Community Health Network

Home > Bridges to Weight Management > Physician managed weight loss

Physician managed weight loss

Registration packet | Registration packet - bariatric

The Bridges to Weight Management Program (BTWM) offers a physician managed weight loss program to those employees whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is 35 or greater. Prior to seeing the physician, candidates for the program must call 317-621-4304 to express interest to the BTWM coordinator and schedule a psychosocial assessment with a BTWM behavioral health clinician. This assessment will determine the participant’s readiness to begin the program and will take approximately one hour. The assessment will include questions about your history-medical and weight gain/loss, any prescription medications you may be taking, your expectations about lifestyle change and past attempts to change, significant stressors in your life, coping skills and a variety of other questions to determine your readiness to participate in the program.

At the conclusion of the assessment process (up to three sessions), the behavioral health clinician will inform you of their decision regarding referral to the physician. In many cases the candidate will be referred and given the address and contact information for the physician. In a few cases the clinician may ask you to take some action and/or participate in other BTWM programs to help increase your readiness to participate in the program. When those tasks have been completed the candidate is welcome to return for a reassessment.

The BTWM program strongly recommends participation in both the support group and meeting with the BTWM dietitians. The support group, Whatever It Takes, is a thirteen week commitment which meets for one hour each week. Individuals who have had the greatest success with the medical managed weight loss have also participated concurrently in the support group. Participants also have utilized the services of our dieticians, including nutrition classes, cooking demonstrations and one-on-one sessions. Changing long-standing behaviors requires strong commitment on your part and a great deal of support on ours. Eating habits don’t change overnight and consequently getting the amount of support you need is essential.

Participants will work with a physician who is skilled in the field of weight management. The physician will meet with individuals on a 1:1 basis and develop an individualized weight management program. Services offered in this program may include:

• A complete medical history
• Medication review
• EKG
• Body composition
• Dietary review
• Physical activity assessment
• Coordination/consultation with primary care physician or other medical specialist

Vinod Pallekonda, M.D.	Marnie J. Widdifield, M.D.
Charlie Williams, M.D.	James Kluzinski, M.D.
View bios >>