2013 Medical Weight Loss Updates

Posted: Dec 23 in Clinical Nutrition Center News, Medical Weight Loss News, Obesity Medicine, Weight Loss Medication, Weight Management Strategies by Dr. Lazarus

The New Year is here now, and I wanted to take a moment and share with you exciting updates for Denver residents regarding medical weight loss programs and medications for 2013.

As we all know, 2012 was a very important year for medical weight loss centers around the country for several reasons including:

• There is a new specialty board, the American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM). This board will serve to certify doctors as Obesity Medicine specialists. It is actively pursuing recognition by the American Board of Medical Specialties.
• There are 2 new prescription medications approved for long term use in the treatment of Obesity. Qsymia is available now, and Belviq is expected to be available in early 2013. Both drugs are highly effective for the treatment of obesity and have been approved by the F.D.A. for long-term use.

These changes have impacted us at CNC in a variety of ways:

• I have been asked to participate in teaching board-review courses for the ABOM, and taught my first course this past October (through American Society of Bariatric Physicians, or ASBP).
• The ABOM offered their first certification exam in November 2012. I completed the exam and certification process, and now am a Board-Certified Obesity Medicine Specialist.
• I have been asked to educate local area physicians regarding obesity treatment and gave Grand Rounds at both Skyridge Hospital and Rose Hospital this year. I’ll be speaking to Family Doctors at the annual Colorado Academy of Family Physicians meeting in April, 2013.
• I have many patients on the new weight loss drug Qsymia doing well, and look forward to another important medication, Belviq, in the next couple months. It’s about time we had new treatments for this challenging problem that can be used without time limits!

I wanted to also tell you about some other important updates at CNC this year:

• Healthy Steps for Healthy Kids: January 1st, we are thrilled to launch a comprehensive weight management program for children. We have carefully structured a behavioral program just for kids designed to teach skills necessary for life-long healthy habits. To learn more, call the office at 303-750-9454 and we’ll give you the details.
• Refreshed Protein Sparing Modified Fast: It’s been a long time since we updated the Modified Fast eating plan. But the wait is over! Available January 1st, we have completely rewritten this food plan with several goals. First, we are now able to do the Modified Fast without prescription potassium, for most patients. Second, we have revised the food list for the Modified Fast to ease the transition from this program to a maintenance program. And third, we have simplified the food plan to make it easier than ever to follow.
• Electronic Health Record: We have a fully customized electronic health record that will be rolled out in the 2nd quarter of 2013 and we hope to transition the entire practice to it by the end of 2013. In addition to streamlining everything that happens at CNC, there will be a comprehensive patient portal where you can view your information, view graphs of your progress, obtain your test results, and communicate securely with our staff. On our side, the health record will let us track everything – we will be able to better gauge the effectiveness of the different meal plans and meal replacements, medications, etc.
• Optifast: Our patients continue to experience great success with Optifast. If you have struggled with other food plans offering too much variety and just wanted something quick and simple, you might want to consider an Optifast plan. Also, we are now recommending the Optifast behavioral program to all of our patients. This program includes a series of 20 lessons designed specifically to teach behaviors necessary for life-long weight control.

If it’s been a while since you were in, don’t you think it’s time to get back on track and make 2013 your healthiest year yet? Give us a call at 303-750-9454 and learn about these exciting developments and more. We look forward to seeing you!