A VA-Based, Multidisciplinary Weight Management Program
Christopher B. Ruser, MD, John J. Sellinger, PhD, Vera Carbone, RN, BSN, Laurie Bucci, MS, RD, CD-N, Seonaid Hay, MD, Susan S. Kashaf, MD, MPH, Alicia A. Heapy, PhD, Lisa Maria E. Frantsve, PhD, Jennifer McKinnon, RD, CD-N, Varman T. Samuel, MD, PhD, Mary I. Dallas, PT, PhD, and Patricia H. Rosenberger, PhD
Dr. Ruser is the director of the Weight Management Programs; Dr. Sellinger is a research psychologist; Ms. Carbone is the administrative director of the Weight Management Programs; Ms. Bucci is a clinical registered dietician in the inpatient service; Dr. Hay and Dr. Kashaf are staff primary care providers; Dr. Heapy is associate director of the Pain Research, Informatics, Medical co-morbidities, and Education (PRIME) REAP Center; Dr. Frantsve is director of the integrated care firm/mental health care line; Ms. McKinnon is a clinical registered dietician in the outpatient nutrition clinic; Dr. Samuel is a staff endocrinologist; Dr. Dallas is a physical therapist; and Dr. Rosenberger is a research psychologist, all at the West Haven campus of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System. In addition, Dr. Ruser is an assistant professor of medicine, Dr. Sellinger is an assistant professor of psychiatry, Dr. Hay and Dr. Kashaf are assistant professors of medicine, Dr. Heapy is an associate research scientist in the department of psychiatry, Dr. Frantsve is an assistant professor of psychiatry, Dr. Samuel is an assistant professor of endocrinology, and Dr. Rosenberger is an associate research scientist, all at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
With overweight or obesity leading to the premature death of one in 10 people in the United States, the VA has initiated a national campaign against these conditions. These authors describe a resource-efficient mechanism for implementing the VA’s initiative on a local level.