Why I Created The Inspired Veteran Program
- Carina Hopen
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Patients sometimes ask why, alongside my work in functional medicine, I also provide independent medical evidence services for veterans seeking VA disability rating increases.
The answer is simple: this work is personal, ethical, and aligned with how I practice medicine.
I’m a Veteran, Too
Like many veterans, I’ve seen firsthand how service can leave lasting effects on the body — musculoskeletal injuries, chronic pain, sleep disruption, metabolic changes, neurologic symptoms, and cumulative stress that may not fully surface until years later.
Many veterans continue to serve their families, communities, and workplaces while quietly managing conditions that have worsened over time. When their health changes, they often need updated medical documentation to reflect what is actually happening in their bodies now — not just what was recorded years ago.
Medical Evidence Is Not Advocacy
Through The Inspired Veteran and Independent Veteran Medical Evidence (IVME), my role is not to file claims, provide legal advice, or promise outcomes. My role is medical.
I provide:
Physician-led medical record review
Independent medical opinions
Functional impact documentation
Secondary and aggravation medical opinions
This work supports veterans who are already service-connected and seeking a VA disability rating increase based on progression or worsening of a condition.
Final determinations are made by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
How This Aligns With Functional Medicine
Functional medicine asks different questions:
How has the body adapted over time?
What systems are under strain?
How does structure, metabolism, inflammation, sleep, and stress interact?
How does function change as the body ages?
Veterans often live with long-standing compensations — physical and physiologic — that eventually lead to worsening function. Reviewing medical records through a functional, systems-based lens allows me to document:
Progression of symptoms
Functional limitations
Secondary effects of chronic conditions
The real-world impact on daily life
This is not about labels. It’s about accurate medical reflection of health over time.
Optimizing Health Takes Many Forms
In my clinical practice, optimizing health may involve:
Improving metabolic resilience
Reducing inflammation
Restoring mobility and strength
Supporting nervous system regulation
In my work with veterans, optimizing health can also mean:
Ensuring medical records accurately reflect current function
Clarifying how a condition has worsened
Providing clear, independent medical evidence when it is needed
Both paths honor the same principle: medicine should be honest, precise, and centered on the patient’s lived experience.
Why This Work Matters to Me
Veterans should not have to exaggerate symptoms or rely on incomplete documentation to be heard. They deserve medical opinions that are:
Accurate
Independent
Evidence-based
Clinically grounded
Offering this service is one way I can give back — not by promising outcomes, but by upholding medical integrity.
A Final Word
The Inspired Veteran exists alongside my functional medicine work because both are rooted in the same belief:
Good medicine listens carefully, documents accurately, and respects the whole person.
This program allows me to support veterans in a way that is ethical, compliant, and aligned with my values — as a physician and as a fellow veteran.
A Gentle Next Step
If you are a veteran who already has a VA service-connected condition and believe your health has changed or worsened over time, an independent medical review may help clarify whether updated medical evidence is appropriate.
If you’re simply here as a patient or community member, thank you for taking the time to understand why this work matters to me.
The Inspired Veteran exists to serve with integrity — quietly, carefully, and respectfully.
👉 Email info@inspiredwellnesspllc.org to learn more about physician-led medical evidence services for veterans seeking VA disability rating increases.
