Medical Weight Management

Our goal is to provide innovative and compassionate adult weight management and postbariatric surgery care. Through collaboration, education, and medical therapies, we partner with our patients and empower them to take ownership of their wellness journey.

Who We Are

Our group is led by obesity medicine physicians who are board certified in endocrinology or internal medicine and are specialists in medical weight management and bariatric care.

The Weight Wellness Program includes expert allied health providers who work as a patient-centered interdisciplinary team with their physician collaborators.

Scheduling

Sign up for MyChart

We encourage you to enroll in MyChart, our secure online health management tool, before your appointment. MyChart lets you make appointments, request prescription refills, and privately communicate with your UT Southwestern health care teams. Learn more about MyChart or call 214-648-8888 to enroll.

Appointment confirmation

Please make sure we have your current contact information in the UT Southwestern electronic medical record. To confirm your upcoming appointment, we’ll attempt to contact you one week before your visit by using the telephone number in our system and through MyChart.

If we’re unable to reach you and you don’t confirm your appointment by MyChart or by calling our clinic at 214-645-2800 at least four days prior to the visit, your appointment will be canceled and offered to a patient on the waiting list.

Canceling an appointment

If it’s necessary to cancel your appointment, please notify the clinic at least 72 hours in advance. Another patient will be grateful for your appointment. Please be aware that if you arrive after your visit start time or cancel/reschedule after your visit arrival time, your appointment may be rescheduled and labeled as a “no show” encounter.

Before Your First Visit

Please complete the required health questionnaires before your first visit. These questionnaires will help your providers create an individualized plan of care that is based on your medical history, challenges, and value-based goals. Log into MyChart at least four days before your visit to complete these forms, as incomplete questionnaires may delay your appointment. Completing these forms in advance gives your providers time to review the information before your appointment starts.

Please make sure your demographic, contact, and insurance information are up to date. If we’re unable to contact you to confirm your appointment, the visit will be canceled.

Please bring the following items to your visit:

• Completed previsit paperwork*
• Current medical and prescription insurance cards
• Method of payment
• Current medications or a complete list of medicines with doses, including all over-the-counter medications, herbs, and vitamins*
• Glucometer, continuous glucose monitor, or blood glucose log (if applicable)

*These items may be completed in your MyChart patient portal.

Your Appointment

Please arrive at the clinic at least 15 minutes prior to your appointment start time to allow time for check-in, registration, and the rooming process. This will ensure that you spend the maximum amount of time with your providers.

Visits in the Weight Wellness Program are comprehensive and integrated with multiple providers. Please allow two hours for new patient appointments and 30 minutes for follow-up visits.

What to expect during your first visit

• A visit of two hours with the Weight Wellness team; please avoid scheduling other appointments immediately before or after your visit
• Analysis of your body composition with a bioelectrical impedance scale and measurement of your waist circumference (in-clinic visits only)
• Measurement of vital signs (blood pressure, temperature, etc.), review of health history and medications
• Completion of a nutrition assessment, followed by nutrition and lifestyle education and counseling provided by a registered dietitian
• Assessment by a Weight Wellness physician to create an individualized plan of care, which may include testing, imaging, and referral to other specialists
• Additional education and support from our nursing staff, which may include starting new medications in the clinic

We may discuss sensitive health issues during the appointment. Please avoid bringing children or companions (unless their assistance is required) into the consultation room, so you can speak freely with the providers.

Arrival time

Our time together is important, and arriving after the start of your visit causes significant delays for all appointments that day. Please check in at least 15 minutes before the start of your appointment. If you arrive late, you may be asked to reschedule, so we can provide excellent care to you and all our other patients.

Telehealth

We offer telehealth (virtual) visits for patients who are established with the Weight Wellness Program. If you’re new to telehealth, review this helpful information.

Telehealth visits are performed through the MyChart Patient Portal and must include both audio and video communication. If your computer or devices can’t support telehealth visits, you’ll need to schedule an in-person appointment.

