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Referral sources to a weight management program: relation to outcome.
Martin Binks1, Mahlen Patrick O'Neil
1Weight Management Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
Journal of General Internal Medicine
|September 6, 2002
Summary
Physician-referred patients need weight loss more, are less motivated, and less likely to start treatment. However, they benefit equally from weight management programs, indicating physician referral is effective.
Area of Science:
- Obesity Medicine
- Clinical Research
- Patient Referral Systems
Background:
- Physician referrals are a common pathway for patients seeking weight management.
- Understanding the characteristics and outcomes of physician-referred patients is crucial for optimizing weight loss interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients referred by physicians to a weight management program versus those who self-referred.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective review of 1,392 patient records from a medical school weight management center over two years.
- Patients were categorized by referral source: physician, media, or personal (self-referral).
- Data analyzed included demographics, body mass index (BMI), motivation, comorbidities, enrollment, completion rates, and weight loss for low- and very-low-calorie diet programs.
Main Results:
- Physician referrals (n=345) were more likely to attend initial consultations (63.5%) but less likely to enroll (16.9%) compared to self-referrals.
- Physician-referred patients had higher BMIs (mean 44.8) and more comorbidities, yet reported lower motivation.
- Completion rates were higher for physician referrals in very-low-calorie-diet programs (85.7%), with comparable weight loss outcomes among completers.
Conclusions:
- Physician-referred patients present with greater obesity and comorbidity burden, indicating a higher need for intervention.
- Despite lower initial motivation and enrollment likelihood, physician referrals achieve similar positive outcomes in weight management programs.
- Physician referral is a beneficial strategy for identifying and successfully treating patients requiring significant weight loss.