OAC Steps Up to Help People Find Obesity Care Providers

OAC Steps Up to Help People Find Obesity Care Providers

If you want help with obesity from a healthcare provider, the typical experience is disappointing. Most providers don’t understand the physiology of this condition. And they assume that dieting and exercising will clear it right up. But the good news is that better options are growing. More and more providers are learning the skills necessary to provide real medical help for obesity. And the Obesity Action Coalition is launching a new site to help people find obesity care providers who can meet their needs. You’ll find it at ObesityCareProviders.com

A Place to Start

Let’s be clear. This is a work in progress, and it’s an ambitious one. It’s a directory and a source for information. But it’s not a source for endorsements or reviews. Here you can find more than 25,000 healthcare professionals who provide at least some forms of obesity care. It includes physicians, osteopaths, bariatric surgeons, dietitians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners.

You can search by zip code and look for professional credentials, like certification by the American Board of Obesity Medicine. Reflecting on this milestone, OAC chair Michelle Vicari is excited about the possibilities:

This one-of-a-kind resource is invaluable for people looking to have a positive conversation about weight and health with a healthcare specialist near them.

In our view, this resource has great promise. However, fulfilling that promise will take time. To do so, OAC is working with a range of associations, representing diverse health professions that provide obesity care. Obesity care professionals can help. If you are a provider, check out your listing on the website. You’ll find links where you can update your information or request a listing.

So, if you’re a potential user, check it out. If you have ideas or find issues, you can email the team at ocp@obesityaction.org. Clearly, your support has the potential to make this resource the best that it can be. Right now, we have an excellent start.

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June 26, 2018