2020-12-15 OMA Agenda - Board of Trustees

When concerns arise during telehealth encounters, a face-to-face office visit will remain an option for additional exams or appropriate studies. In the event of another public health emergency, or during times when remote location is prohibitive for a face-to-face office visit, telehealth has been, and will continue to be a growing modality to provide quality healthcare.

Conclusion

Treatment of obesity is often well-suited to telehealth. This Obesity Medicine Association Position Statement is intended to provide guidance in effective and safe management of patients with obesity via telehealth. While telehealth is currently necessitated by COVID-19, it is the consensus of this working group that expanded telehealth obesity management will extend after the COVID-19 pandemic. Regarding the cardiovascular risks and benefits of anti-obesity medications, it is possible, if not probable that anti-obesity medications in development will soon demonstrate cardiovascular disease benefits. If so, then it is also probable these anti-obesity medications will have an FDA indicated use to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. (6) When this occurs, given that obesity is an important contributor to cardiovascular disease, then these anti-obesity medications will then become standards of care. This is analogous to how drug treatments for diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidemia have become standards of care. Until then, while all aspects of obesity management should be managed with a focus on safety, clinicians should be aware of special considerations regarding the safe use of anti-obesity medications such as phentermine both today, and for the foreseeable future.

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