidence supports.
Specific Concerns
I just got a bad calcium score. What should I do?
First: don't panic. A calcium score tells you that calcified plaque exists, but it doesn't tell you the whole story. Calcified plaque is actually more stable than soft plaque — it's the soft, lipid-rich plaque that's more likely to rupture and cause a heart attack. A high calcium score is a signal to look deeper, not a death sentence.
What you should do: get comprehensive labs (like HeartReveal) to understand what's driving the plaque. Get a CIMT or CT angiogram to see the full picture. And build a protocol to stabilize what's there and prevent more from forming. That's exactly what I do with patients in your situation every week.
If you want us to take a look, submit a lab inquiry. We'll review your calcium score alongside your other data and tell you what it actually means.
I had a heart attack. Is it too late for prevention?
No. It's not too late — but it is urgent. A heart attack means plaque ruptured. The immediate question is: what caused that rupture, and how do we prevent the next one?
Standard post-heart-attack care focuses on medications and cardiac rehab. That's important — do it. But most cardiac rehab programs end after a few months, and you're left managing pills on your own without a clear picture of what's still happening in your arteries.
What I add is the monitoring and protocol work that your cardiologist typically doesn't do: advanced labs to understand what's driving your plaque, imaging to see what's left, and a lifestyle-plus-medication protocol built specifically for your risk profile. You've already had the wake-up call. Let's make sure it doesn't happen again.
I'm a woman. Is this relevant to me?
Absolutely. Heart disease is the leading killer of women in the United States. Full stop.
Here's what makes it worse for women: the symptoms are often different, the presentation gets dismissed as stress or anxiety, and the research historically focused on men. Women are more likely to have smaller vessel disease, atypical symptoms, and get told to lose weight instead of getting their arteries checked. By the time someone takes it seriously, plaque has been quietly growing for years.
The protocol works the same way regardless of gender. The tests find plaque in women just as reliably as in men. If you're a woman who wants to understand what's actually happening in your body — not be dismissed — this practice was built for you.
I'm already on medications and seeing a cardiologist. Can I still work with you?
Yes, and many of my patients do. I'm not replacing your cardiologist — I'm adding a prevention-focused layer to your care. Your cardiologist manages your interventional needs; I focus on the upstream factors that determine whether you'll need more interventions down the road.
I'll coordinate with your existing providers if you'd like. The goal is a comprehensive approach, not a competing one.
Cost, Insurance & Privacy
How does pricing work, and do you take insurance?
We share pricing on your initial consultation so we can match the right program to your risk profile.
We don't take insurance. This is a self-pay concierge practice — no insurance billing, which means we don't spend half our time fighting insurance companies and we can spend four hours with you instead of fifteen minutes.
Here's how Dr. Brewer frames the cost: the average heart attack costs over $50,000 in hospital bills alone. A single stent is a multiple of any program we offer. Prevention isn't expensive. Not knowing is expensive.
Start with a HeartReveal screening or submit a lab inquiry and we'll walk you through what a program would look like for your situation.
Is my health information private and protected?
Yes. PrevMed Health takes patient privacy seriously. All patient health information is handled in accordance with HIPAA. Our telemedicine platform, clinical communications, and medical records are protected by federal privacy law. The forms on this website collect basic contact information only — not Protected Health Information.
For full details on how we collect, store, and protect your information, see our HIPAA Notice and Privacy Policy →
Two Starting Points. Same Goal.
Most questions answer themselves once you have your data. HeartReveal is a focused screening — the fastest way to find out whether plaque, insulin resistance, or inflammation is in play. If you're ready for ongoing care, our Clinical Programs apply Dr. Brewer's Heart Health Plan to your risk profile.