Podcast Summary
Obesity care innovation: The obesity medicine field needs innovation and change, with a patient-centric medical home model and obesity-specific practitioners being crucial components of a comprehensive care approach.
The obesity medicine field is in dire need of innovation and change, with many specialists lacking sufficient training and patients often feeling stigmatized and underserved. Brooke Boyarski Platt, the founder and CEO of Knownwell, shares her personal experience as a former patient and her mission to rethink obesity care through a patient-centric medical home model. The adoption of new technologies like GLP-1 drugs is a promising development, but it's essential to consider the value of obesity-specific practitioners and a comprehensive care approach. With her unique background in finance and consulting, Brooke brings a fresh perspective to the obesity medicine space and is determined to make a difference for patients.
Obesity care in primary care vs specialists: Primary care doctors lack formal education, resources, and continuing education to effectively treat obesity, while specialists have the expertise and comprehensive care approach for better health outcomes
Obesity and overweight management is a specialized area of medicine, and primary care doctors often lack the formal education, resources, and continuing education to effectively treat patients with obesity. Obesity medicine is a growing specialty focused on comprehensive treatment, including nutrition programs, anti-obesity medications, movement programs, sleep and stress management, and ideally, health coaching and remote patient monitoring. The weight inclusive approach, which recognizes and supports patients' current body size, leads to better health outcomes. Primary care doctors, with limited training and resources, often struggle to provide effective obesity care, while specialists have the formal education, continuing medical education, and resources to deliver evidence-based, comprehensive care.
GLP-1 receptor agonists for obesity management: GLP-1 receptor agonists are hormones that can help regulate insulin and affect feelings of fullness, and they've been used for weight loss. While they can be effective, they don't work for everyone and it's important to match the right medication to the right patient.
Comprehensive obesity management involves a multi-faceted approach, including the use of connected devices at home, medication like GLP-1 receptor agonists, behavioral health support, and referrals for surgeries and other interventions. GLP-1 receptor agonists, which have been around since 2005, are hormones that help regulate insulin and affect feelings of fullness. They've been used for weight loss, although not originally approved for that indication. While these drugs can be effective, with some patients losing up to 20% of their body weight, they don't work for everyone. It's important to match the right medication to the right patient and to remember that failure to respond to GLP-1 receptor agonists doesn't mean failure overall in managing obesity. The healthcare system has an opportunity to get obesity care right and provide evidence-based treatment at scale.
Weight loss medications misconceptions: Provide better patient education, individualized medication selection, active symptom management, and consider non-medical interventions for optimal patient care and outcomes with weight loss medications.
There are common misconceptions surrounding weight loss medications, including the stigma around non-responders, the tolerability of drugs, and the importance of food quality. These misconceptions can lead to suboptimal patient care and outcomes. To address these issues, healthcare providers should focus on better patient education, individualized medication selection, and active symptom management. Additionally, non-medical interventions such as nutrition therapy, behavioral health, and bariatric surgery can be effective for patients who do not respond well to medications. While long-term data on the safety and efficacy of weight loss medications is limited, existing evidence suggests that these drugs can have significant benefits for cardiovascular health, fatty liver disease, and addiction states, among others. Healthcare providers should have open and informed conversations with patients about these potential benefits and risks.
GLP-1 receptor agonists access: Ensuring safe and evidence-based access to GLP-1 receptor agonists involves thorough patient evaluation, consideration of emotional and behavioral factors, access to medications, and synchronous interaction with healthcare providers. Patients prefer comprehensive care in a medical home setting.
As the data on the benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonists for various health conditions continues to grow, particularly in managing obesity and related comorbidities, there is a pressing need to ensure safe and evidence-based access to these medications. This involves a thorough evaluation of patients' medical histories, emotional and behavioral elements of obesity, access to the medications, and synchronous interaction with healthcare providers. While there are emerging channels for medication access, most patients prefer a medical home where they can receive comprehensive care and feel known well. However, there may be increased scrutiny on prescribing practices that lack synchronous interaction with patients. Overall, a patient-centered approach that prioritizes safety, evidence-based care, and patient comfort is essential for optimizing the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists in improving health outcomes.
Obesity Insurance Coverage: Obesity is not a standard benefit in insurance, but the passage of the Treat and Obesity Act (TROA) could change this. Effective obesity treatment is crucial due to its impact on overall health and concomitant conditions. Building a medical home for obesity treatment requires hiring non-specialized physicians, investing in technology, and reducing clinician burden.
Obesity is currently not a standard benefit in insurance, leaving employers in a tough position when deciding whether to include it or not. This is unlike other disease states such as breast cancer or diabetes, which are typically covered. The passage of the Treat and Obesity Act (TROA) could be a first step in changing this, as it would establish obesity as a standard part of insurance benefits under Medicare. However, until then, access to obesity treatment largely depends on individual insurance companies and employers. The importance of treating obesity effectively, given its impact on overall health and concomitant conditions, makes it a special category deserving of coverage. The mission of building a medical home where patients feel known and well-known to their care team is crucial, and scaling this to reach the large number of Americans in need requires hiring non-specialized physicians, investing in technology to automate administrative tasks, and reducing clinician burden to increase productivity. As a founder, Michelle Shughart learned that taking action and jumping into new opportunities, even with fear or uncertainty, is essential for growth.
Courage in Founding: Founders need courage to inspire their team and set the direction for the company, underestimating this quality can lead to underperformance.
Being a founder requires more than just day-to-day work and long hours. It also requires courage and setting the cultural tone by being all in. The speaker shared a personal story about making the first leap of faith in starting a business, and how she underestimated the importance of having the courage to lead. This is an essential quality for founders, as they need to inspire their team and set the direction for the company. It's important to remember that every day, founders must be the one who says "I'm all in" and sets the tone for the team to follow. This story highlights the significance of courage in the founding process and the impact it can have on the path to success.