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New Clinic Provides
Personalized Approach to Weight Loss
Program offers non-surgical options, nutritional and exercise counseling
UT Physicians, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston and Memorial Hermann – Texas Medical Center have partnered to form the new UT Weight Management clinic to provide a personalized, non-surgical approach to weight loss.
In the clinic, patients are medically supervised by a physician, get nutritional counseling from a registered dietitian and receive exercise counseling from a fitness professional. The patients see each of these experts once a month for 6 months.
“We ask patients a detailed series of questions, perform a physical exam and order any necessary lab tests during their initial visit,” says Kevin Hwang, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the UT Medical School at Houston and co-director of the new UT Physicians clinic. “This way we can determine if the program is a good fit, and also identify medical, psychological or social issues which may impact their ability to lose weight.”
Hwang, who has studied online weight loss communities, adds that patients can also keep in contact with the physicians, dietitian and fitness professional through e-mail or phone.
Thomas Lux, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and co-director of the clinic, is an expert in non-surgical weight loss options.
“We are so excited to provide this comprehensive approach,” says Lux. “Instead of taking a ‘one-sizefits- all’ approach, we tailor the program to each patient’s unique needs.” Lux adds that the team has established relationships with specialists in endocrinology, cardiology and other areas of medicine so that patients can be referred to these experts if needed.
In general, the program is for people with a BMI (body mass index) of at least 27 with weight-related conditions, such as diabetes, or BMI of at least 30.
By Natalie Wong Camarata, Institutional Advancement