Health Sciences North now offers medical weight loss help

Sudbury hospital offering new program to lose weight From CTV Northern Ontario’s Tony Ryma: Sudbury Regional Assessment and Treatment Centre adds non-surgical medical program to its weight loss offerings.

Finding an effective weight loss program can be difficult, with conflicting health information and fad diets circulating constantly.

Now, Sudbury’s hospital, Health Sciences North, is offering some non-surgical help.

A new medical weight management program offered through HSN’s Bariatric Assessment and Treatment Centre, was launched this month.

“The Optifast Medical Weight Management Program is a comprehensive, behaviour-based, program with proven results,” explains Kerri Loney of the Treatment Centre.

Referrals are currently being accepted through primary care physicians, and the medically-supervised program is 26 weeks in duration. It’s recommended for patients with a Body Mass Index of over 30, hypertension and diabetes, limited mobility, or shortness of breath due to weight.  It can also help people who have been unsuccessful with other methods and who could use more support.

“The program initially provides patients with high-quality, calorie-controlled, meal replacement and progresses with a five-week transition to regular food.” says Loney.

Weekly education sessions and medical monitoring are held at the Sudbury Outpatient Centre, located at the former Memorial Hospital site. Help is also available for five months after completing the program.

While the psychological assessment and medical care during the program are covered by OHIP, the only costs are the meal replacement supplements, which total approximately $100 per week.