How to prepare your practice for growing demand of GLP-1 medications
Industry Buzz
Necessary office restructuring, such as hiring or training staff, will depend largely on what percentage of the practice is dedicated to obesity treatment.
—Mir Ali, MD
While there are challenges and financial risks in owning a private practice, selling life-saving medications for profit is not the answer.
—Jason M. Goldman, MD, MACP, FPCP (Hon.)
Growing interest in GLP-1 medication presents both challenges and opportunities for practicing physicians. More than 12% of Americans report using GLP-1 medications, and 14% say they are interested in the drugs. []
MDLinx spoke with two experts about how to best manage a private practice amidst the growing interest in GLP-1 medications.
Providers who have not previously treated obesity as a chronic condition should educate themselves on comprehensive management. Thorough patient education is critical, [and] necessary office restructuring [...] will depend largely on what percentage of the practice is dedicated to obesity treatment.
—Mir Ali, MD, bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center in Fountain Valley, CA
Impact on practice
Mir Ali, MD, a bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, tells MDLinx that the growing demand for GLP-1s is reshaping his own practice.
“FDA approval for GLP-1 medications has had a significant impact on my practice," Dr. Ali says. “We have seen a dramatic reduction in patients seeking surgical weight loss, even though surgery remains the most effective long-term solution for those who meet the criteria. This shift reduces income for both the surgeon and the hospital, where surgery is a primary revenue source. Consequently, we have increased our focus on non-surgical options to meet rising demand.”
Not for financial gain
While more patients may come to physicians with inquiries about GLP-1 medications, experts say physicians shouldn’t provide medications for the purpose of boosting the revenue of their practice.
Jason M. Goldman, MD, President of the American College of Physicians, cautioned against this tactic: "This medication treatment, as with any others, is not for a financial gain. It borders on unethical as to what many of these online and other practices are doing by selling medications that should be covered.”
He argues that this strategy is indicative of a problematic healthcare system.
“It speaks to a broken healthcare system where patients are not able to afford life-saving medications. While there are challenges and financial risks in owning a private practice, selling life-saving medications for profit is not the answer,” Dr. Goldman tells MDLinx.
Related: 3 pros and 3 cons of starting and managing your own private practice“GLP-1 medications have been a tremendous advance in the treatment of obesity and chronic diseases. It has certainly changed the landscape of how we approach and manage patients, and has been a life-saving intervention," he says. "As with the ethics of any medical treatment, it is not a way to boost revenue by the medication itself. The increase in revenue would occur by patients seeking the physician’s expertise for treatment recommendations and not from the medication itself. Too many online services and other practices have taken advantage of this medication to sell it in various forms, which raises many ethical concerns.”
Both Drs. Ali and Goldman emphasize that physicians should spend time learning how to best counsel patients on the benefits and risks of these meds; Dr. Ali also stresses the necessary steps for effective management: “It's important to remember that these patients require regular follow-up. GLP-1 medications are started at low doses and titrated upward to mitigate side effects and achieve optimal results. This management can often be handled via telemedicine or by utilizing physician assistants and nurse practitioners to manage the time burden.”
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