• Leigh Perreault, Krithika Suresh, Carlos Rodriguez, L Miriam Dickinson, Emileigh Willems, Peter C Smith, Johnny Williams, R Mark Gritz, and HoltropJodi SummersJSDepartment of Family Medicine, University of... more Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.Adult and Child Center for Outcomes Research and Delivery Science, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.. less
• Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado Leigh.perreault@CUAnschutz.edu.
• Ann Fam Med. 2023 May 1; 21 (3): 249255249-255.

PurposeTo describe the characteristics of patients and practice of clinicians during standard-of-care for weight management in a large, multiclinic health system before the implementation of PATHWEIGH, a pragmatic weight management intervention.MethodsWe analyzed baseline characteristics of patients, clinicians, and clinics during standard-of-care for weight management before the implementation of PATHWEIGH, which will be evaluated for effectiveness and implementation in primary care using an effectiveness-implementation hybrid type-1 cluster randomized stepped-wedge clinical trial design. A total of 57 primary care clinics were enrolled and randomized to 3 sequences. Patients included in the analysis met the eligibility requirements of age ≥18 years and body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m2 and had a weight-prioritized visit (defined a priori) during the period March 17, 2020 to March 16, 2021.ResultsA total of 12% of patients aged ≥18 years and with a BMI ≥25 kg/m2 seen in the 57 practices during the baseline period (n = 20,383) had a weight-prioritized visit. The 3 randomization sequences of 20, 18, and 19 sites were similar, with an overall mean patient age of 52 (SD 16) years, 58% women, 76% non-Hispanic White patients, 64% with commercial insurance, and with a mean BMI of 37 (SD 7) kg/m2. Documented referral for anything weight related was low (<6%), and 334 prescriptions of an antiobesity drug were noted.ConclusionsOf patients aged ≥18 years and with a BMI ≥25 kg/m2 in a large health system, 12% had a weight-prioritized visit during the baseline period. Despite most patients being commercially insured, referral to any weight-related service or prescription of antiobesity drug was uncommon. These results fortify the rationale for trying to improve weight management in primary care.© 2023 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

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