Evaluating the implementation of a primary care weight management toolkit

Area of Science:

• Primary Care Medicine
• Public Health
• Obesity Management

Background:

• Over one-third of US adults are obese, necessitating proactive screening.
• New recommendations advocate for universal adult obesity screening in outpatient settings.
• The UW Health Fox Valley Clinic currently lacks an active obesity screening process.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of implementing an obesity screening and brief intervention protocol.
• To evaluate patient and provider experiences with the protocol.

Main Methods:

• A modified "Promoting Healthier Weight in Primary Care" toolkit was piloted for six weeks.
• Patient satisfaction and acceptability of weight-focused discussions were surveyed (N=88).
• Provider acceptability and usability of the toolkit were assessed (N=22).

Main Results:

• Nearly all patients (97.7%) found weight-focused conversations acceptable.
• Providers reported the toolkit as helpful, easy to use, and not confusing for patients.
• Provider time constraints emerged as the primary implementation barrier.

Conclusions:

• The obesity screening and brief intervention protocol is feasible for primary care settings.
• High patient and provider acceptance suggests potential for successful integration.
• Addressing time barriers is crucial for widespread adoption and effective obesity management.