Caring for Patients with Obesity in a Managed Care Setting: Overcoming Barriers and Implementing Solutions

Caring for Patients with Obesity in a Managed Care Setting: Overcoming Barriers and Implementing Solutions is organized by Impact Education, LLC.

Release Date: June 1, 2022
Expiration Date: December 31, 2023

Description:
Between 1999 and 2018, the prevalence of obesity increased from 30.5% to 42.4% and the prevalence of severe obesity increased from 4.7% to 9.2%. Obesity disproportionately affects African Americans, Hispanic populations, and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. Despite well-described health consequences associated with obesity, most clinicians do not discuss weight control options with their patients and often lack training and education in obesity management. This activity will provide education on effective obesity management strategies that combine lifestyle modifications, behavioral counseling, pharmacotherapy, and the use of devices and/or surgery that is needed for managed care professionals to administer appropriate health care benefits and manage plan patients with obesity effectively and safely.

Educational Objectives:
At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to demonstrate improved ability to:

• Explain the long-term impact of obesity on health and the benefit of early intervention on the economic and disease burden
• Apply current practice guidelines for screening, diagnosis, and treatment of adults with obesity
• Review the full spectrum of obesity care options and the benefit of early pharmacologic intervention to achieve and maintain clinically meaningful and long-term weight loss
• Interpret barriers that undermine obesity disease management and address strategies to reduce reluctance to provide weight-loss-related care to patients with obesity
• Discuss barriers that impede obesity disease management including health disparities and COVID-19