Pharmacist-Directed Weight Loss Service Can Help Patients in Ambulatory Care Clinics

Weight loss services led by pharmacists in ambulatory care clinics can help increase weight loss and educate patients on important lifestyle changes, according to research presented at the 2023 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Summer Meetings and Exhibition, held June 10 to 14 in Baltimore, Maryland.¹

Obesity is known to contribute to an increased risk of developing comorbidities, which can lead to higher rates of hospitalization and mortality. Previous research has shown that weight loss services led by pharmacists can help patients in community settings, but there is a lack of data about their efficacy in ambulatory care clinics.

Investigators conducted a quality improvement study to expand access to weight loss services and treatment utilization by referring patients to clinic pharmacists for collaborative weight loss management. The project took place within 3 outpatients clinics at Tufts Medical Center in Boston from September 1 through October 31, 2022.

The study cohort included 79 patients with a mean age of 51, of whom 61 were women who had a baseline weight of 105.5 kg and a body mass index of 38.1 kg/m2. The most common comorbidities were hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obstructive sleep apnea. The patients were all referred to a pharmacist who provided services including lifestyle counseling, device teaching, weight loss medication, and assistance with medication access.

The primary study outcomes included time from referral to first visit, time from referral to first medication fill, and percent of patients who utilized a Tufts Medical Center pharmacy.

Investigators found that pharmacists who led weight loss services were able to expand weight loss care. The median time from referral to first visit was 12 days, and median time from referral to first medication fill was 10 days. Over 63% of patients utilized a Tufts pharmacy.

The most frequently prescribed weight loss medication was semaglutide (Ozempic), followed by liraglutide (Saxenda), and dulaglutide (Trulicity).

“Future directions of this study include expansion of the pharmacist-led weight loss service to other ambulatory care clinics within Tufts Medical Center such as the Division of Nephrology, the Division of Infectious Diseases, and the Gastroenterology/Hepatology Division,” the authors concluded. “Additionally, we hope to use the results of this quality improvement project to embed a pharmacist within the Tufts Medical Center Weight and Wellness Center to increase access to care.”

Reference

1. Schermerhorn, S. Implementation of a pharmacist-directed weight loss service to improve medication access and weight loss outcomes. Presented at: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Summer Meetings and Exhibition; June 10-14, 2023; Baltimore, MD. Poster 7-T.