Getting Started with OMWL

• Tweet
• Email

Interested patients are invited to come in for a face-to-face, personal Informational Session/Orientation with our New Patient Care Coordinator. This is the opportunity patients enjoy to see the clinic, meet the team and get all of their questions answered. It’s important to figure out if this effective, aggressive program is a good fit. Patients have as long as they need to feel knowledgeable about and comfortable with making this important decision. This initial appointment is $19. Patients are also invited to call us with questions at any time, if that meets their needs better.

Once patients have determined that they are ready to lose weight and get started on their weight-loss journey, they are scheduled to meet one-on-one with their own personal, specially trained weight-loss medical provider. We have five experienced clinicians at our comprehensive family-centered facility all of whom have a passion for this specific aspect of medical practice; a family practice doctor, two family practice advanced nurse practitioners, and two certified nurse midwife specializing in women’s health. During this first New Patient office visit, medical screening and medical clearance for the program is accomplished. A careful medical history is obtained, a physical exam is performed and relevant laboratory tests are ordered. An EKG may be performed. Sometimes adjustments of some appropriate medications may be recommended, always in conjunction with patients’ regular primary care provider, when appropriate. This initial visit takes over an hour and can sometimes be billed to a patient’s insurance, especially if a patient hasn’t had such a comprehensive evaluation, exam or those necessary, specific lab tests in the last three to four months.

Follow-up visits are scheduled according to a personalized plan that we work out on an individual basis with each patient. Example, for high-risk patients with multiple medical issues and medications, weekly follow-up is often advised and desirable, especially in the beginning. Medium to lower risk patients may be seen every two to four weeks or longer, depending on medical factors involved. Patients on prescription appetite suppressants should anticipate being monitored every month at a minimum.

At every visit we review medications and relevant lab work, discuss diet and appropriate exercise, and we provide carefully structured counseling and behavioral aspects of making fundamental lifestyle changes that will persist even after the weight is lost.

In addition, we have mental health practitioners and counseling services available in-house. Ongoing medical monitoring, as well as this behavioral change and support, provides structure and accountability to implement effective and long-lasting behavioral change. For every patient, we design a unique, tailored program to address and follow-up on his or her own personal and medical needs.

Comments are closed.