How to Become Involved in our Program
Get a Referral from your Doctor
We need a referral from your family doctor, diabetes specialist or other
medical doctor who cares for you. They have to agree that you need our help and must complete
the referral form. Referrals can be sent to us by fax, mail or their office can call us.
Our MSP-covered program accepts patients from all over British Columbia.
- Age: 18 yrs and older
- BMI >= 30
- OR
- BMI >= 27 with other medical concerns
Obtain an Appointment for an Online Consultation with One of our Internal
Medicine Specialists
Once we receive the referral form, we will contact you and provide you with
an appointment with one of our specialists. This appointment will be done online from your own
home or through any mobile device. We have dedicated staff available to help you with this
online appointment. Before your appointment , we will also help you connect with our online,
highly secure “Patient Home” page where you will answer some questions about your medical
history. This will become your personal page where you will book appointments, receive
communications from staff and complete questionnaires before attending some of our groups and
modules.
Attend Your First Medical Visit Online
Your first visit will be with one of our internal medicine specialists
online through a secure and simple system known as Doxy.me. Prior to your online doctor visit
you will also spend time online with one of our obesity medicine assistants who will introduce
you to the program and answer all of your questions. Follow up visits with the specialist will
be booked as appropriate for your condition. Family doctors working in our clinic may also be
scheduled to see you for diabetes follow ups, medication adjustments and mental health issues
such as depression, anxiety, food addiction or attention deficit disorder.
Attend Core Group Sessions for Eight Weeks
You will attend a series of 90 minute group medical visits (physician
supervised group classes) once per week for eight weeks. These groups are now online and highly
interactive. You will get to ask questions through the online chat room and with your computer,
phone or Ipad microphone. These groups provide an overview of essential skills and knowledge to
get you started on your journey to a healthier future. Since our program is based on the best
available scientific evidence, we do a lot of myth busting and we help you sift through the hype
and empty promises you might have encountered on television, the internet, and the weight loss
industry.
Every patient begins with these core concepts before attending focused
modules and special groups
- Physiology of Obesity & Weight Loss
- Values, Motivation, and Self-Compassion
- Nutrition Fundamentals
- Meal Planning
- External Barriers to Healthy Eating
- Internal Barriers to Healthy Eating
- Stress & Weight Management
- Practice, Planning, and Persevering
Attend Our Focused Modules and Special Groups
Every week (weekday evenings mostly) we run approximately 15 different
groups designed to assist patients with a wide range of problems and issues. We will help you to
determine which groups are important for you and in some cases, we will strongly suggest that
you participate in specific groups to help you with your specific needs. Most of the groups are
done in multi-week modules and some groups are done as single special topics. As the weeks,
months and years in our program go by, you may elect to attend many of these groups and modules
as a way to guide you on your journey to better health.
Continued Support
Individual physician visits will occur approx. every 6 months to check in
on each patient's progress with their health and weight management. During these visits,
weight-related medical conditions will be re-evaluated and treatment plans will be modified
accordingly. Please note that individual follow ups may be done more frequently if appropriate.