Specialized Medical Weight Management Intervention for High-Risk Obesity

• Main Authors: Gitanjali Srivastava, Chelsea Paris, Jessica Johnson, Emma Barnes, Brittany L. Cunningham, C. J. Stimson, Kevin D. Niswender, Sabrina J. Poon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Columbia Data Analytics, LLC 2021-07-01
• Series: Journal of Health Economics and Outcomes Research
• Online Access: https://jheor.scholasticahq.com/article/24896-specialized-medical-weight-management-intervention-for-high-risk-obesity.pdf

**Background:** Bundled payments are services rendered at pre-determined costs with the goal of providing high value care. Our institution’s Episodes of Care team partnered with its tertiary care obesity center to design a novel medical weight management bundle for employers that would collectively deliver high value obesity services. **Objective:** As a first step, we sought to evaluate short-term medical weight loss outcomes over 6 months at the obesity center. **Methods:** We retrospectively analyzed weight loss outcomes on 157 patients with commercial insurance coverage over a period of 6 months. **Results:** Patients ranged in age from 18-72 years, and 77.7% were female. Patients ranged in weight from 160-443 pounds, with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 42.7 kg/m2 (Class 3a severe obesity; BMI range 28.4-74.5). The prevalence of any obesity-related medical condition was 54.1%; at least a quarter of the patients had either prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes mellitus, approximately a third had hypertension, and over 8% had hyperlipidemia. Mean weight loss from the initial program start date was 6.28% (+/-0.48% standard error of mean [SEM]; 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.34-7.23%). Completers (defined as having at least 6 visits with a medical provider) achieved a higher percentage of weight loss (7.06%) from the initial program start compared to non-completers (4.68%; at least 4-5 visits with a medical provider; _P_<0.0158). Approximately 50% of patients were able to achieve >7% weight loss, with over 55% of patients achieving at least 3% weight loss or higher irrespective of BMI classification. **Conclusions:** Specialized medical weight intervention is effective in treating high-risk obesity with complications. This has implications for enhanced long-term cost savings related to employer coverage of such programs for their employees with obesity.