2020-12-15 OMA Agenda - Board of Trustees

Abstract Obesity medicine heavily relies upon motivational interviewing, nutrition and physical activity education/counseling, and behavior therapy. Hence, obesity medicine is especially well-suited for telehealth evaluations and interventions. This Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) Position Statement on Obesity Management via Telehealth highlights the 2021 OMA Obesity Algorithm “ADAPT” Telehealth Obesity Management Model. Components of this management model include: A ssessment, D iagnosis, A dvice (and Education), P rognosis, and T reatment. Relative to the management of other metabolic diseases (e.g., diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia), the treatment of the metabolic disease of obesity is unique in that some anti-obesity agents are designated controlled substances by the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Currently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, federal laws allow for prescribing of controlled substances via telehealth. Phentermine is the most prescribed anti-obesity medication and is illustrative of an antiobesity medication that is a controlled substance (DEA Schedule IV drug). Clinicians may benefit from the practical perspective of clinicians actively engaged in obesity management via telehealth during this time of COVID-19, including the prescribing of unscheduled or scheduled anti-obesity medications.

4