Sierra Integrative Medical Center

Clinic Profile

Sierra Integrative Medical Center (sierraintegrative.com) is a single-location, freestanding outpatient integrative medicine clinic at 521 Hammill Lane in Reno, Nevada. The practice is described as “the nation’s foremost integrative medical clinic” — a claim reflecting its nearly 40-year history as one of the earliest and most established integrative medicine centers in the country.

The center focuses on patients with difficult-to-diagnose and chronic conditions — Lyme disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune diseases, neurological disorders, toxicity, HIV, Hepatitis-C, MS, and fibromyalgia — alongside weight loss, pain management, drug and alcohol detox, and cancer support. The philosophy is root-cause medicine: rather than treating symptoms or masking illness with pharmacologic therapies, SIMC investigates and corrects the underlying imbalances driving each patient’s condition.

SIMC is a cash-pay clinic only and does not accept insurance. The initial consultation requires a 3–5 day in-person stay in Reno for comprehensive testing and assessment.

Address: 521 Hammill Lane Reno, NV 89511

(Note: A second address at 9333 Double R Blvd, Suite 100, Reno, NV 89521 appears in some directories, likely reflecting a historical or additional location.)

Phone: (775) 828-5388 Website: sierraintegrative.com

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Hours:

• Monday – Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Friday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Saturday – Sunday: Closed

Background and History

Sierra Integrative Medical Center’s roots trace to 1983, when it was founded by Dr. Yiwien Chang, MD — a Harvard-educated physician — in Reno under the name Century Wellness Center. Over decades of practice, Dr. Chang grew increasingly dissatisfied with conventional allopathic medicine and sought answers from both traditional Chinese medicine and homeopathy. His practice evolved to embody this integrative approach to healing.

Dr. Chang shared his philosophy with his stepson, Dr. Bruce Fong, DO, HMD, who was introduced to natural and homeopathic medicine from a young age. In 2003, following a partnership dissolution, Sierra Integrative Medical Center was established with the original core staff and physicians, maintaining continuity of care and its Reno headquarters. Dr. Fong became the Founding Medical Director and has led the practice ever since — now approaching three decades of personal specialization in alternative therapies for immune-related diseases.

The practice has operated for over 40 years and is a nationally recognized pioneer in integrative medicine — combining the best of conventional medicine, homeopathy, Chinese medicine, orthomolecular therapy, nutritional medicine, and neurotherapy in individualized treatment plans.

Services and Programs

SIMC draws from all schools of medicine to create individualized treatment programs. All programs begin with a comprehensive 3–5 day initial evaluation including a complete history and physical, electro-diagnostic screening, and thorough laboratory analysis.

Weight Loss:

• Medical Weight Loss — confidential, medically supervised weight loss management; highly individualized; semaglutide (GLP-1) available when clinically indicated; multifaceted approach combining conventional and integrative tools; nutritional therapies, orthomolecular support, and behavioral medicine incorporated alongside medication
• Weight loss is treated as a root-cause issue — hormonal imbalances, gut dysfunction, thyroid dysfunction, and metabolic issues are evaluated alongside traditional weight loss approaches

Core Integrative Specialties:

• Lyme Disease (specialty)
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome / ME-CFS
• Autoimmune diseases (MS, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis)
• Viral diseases (HIV, Hepatitis-C)
• Neurological disorders
• Fibromyalgia / Osteoarthritis
• Environmental toxicity
• Cancer Support (alternative and integrative)

Treatment Modalities:

• Homeopathy — classical and German homeopathic medicine
• Natural and Biological Medicines — including mistletoe therapy, plant-based biologicals, and natural anti-infectives
• Orthomolecular Integration — high-dose vitamin, mineral, and nutrient therapy; IV nutrient infusions
• Parenteral Intravenous Therapy — IV detoxification of organs; immune system support and rebuilding
• Nutritional Therapies — individualized nutritional protocols targeting cellular function and immune support
• Traditional Chinese Medicine — herbs, acupuncture principles applied
• Behavioral Medicine — mind-body integration; stress, emotional and psychological factors
• Neurotherapy — brain and nervous system rebalancing
• Pain Management — chronic pain treatment using integrative protocols
• Drug Detox and Alcohol Detox — medically supervised, confidential detox programs
• Preventive Protocols — designed to avoid recurrence of symptoms and prevent development of new problems

Doctors and Medical Professionals

Dr. Bruce Fong, DO, HMD — Founding Medical Director. Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) and Homeopathic Medical Doctor (HMD). Introduced to natural and homeopathic medicine as a child through his stepfather Dr. Chang. For nearly three decades, Dr. Fong has been at the forefront of alternative therapies for immune-related diseases — combining homeopathic, Chinese, and conventional medicine into individualized treatment programs. His philosophy centers on combating root causes of illness rather than treating symptoms or masking problems with prescriptions. He has created specialized treatment plans for complex conditions including Lyme disease, chronic fatigue, viral diseases, immune disorders, and cancer support.

