Medically reviewed by Dr. Matthew Rutman, MD. Last reviewed October 2026.
Among the top five causes of mortality in the U.S., estimates suggest that anywhere from 20 to 40 percent of deaths are preventable. While conventional medicine is focused on treatment – using pharmaceuticals and medical technology to address illnesses or injuries after they develop, Preventative Medicine is designed to prevent those conditions from ever developing.
At Balanced Health & Wellness, we offer a holistic, comprehensive approach to your overall health, wellness and longevity to bring long-term solutions across the life span. Our Functional Medicine approach to Preventative Medicine takes a lifelong approach to health and wellness - all woven into an individualized plan of preventive care designed just for you.
To learn more about our Preventative Medicine options – or any of your other medical or aesthetic needs – contact us online or call ☎ (631) 600-7950 to schedule your initial consultation.
Preventative Medicine is a medical specialty focused on delaying or avoiding future disease, disability or premature death. The focus of Preventative Medicine is exactly what its name implies: to prevent an injury or illness before it happens.
Preventative Medicine, more commonly known as Preventive Medicine, is an approach to healthcare that differs greatly from the standard models for the medical treatment of disease. It encompasses an understanding of overall health and longevity with interventions occurring before the onset of illness and disease.
Preventative Medicine doesn’t just look forward, though; it also looks back to develop an understanding of your past medical history, family history and genetic risk factors that suggest necessary steps in your preventive care plan.
Preventative Medicine involves measures taken to avoid or “prevent” diseases or health conditions before they begin to take root. With a patient-centered approach focused on root causes, our Functional Medicine approach to Preventative Medicine brings to bear the most current scientific advances – in immune function, nutrition, gut health and genetics, for example - not simply to treat disease, but to prevent it. Its goal is to sustain optimal health and wellness across the life span, while increasing longevity.
Our Preventative Medicine practitioners consider clinical, lifestyle, hormonal, genetic and environmental factors and how they impact one another in the development of illness and disease.
A focus on preventive care, root causes and patient education are all foundational tenets of Functional Medicine. Functional Medicine doctors who practice Preventative Medicine see the body as an interconnected system. Treatment models in conventional medicine understand various parts of the body as separate units, very rarely taking a whole-person approach to health and wellness. Preventative Medicine involves taking a holistic view of the patient’s health, rather than simply focusing on specific diseases in specific parts of the body.
Our Functional Medicine approach to Preventative Medicine is designed to be a lifelong, collaborative partnership between doctor and patient where, together, we seek to understand the function of all your bodily systems as an essential aspect of ensuring lifelong wellness and not only treating but preventing illness.
Examples of services provided under this umbrella may include:
Preventive care is accomplished by first improving your overall health, so the body is better able to avoid illness and injury. It is also essential to understand the processes and triggers that inevitably lead to certain disease states or common injuries. The goal is to interrupt their progress while it is still possible.
Primary Prevention: Aims to prevent illness and disease by removing risk factors or protecting against potential injury (e.g., childhood immunizations, fall risk assessments in the elderly, regular exercise, healthy diet, healthy sleep, stress reduction, avoiding substance abuse, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake, etc.)
Secondary Prevention: Focuses on early detection and prompt treatment of a condition before symptoms worsen or even appear (e.g., cancer screenings, blood pressure checks, diabetes testing, etc.)
Tertiary Prevention: Involves managing an existing, established disease to stop or slow its progress, prevent complications and restore wellness
There are so many benefits that come with Preventative Medicine. It saves lives, catching silent or early-stage conditions when they are most treatable. It also reduces costs, lowering long-term medical expenses by avoiding expensive emergency treatments and saving the costs that come with chronic disease progression. Other benefits include:
A functional medicine approach to Preventative Medicine best circumvents chronic, lifestyle-driven conditions—such as pre-diabetes, early cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders—by identifying concerns before the full-scale disease develops.
By treating the body as an interconnected system, this proactive model uses advanced testing and targeted lifestyle changes to stop minor issues from turning into major illnesses like:
At your initial consultation, we will take a medical history and review any medications, supplements or herbal medications you’re taking, as well as assess any current medical needs you may have. We will explore your family medical history, personal medical history, lifestyle, daily stressors, diet, exercise habits and current medications. A functional evaluation of your health typically involves a full physical exam that includes a review of your hormone function and includes other necessary testing.
Our Preventative Medicine approach means we take a comprehensive, hands-on approach to health, treating the body as a whole. In designing a personalized Preventative Medicine plan, we seek to understand your individual experience, health symptoms and wellness goals in context. Our goal is not simply to treat symptoms or a single condition even. We want to fully understand the root cause of your condition(s) as well as the medical risks you face for potential illnesses or diseases.
With this information in hand, we then collaborate with you to create a personalized Preventative Medicine plan based on the results of your evaluation. It may include the following:
Your personalized Preventative Medicine plan will be designed just for you – with your input and step-by-step involvement. For more questions about Preventative Medicine options, reach out to one of our caring team members today. Call us at ☎ (631) 600-7950.
A Brooklyn, New York native, Dr. Rutman graduated with honors in biology from Binghamton University then pursued his medical education at New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency in emergency medicine at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, where he excelled as chief resident and received recognition for his teaching abilities and patient care skills. He has been serving as an attending physician in emergency medicine for over 15 years at St Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson, New York, and other institutions.
As a member of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians and board certified by the American Board of Osteopathic Emergency Medicine, Dr. Rutman brings a wealth of knowledge to his work with his patients.
Recognizing the importance of weight management and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in promoting overall health and wellness, Dr. Rutman has undergone specialized training to become an expert in both fields with the goal of helping each patient achieve the best possible health outcomes through an informed, healthy lifestyle.
We should be your first step for comprehensive Preventative Medicine care. Our highly trained, compassionate team at Balanced Health & Wellness offers expertise and years of experience with a Preventative Medicine approach to health and wellness. Call ☎ (631) 600-7950 or contact us online for your first consultation.
