The head of the St. Elizabeth’s Physicians Weight Management Center, Dr. Troy Schaumann, challenges the perspective held by many hospital administrators that weight management programs are a “nice to have program rather than a must-have program,” in a new white paper from Robard Corporation.
Obesity affects nearly 40 percent of adults in the U.S. and has a direct impact on healthcare costs, according to the white paper. It means a higher cost for surgery, longer hospital stays, a higher risk of infection, an increased likelihood of readmission, and greater need for medication. It also is a significant risk factor for hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and cancer.
The paper argues against hospitals turning away obese patients who don’t meet Body Mass Index (BMI) requirements for certain surgeries — or prescribing medications to take as they attempt to lose weight on their own — noting that this poses as much of a financial burden on hospitals as treating the patients.
