MSP-Covered Program
Our MSP-covered program provides a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to weight management–at no cost to patients! Composed of individual and group medical visits, this program integrates both lifestyle and medical approaches to treating obesity to optimize patient results.
How to Become Involved in our MSP Program
1. Get a Referral from your Doctor
We need a referral from your family doctor, diabetes specialist or other medical doctor who cares for you. They have
to agree that you need our help and must complete the referral form. Referrals can be sent to us by fax, mail or
their office can call us.
Our MSP-covered program accepts patients from all over British Columbia.
2. Obtain an Appointment for an Online Consultation with One of our Internal Medicine Specialists
Once we receive the referral form, we will contact you and provide you with an appointment with one of our specialists. Depending upon your circumstance, this appointment will be done at our Clinic, online from your own home or through any mobile device. We have dedicated staff available to help you with any online appointment. Before your appointment, we will also help you connect with our online, highly secure “Patient Home” page where you will answer some questions about your medical history. This will become your personal page, here you will book appointments, receive communications from staff and complete questionnaires before attending some of our groups and modules.
3. Attend Your First Medical Visit Online
Your first visit will be with one of our internal medicine specialists either online or in person. Online visits occur through a secure and simple system known as Doxy.me. Prior to your doctor visit you will also spend time with one of our obesity medicine assistants who will introduce you to the program and answer all your questions. Follow up visits will be booked with Specialists or Family Doctors as appropriate for your condition.
4. Attend Introductory Programs for Eight Weeks
You will attend a series of 90 minute group medical visits (physician supervised group classes) once per week for eight weeks. These groups are now online and highly interactive. You will get to ask questions through the online chat room and with your computer, phone or iPad microphone. These groups provide an overview of essential skills and knowledge to get you started on your journey to a healthier future. Since our program is based on the best available scientific evidence, we do a lot of myth busting and we help you sift through the hype and empty promises you might have encountered on television, the internet, and the weight loss industry.
Introductory Programs5. Attend Our Focused Modules and Special Groups
Every week (weekday evenings mostly) we run approximately 15 different groups designed to assist patients with a wide range of problems and issues. We will help you to determine which groups are important for you and in some cases, we will strongly suggest that you participate in specific groups to help you with your specific needs. Most of the groups are done in multi-week modules and some groups are done as single special topics. As the weeks, months and years in our program go by, you may elect to attend many of these groups and modules as a way to guide you on your journey to better health.
*Please note that regular participation in our group medical visits is a mandatory requirement of the program.
Focused Modules6. Continued Support
Individual physician visits will occur approx. every 6 months to check in on each patient's progress with their health and weight management. During these visits, weight-related medical conditions will be re-evaluated and treatment plans will be modified accordingly. Please note that individual follow ups may be done more frequently if appropriate.
Focused Modules
Weight Management Modules
Achieving sustainable weight loss is hard! There are complex physiological processes that influence our appetite, metabolism, and favour weight regain. Whether it be losing weight, navigating a weight loss plateau, maintaining a weight loss, or addressing weight regain, our weight management modules are created to prepare and empower patients for the challenges they will encounter in the pursuit of reaching their best weight.
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Nutrition, Diet & Food Skills
We LOVE good food! That is why cultivating a diet that is both rich in nutrition and deliciousness is so important to us. Our nutrition stream is designed to help patients discover and develop modes of food preparation to make tasty meals that are in line with their values and health goals. Whether it be better understanding macronutrients, learning new cooking skills, finding great recipes, or acquiring great dietary strategies for managing increased hunger, this stream is designed to help patients design their best diet.
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Diabetes
Our clinic is passionate about the prevention and management of diabetes. Given this, we have a stream devoted to empowering patients at risk of or who are living with this condition. Similar to our approach to treating obesity, we adopt a multi-pronged strategy focusing on education around diabetes as a chronic health condition, as well as nutrition, physical activity, mental wellbeing, and medical focused interventions shown to improve patient outcomes.
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Mental Health & Wellness
It is hard to overemphasize the role of mental health in facilitating sustainable behaviour change. The way we think and feel significantly influences our actions, ability to problem solve, and maintain motivation during challenging times. Our clinic is devoted to increasing access to and raising the quality of care for mental health. Topics in this stream include: mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy techniques, cognitive behavioural therapy techniques, dialectical behavioural therapy techniques, stress management strategies, as well as education and resources for depression, anxiety, food addiction, and binge eating disorder.
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Weight-Related Conditions
Aside from diabetes and depression, there are many other health conditions associated with obesity. Some of these include: metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, metabolic syndrome, PCOS and hormonal issues, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, etc. Managing and reducing the risk of developing or worsening these conditions is an important part of our clinic’s approach to weight management. Sessions in this stream are led by our physicians and designed to educate and equip patients to manage or prevent these chronic conditions.
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Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery can be a lifesaving and life changing step for individuals struggling with morbid obesity. Our bariatric surgical prep program is designed to equip patients with the knowledge, skills, and behaviours that will minimize risk prior to surgery and allow them the most benefit post-op. Participants who are able to meet the requirements to be approved for MSP-covered bariatric surgery will be referred to the Richmond Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program, bypassing the 2-3 year waitlist.
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