New Intensive Weight Loss Program for Mercy Patients ST. LOUIS , Oct. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercy received a nearly $3 million funding award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) through its Health Systems Implementation Initiative (HSII) to implement intensive lifestyle treatment programs for weight loss within primary care settings, one of only six health systems in the United States to receive funding for the project.
Recent U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that in 23 states, more than one in three adults (35%) had an obesity diagnosis last year, including all states where Mercy provides care – Arkansas , Kansas , Missouri and Oklahoma .
As U.S. adult obesity rates have risen, so have the related conditions of diabetes, heart disease and premature death.
Mercy plans to use the PCORI funding to launch the Mercy Intensive Lifestyle Treatment for Weight Loss program, available both virtually and in person, at all 237 of its primary care clinics across four states. Eligible patients will be referred to the program, self-schedule with a program team member and select individual or group virtual visits. Mercy health coaches will engage patients with informational materials and encouragement, while patients report daily blood pressure and weight through text messaging.
This project will focus on implementing an intensive lifestyle program adapted from a previous PCORI-funded comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) stu.