Standard consultation
Parasitology evaluation, diagnostic test orders, prescription as clinically appropriate, and supportive guidance.
Telehealth parasitology · California
Parasitology care, by video, in California.
A California telehealth clinic focused on parasitology — for travelers returning from endemic regions, patients who need Strongyloides clearance before immunosuppression, household contacts of a confirmed case, and people with objective findings such as unexplained eosinophilia. We evaluate, test, treat, and follow up.
Licensed in California. No referral required.
You're not charged until a clinician confirms your appointment.
What BraveWorms is
A focused clinic for parasitology questions, by video.
BraveWorms is a California telehealth clinic focused on parasitology. Patients complete a clinical intake, meet a nurse practitioner or physician assistant by video under the supervision of a California-licensed physician, and receive testing, treatment, and follow-up when clinically appropriate.
Parasitology is a defined branch of infectious disease medicine. It is not a routine part of most primary care visits, and academic tropical medicine clinics often require a referral. BraveWorms offers a direct path for evaluation.
Asynchronous messaging is available between appointments for clinical follow-up and questions about an active workup.
Pre-travel consultation
Prophylaxis and trip-specific guidance based on destination, exposure category, and individual history.
Pre-immunosuppression screening
Strongyloides clearance and related screening before initiation of biologics, chemotherapy, or transplant immunosuppression.
Second-opinion review
For patients who have received a parasitology diagnosis elsewhere and want a structured review by a dedicated clinician.
The clinical scope
A defined branch of infectious disease medicine.
Organisms and clinical indications that may be evaluated by this practice, when individual exposure history and presentation warrant.
- Strongyloides stercoralis
- Schistosoma
- Giardia
- Hookworm
- Trichuris
- Toxocara
- Echinococcus
- Trypanosoma cruzi
- Trichinella
- Cysticercosis
- Leishmania
- Filariasis
- Ascaris lumbricoides
- Fasciola hepatica
- Cryptosporidium
- Entamoeba histolytica
- Pre-immunosuppression screening
- Post-travel evaluation
- Unexplained eosinophilia
- Household contact
- Endemic-region residence
- Occupational exposure
- Pre-biologic clearance
- Second-opinion review
Where this fits
A specialized service for a specific clinical question.
Parasitology evaluation is rarely part of a routine primary care visit. Academic infectious disease and tropical medicine clinics handle these cases, but appointments typically require a referral and a long lead time. BraveWorms offers a direct telehealth path for patients with a specific parasitology question.
Public health literature estimates that millions of Americans live with undiagnosed parasitic infection, with higher prevalence in some regions and populations. We share this as context for why a focused service may be useful, not as a claim about any individual reader.
Hotez PJ, et al. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2014 and 2018.
Scope and limits
When BraveWorms may not be the right fit.
BraveWorms evaluates parasitic infection based on exposure history, symptoms, and objective findings such as laboratory results and imaging. Persistent skin sensations, the feeling of organisms moving on or under the skin, or material collected from the skin are taken seriously and discussed at the visit — but in the absence of supporting findings, the most accurate and useful answer a clinician can give may be that a parasitic infection is unlikely.
When that is the case, the clinician will say so directly and, where appropriate, help identify other care that may be more helpful. Open-ended or indefinite testing for an unconfirmed infection is not something this service provides.
How it works
The process, in three steps.
01
Intake
Complete a structured clinical intake before booking. Indications, exposures, and medical history that the clinician needs.
Section 01 of 08
Why are you considering an evaluation?
- Travel history
- Pre-immunosuppression
- Eosinophilia
- Household contact
- Occupational exposure
02
Consultation
Schedule a video consultation with a nurse practitioner or physician assistant. Discuss history, symptoms, and a workup plan.
Choose a time
TUE
12
WED
13
THU
14
FRI
15
SAT
16
8:30
9:00
9:30
10:00
03
Workup and follow-up
Lab and imaging orders if clinically appropriate. Prescription as needed. Recheck cadence set by the clinician.
Eosinophils, absolute count
Wk 0Wk 4Mo 3Mo 6Mo 12
How the platform is built
Clinical-grade infrastructure, with real medical records.
Service area
Licensed in California.
Patients must be located in California at the time of the appointment. Additional states will be announced as licensure is in place. No multistate claims are made.
01 / 50
States at launch
100%
Telehealth, by design
Clinical and laboratory infrastructure
FDA-cleared assays, established partners.
The platform runs on health-system-grade infrastructure. Names are listed as factual disclosures, not as endorsements.
- ChARM HealthEMR · scheduling · video · e-prescribing
- Quest DiagnosticsReference laboratory partner
- LabCorpReference laboratory partner
- BioFire GI panelFDA-cleared 22-target multiplex
How the care is delivered
Real medicine, clearly delivered.
Licensed clinicians under physician supervision
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants deliver care under standardized procedures and a delegation of services agreement with the supervising physician, Dr. Josh Waltzman, MD.
Supportive supplements, sold separately
When clinically appropriate, supportive supplements may be recommended. They are billed separately from the visit fee and are never required for treatment.
Specialist support
Built around published infectious disease protocols.
BraveWorms is a focused parasitology service. Care follows CDC parasitic disease guidance and WHO protocols for the conditions in scope, with comprehensive documentation in the medical record at every step. Patients meet a clinician who works in this area routinely, not as a side question during a general visit.
CDC-aligned protocols
Diagnostic and treatment decisions follow CDC parasitic disease guidance applicable to the patient's exposure and presentation.
WHO protocols where relevant
For travel-related and tropical exposures, WHO guidance informs the workup and treatment plan.
Comprehensive documentation
Every visit, order, result, and follow-up is captured in a structured medical record the patient can request at any time.
Supervising physician
Dr. Josh Waltzman, MD
Board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, California licensed.
Dr. Waltzman is the supervising physician for BraveWorms, providing the physician oversight that California law requires for nurse practitioner and physician assistant practice. He signs the standardized procedures and delegation of services agreements that govern the clinical team and reviews cases as required. The parasitology protocols on this service are built on published guidance from the CDC, WHO, and IDSA; they are not derived from any individual clinician's specialty.
A consultation is $120.
Flat, private pay, no insurance. Labs, imaging, and prescriptions are billed separately by the lab, imaging center, and pharmacy.