Dr. Yiwien Chang, MD — Founder (Emeritus). Harvard-educated physician who founded the practice in 1983 as Century Wellness Center. Trained in allopathic medicine, Dr. Chang incorporated traditional Chinese medicine and homeopathy after decades of practice. His root-cause, solutions-driven approach to wellness is the philosophical foundation of all SIMC treatment plans.

Sammy Valera, RN, APH — Registered Nurse and Advanced Practitioner of Homeopathy. B.S. in Nursing from Manila Central University (Philippines). Over 25 years of integrated medical experience, including 12 years in Surgical/PACU units at Renown Medical Center in Reno. A veteran nurse with the depth of experience to make treatments safe and effective for complex patient cases.

Dr. Ritu Dixon, MD — Physician on staff (confirmed via Healthgrades medical group listing for Sierra Integrative Medical Center).

Dr. Michael Westafer, MD — Physician on staff (confirmed via Healthgrades medical group listing).

Reviews and Patient Feedback

Sierra Integrative Medical Center has a 17-review presence on Yelp (updated May 2026). Patient testimonials on the clinic’s homepage reflect deeply meaningful outcomes for patients with complex, chronic conditions that conventional medicine had failed to resolve. The practice’s comprehensive 3–5 day initial intake process reflects the depth of evaluation provided — which patients consistently cite as a key differentiator from conventional medicine encounters.

Testimonials and Quotes

The following testimonial is sourced from the Sierra Integrative Medical Center homepage:

• “I am incredibly grateful for Dr. Fong and the entire team at Sierra Integrative Medical Center for helping me get my life back.” — Patient testimonial, sierraintegrative.com

From the practice’s About page: “Rather than focus on alleviating symptoms or masking issues entirely with symptomatic based pharmacologic therapies — Dr. Fong focuses on combating the root causes of illnesses.” — sierraintegrative.com

Pricing and Value Signals

Sierra Integrative Medical Center operates as a fee-for-service, cash-pay clinic only — it does not accept insurance and has formally opted out of Medicare. This pricing structure reflects the highly individualized, time-intensive nature of care at the clinic.

Initial patient consultation fee: $550.00 — includes initial interview, comprehensive history and physical, and electro-diagnostic screening. Laboratory tests are additional ($200–$2,500 depending on tests ordered). Fees for treatment are due weekly during the treatment phase.

For covered services, patients may submit SIMC receipts to their insurance company for potential reimbursement. The clinic will provide all documentation required by the insurance company.

Verification Notes

• Address (521 Hammill Ln, Reno NV 89511), phone ((775) 828-5388), and hours (Mon–Thu 9–5, Fri 9–2, closed weekends) confirmed from the Yelp listing (updated May 2026).
• Founded 1983 under Century Wellness Center name; re-established as SIMC in 2003 — confirmed from the official About Us page at sierraintegrative.com/about-us.
• Dr. Yiwien Chang (Harvard-educated founder) and Dr. Bruce Fong (DO, HMD, Founding Medical Director) credentials confirmed from the About Us page.
• Sammy Valera (RN, APH, Manila Central University, 25+ years experience, 12 years Renown Medical Center Surgical/PACU) confirmed from the About Us page.
• Dr. Ritu Dixon and Dr. Michael Westafer confirmed as staff physicians from Healthgrades medical group listing.
• The 3–5 day initial consultation requirement and $550 fee (plus $200–$2,500 labs) confirmed from the Treatments page (sierraintegrative.com/treatments).
• Fee-for-service only, no insurance, Medicare opt-out confirmed from the Treatments page.
• Semaglutide services confirmed from SemaglutideNearMe.org directory listing for Sierra Integrative Medical Center.
• All treatment modalities confirmed from the Treatments page and Yelp specialty description.
• “Nation’s foremost integrative medical clinic” claim sourced from the practice’s own homepage (sierraintegrative.com).