The curiosity in utilizing GLP-1 medicine for weight administration mixed with a want by clinicians to generate income that’s much less depending on insurance coverage is main practices in direction of a cash-pay mannequin.
BuildMyHealth founder and CEO Dr. Jonathan Kaplan is a plastic surgeon in his day job. However he discovered {that a} vital variety of would-be sufferers who needed cosmetic surgery wanted to lose some weight earlier than the procedures can be efficient and secure. Fairly than turning these sufferers away, Kaplan began a weight administration program primarily based on the recommendation of his nurse and nurse practitioner.
There have been sufferers whose Physique Mass Index (BMI) was too excessive in order that they weren’t good candidates for cosmetic surgery, Kaplan recalled on a latest webinar. Beginning a weight administration program to assist them drop a few pounds after which get to their aim weight would allow them to maneuver ahead with a tummy tuck, for instance, to take away the surplus pores and skin. Or they’d lose the burden and their pores and skin would tighten by itself and so they wouldn’t want surgical procedure. Both method, it was a constructive final result for the affected person.
Doctor practices can assist sufferers receive compounded variations of semaglutide and tirzepatide, the energetic elements present in Ozempic and Mounjaro respectively. For physicians with insurance-based practices, this is a chance to efficiently assist sufferers drop a few pounds in addition to a possibility to generate $250K+ in month-to-month recurring income by way of medicine subscriptions. To automate the month-to-month medicine subscriptions required for this program, Dr. Kaplan developed a software program resolution.
He’s now taken what he’s discovered in his personal apply and shared that data and software program with different suppliers. Dr. Kathleen Behr, a dermatologist with a apply in Fresno, California, is one supplier Dr. Kaplan has helped in establishing their very own weight administration program. In response to emailed questions, Behr shared that, up to now, she has performed 75 consults and presently has 46 sufferers enrolled in her program. Behr famous that a part of her workplace is dedicated to physique contouring and weight reduction and is named “Behr Physique”. Doing this has led to a seamless workflow along with her dermatology apply.
“Our present weight reduction program, known as Lean MD, was very useful to our sufferers,” mentioned Behr. “However some nonetheless wanted extra, particularly girls who’re presently in menopause and having issue with hormonal weight acquire. These drugs have been so profitable in that side. Additionally, so a lot of our sufferers are available in for physique contouring and liposuction and previous to their therapy they should drop a few pounds. So, we are actually in a position to give them a beautiful possibility that’s stress free weight reduction. As a dermatologist we even have pores and skin tightening and filler procedures to assist as soon as they get to their aim weight. We get to assist them full circle.”
Behr mentioned her apply refers present and new sufferers who’re candidates for the burden loss medicine to her weight administration program. These sufferers usually have 10 kilos or extra to lose. For these with much less to lose, Behr mentioned they attempt to assist them with dietary modifications first.
“Actually most sufferers are very open to those weight reduction drugs and are self-educated after they are available in for a session. They arrive in with some data after which we assist reply any additional questions they’ve earlier than making a last choice,” Behr mentioned.
Requested what she has discovered primarily based on her expertise with Dr. Kaplan’s steerage, Behr answered this manner.
“We have now discovered so much about making issues simpler for the affected person in addition to for us within the workplace. That features digitally sending lab slips to Quest, beginning sufferers’ medicine on the identical day they join, and educating strategies for self-injection.”
Dr. Ioana Carabin, an Ear Nostril and Throat (ENT) specialist, discovered that a few of her sufferers had been appropriate candidates for these weight reduction drugs.
“I see loads of sleep apnea sufferers in my apply,“ Carabin mentioned. “Loads of them are overweight and so they need assistance to get more healthy. A part of that method requires weight administration. So I’m in a position to present weight administration for sufferers that are available in by way of insurance coverage in addition to self-pay sufferers by way of the beauty arm of my apply.”
Dr. Michelle Jones Singer, who has an OB-GYN apply, famous that a lot of her sufferers have seen the burden loss program on her web site and it’s led them to start a dialog along with her apply.
“Sufferers see my data on my web site and so they request a session. After I evaluation their historical past and lab work, I determine in the event that they qualify primarily based on the outcomes. After they qualify, the affected person decides in the event that they need to proceed.”
The docs state that Dr. Kaplan supplied different parts for his or her weight administration program together with:
- Consent kinds
- Medical historical past kinds.
- Injection and dosage information and video tutorials
- Specialised automated software program for dosage monitoring and subscription expenses
- Advertising and marketing assist
- Sourcing of medicines from compounding pharmacies
- Pricing suggestions for drugs
To be taught extra about how a weight administration program can create a brand new income stream to your apply that’s much less depending on insurance coverage reimbursement, click on right here.