The healthcare industry has embraced GLP1 drugs as an effective way to lose weight. But the popularity of these drugs has made them tough to obtain. In a webinar last week, CEO and Co-founder Dr. Jonathan Kaplan shared how physician practices not only can access the weight loss drug by working with compounding pharmacies, but also use BuildMyHealth to provide it to their own patients who are suitable candidates for the drug. In doing so, physicians can open up a revenue stream for their practice generating more than $250,000 per month.
To address the difficulty obtaining such popular drugs, the webinar highlighted how physician practices can help patients obtain compounded versions of semaglutide and tirzepatide, the active ingredients found in Ozempic and Mounjaro respectively.
In addition to Kaplan, a board-certified plastic surgeon, the webinar also included Dr. Ioana Carabin, an Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist. MedCity News Editor in Chief Arundhati Parmar served as the moderator of the sponsored webinar.
Kaplan observed that there are people who would like plastic surgery but need to lose weight before procedures such as a tummy tuck can be effective. He said one reason he created BuildMyHealth was to support this group of patients.
“There were patients whose Body Mass Index (BMI) was too high so they weren’t good candidates for plastic surgery. Rather than turning them away, our nurse and nurse practitioner suggested starting a weight management program to help them lose weight and then get into their goal weight that they might then move forward with a tummy tuck to remove the excess skin.”
Kaplan also emphasized that the patients he typically prescribes weight-loss drugs to do not have underlying chronic conditions such as diabetes. He pointed out that there are a lot of people with obesity who are otherwise healthy and that’s really who they’re treating.
From the ENT perspective, Dr. Carabin also found her patients were appropriate candidates for these weight loss medications. “I also see a lot of sleep apnea patients in my practice. As most of you realize, a lot of them are obese and they need help to get healthier. Part of that approach requires weight management. So I’m able to provide weight management for patients that come in through insurance as well as paying patients through the cosmetic arm of my practice.”
According to Kaplan, this is for all providers in America. “You have to think to yourself, ‘what happens when a patient comes in and they ask you for weight loss medications?’ Are you going to tell them, ‘oh, you should just stick to diet and exercise?’ That’s not good enough anymore,” he added. “Obesity is a chronic disease. There’s insulin resistance involved. It’s not just about diet and exercise. It’s certainly not just about a lack of willpower. You’re probably going to lose patients if you stick to that old mantra because the science doesn’t back that up anymore.”
To view the full webinar, Lower BMI, Raise ROI: How Physician Practices Can Boost Revenues with a Turnkey Weight Management Program, please fill in the form below:
Photo: Jason Dean, Getty Images