When scheduling a telehealth visit, please ensure that you have the appropriate time and surroundings to discuss your confidential health issues. Personal health information cannot be discussed in public spaces, such as open office environments. You’ll be asked to reschedule if your provider determines that your current environment is unsuitable to complete the visit.

Insurance and visit coverage

All visits will be submitted to the insurance plan on file with our clinic. Medical visits should be covered as tiered by your benefits plan for specialist office visits. Dietitian visits are typically covered under your preventive coverage benefits. Psychologist visits are submitted to your mental health plan and are subject to those terms.

Please review general information about UT Southwestern and billing. You may also consider contacting your insurance plan administrator or the customer service number on your card for clarification on your benefits. If insurance coverage becomes a limitation to your care, please notify us as soon as possible, so we may best coordinate your health care needs.

Notice of clinical trainees

UT Southwestern is a world-renowned training center for physicians and allied health professionals. Your visit may be conducted in part with a clinical trainee (for example, medical residents or fellow physicians; nurse practitioners or physician assistant students; psychologists in-training, dietetic or nursing interns). We thank you for the opportunity to deliver valuable clinical training in our clinic.

Follow-up

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight requires commitment. We’re dedicated to partnering with you on this journey. After meeting with the physician and dietitian during your initial consult, you’ll schedule regular follow-up visits with one of our advanced practice providers and a Weight Wellness dietitian. You may also schedule a meeting with our program’s psychologist, based on your needs.

To ensure that we get to know you and understand your needs, patients will follow the same physician and advanced practice provider team. Switching providers is only considered in special circumstances. Please discuss any concerns that you have about your care with your Weight Wellness physician, so we can make sure you’re getting the care that you need. If you’re scheduled with a provider whom you do not usually see, please contact us immediately.

Follow-up visits can be scheduled through your MyChart or by our Central Patient Access Services at 214-645-2800.

Prescriptions from your medical providers

Weight Wellness providers may prescribe medications to help you achieve a healthy weight and to manage metabolic conditions associated with your body weight. To help us manage your medication needs, please note the following:

Prescription medication refills

If you need medication refills, please contact your pharmacy or submit a refill request through MyChart. If you haven’t had a recent appointment with a Weight Wellness provider and you’re not scheduled for a visit soon, we may not be able to refill your prescription until you’ve been seen.

Please be mindful of your medication supply and allow at least two business days to complete your medication refill request. We’re unable to authorize medication refills after hours or on weekends. Consider requesting refills in advance, so you don’t run out of medications.

Prescription medication coverage

Many medications require a stepwise approval process through your prescription benefits manager (pharmacy insurance), called prior authorization. Our team will complete all prior authorizations as soon as possible, upon notification by the pharmacy. Please check your after-visit summary for information related to medications and insurance (located in the patient instructions) and send a MyChart message if you have questions or concerns related to your prescriptions.

Prior authorizations may be delayed if your current prescription insurance information isn’t in our system. Please provide any new insurance information to the registration staff in the clinic, so they can update your information.

Unfortunately, many prescription plans exclude medications intended to treat obesity. Plan exclusions indicate that your benefits plan didn’t “opt-in” to cover these medications. We aren’t able to appeal this decision. The best course of action is to discuss the issue with the policy benefits administrator and reconsider the available options for your health conditions.

Prescription copay discounts and patient assistance programs

Patients with commercial insurance plans may be eligible for a reduced copay through discounts provided by the medication manufacturer. We’ll notify you about those of which we’re aware. Please read all disclaimer information available and check with your pharmacy team if you have questions. All prescription insurance claims are handled through your pharmacy. If your prescription medication costs are unmanageable, please contact us to discuss alternatives.

Patient assistance programs may be available for certain prescription drugs based on financial circumstances and can provide medications at no cost. Please make us aware of your needs, so we can help to coordinate your medical care.