What to expect from your first consultation with Dr Reece Yeo

Most people who book an initial consultation with Dr Reece Yeo have never had a medical appointment that lasts three hours. The reaction is often a mix of anticipation and mild apprehension. This article explains what actually happens in that time, why it is structured the way it is, and how to make the most of it.

Before you arrive: the questionnaires

After your booking is confirmed, you will receive a set of detailed health questionnaires to complete before your appointment — please allow up to two hours for this. The questionnaires cover your health history, current symptoms, sleep patterns, emotional state, diet, lifestyle, and family history in considerable depth. They also ask questions that may seem unusual from a conventional medical standpoint — about your temperature regulation, food cravings, sweat patterns, and the specific characteristics of your symptoms — because these details are clinically significant in Chinese medicine.

These questionnaires need to be returned at least 48 hours before your appointment. Dr Reece Yeo reads them carefully in advance, which means the consultation time is spent on clinical reasoning and examination rather than taking a basic history.

Please also send any relevant pathology reports, imaging results, or specialist letters you have. The more context available, the more useful the initial consultation will be.

Part one: health history discussion (60–75 minutes)

The first part of the consultation involves a detailed conversation about your health. Dr Reece Yeo will clarify the concerns you raised in your questionnaires, ask follow-up questions, and begin building a clinical picture of your presentation from multiple perspectives simultaneously — biomedical, naturopathic, and Chinese medicine.

If you have brought pathology reports, this is when they will be reviewed and explained. Standard pathology is often interpreted by reference ranges that permit significant functional abnormality — particularly for thyroid function, iron studies, vitamin D, and B12. Dr Reece Yeo interprets results against functional ranges, which are often narrower than laboratory reference ranges, and explains what your results actually mean in the context of your symptoms.

Part two: comprehensive physical examination (30–45 minutes)

The physical examination integrates conventional clinical examination with Chinese medicine diagnostic methods. This includes:

• Standard vital signs and relevant physical examination based on your presenting complaints
• Tongue diagnosis — the tongue body, coating, colour, and shape provide significant information about constitutional pattern and organ system status in Chinese medicine
• Pulse diagnosis — the pulse is assessed at six positions on each wrist, each corresponding to a different organ system; the rate, depth, quality, and tension of the pulse inform formula selection
• Iridology assessment — Dr Reece Yeo has a particular interest in iridology as a constitutional assessment tool; the iris can reveal constitutional tendencies, hereditary patterns, and areas of functional compromise
• Functional assessment relevant to your presenting complaints

Part three: treatment, recommendations, and planning (30–45 minutes)

Based on the history and examination, Dr Reece Yeo will outline his clinical findings and the treatment plan. This typically includes an acupuncture treatment during the first consultation (if clinically appropriate), an explanation of his assessment from both a biomedical and Chinese medicine perspective, and specific recommendations covering diet, lifestyle, nutritional supplementation, and herbal medicine.

If functional testing is indicated — hormone panels, thyroid antibodies, stool analysis, SIBO breath testing, or other investigations — these will be discussed and referrals or test kits arranged. The initial consultation is also when the framework for ongoing care is established: how frequently follow-up appointments are needed, what the realistic treatment timeline looks like, and what your active role in the process is.

What the consultation costs and what is included

The initial consultation fee is $590. This includes the pre-consultation questionnaire review, the full 180-minute appointment, the acupuncture treatment, and one post-consultation SMS follow-up. Herbal formulas, where prescribed, are charged separately. Private health fund rebates may apply — check with your fund provider. There is no onsite HICAPS; claims are made directly with your fund after payment.

Who this consultation is designed for

Dr Reece Yeo works best with motivated, health-conscious patients who understand that natural medicine requires active participation. The initial consultation is an investment — in time, preparation, and cost — and it is designed for people who are genuinely committed to understanding and improving their health. If you are looking for a five-minute script and a quick fix, this is not the right fit. If you are looking for a thorough clinical partner who will take your health concerns seriously and work systematically toward resolution, it is.

To hear more about Dr Reece Yeo's clinical philosophy and approach before your first appointment, you can also listen to The Integrative Blueprint podcast — a useful way to get a feel for how he thinks and works.