Dr. Gretchen Hoyle, Medical Director and Co-creator of the Sara Lee Center for Women's Health Adolescent Weight Management Program is accepting patients into her pediatric/adolescent obesity clinic at Twin City Pediatrics.
Patients referred from other primary care providers will be seen on a consultation basis only with ongoing care offered only with regard to obesity, comorbidities of obesity, and weight management. Routine sick and well care will not be provided.
Because most third-party payors do not reimburse for visits coded as obesity, it is ideal (but not required) for patients to have diagnosed comorbidities such as hypertension (SBP>95%ile for age/height/gender) or dyslipidemia prior to referral. In such cases, the reason for consultation should be stated as hypertension or dyslipidemia with a secondary diagnosis of obesity. Lifestyle modification is the appropriate first-line intervention for mild forms of most obesity related comorbidities.
The services offered in this clinic include:
Evaluation of:
- Current Nutrition
- Current Physical Activity Level
- Body Image
- Family Interaction
- Health History
- Family History
- Motivation
- Readiness for Behavior Modification
- Comorbid Status: Hypertension, Dyslipidemia, Sleep Apnea/Disturbance, Insulin Resistance/Type 2 Diabetes
Management via:
- Behavior Modification/Motivation with routine follow-up
- Sara Lee Center for Women's Health Healthy Family Adolescent Weight Management Program participation. For more information, visit our website at – www.healthyfamilyusa.org. This program has opportunities for families in the Forsyth County area and is provided through grants from charitable organizations. Providers are welcome to refer patients to the program without a referral to the clinic by visiting http://www.healthyfamilyusa.org/healthy-family-for-health-care-referral.asp
- Occasional medical interventions in older adolescents
- Referral to additional subspecialists including pulmonology/sleep evaluation, cardiology, mental health experts, and potential bariatric surgery programs in cases of extreme morbidity.
Timely evaluation and management of overweight young people is critical in decreasing adverse outcomes and slowing the epidemic of childhood and adolescent obesity in our community. To schedule a patient for this clinic, please call 718-3960.
