Pathways Toward Wellness Weight Management Clinic
February 05, 2020
UH Pediatric Clinical Update | February 2020
UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital's multidisciplinary weight management clinic, Pathways Toward Wellness (PTW), has been updated with a novel “food allowance” eating plan with colorful PTW bucks for each food group and splurge coins based upon a calorie range individualized according to each patient’s measured resting energy expenditure (REE).
Pediatric endocrinologist, Ryan Farrell, MD; clinical psychologist, Carolyn Ievers-Landis, PhD; and dietitian, Jennifer Dorman, RD, are leading this effort that is built on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
PTW is accepting new patients (7-18 years old) who are overweight or obese on a monthly intake basis. Once a referral is approved, patients should be instructed to contact Rebecca Finney at 216-844-3661 to schedule their initial evaluation and complete baseline questionnaires assessing dietary intake and physical activity, sleep duration/regularity, psychological functioning, and quality of life, which will be mailed to their home. The PTW evaluation clinics are held on the first Friday mornings of each month at UH Landerbrook Health Center.
Patients will participate in an initial evaluation conducted by pediatric specialists from the Divisions of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics & Psychology, and Pediatric Sports Medicine and includes physicians, a psychologist, dietitian, and nurse. The evaluation includes a brief test to estimate REE.
The evaluation is followed by monthly participatory group sessions on principals of ACT for behavior modification, mindfulness, and nutrition education. Individual follow-up sessions can be scheduled with the PTW providers as needed. This program began in June of 2017, and the PTW team has treated approximately 100 patients and produced many successful patient outcomes. A University Hospitals IRB protocol is in process for a retrospective chart review to publish outcomes in professional journals.
To find out more about the program or to determine the appropriateness of a referral, e-mail Carolyn Ievers-Landis, PhD at Carolyn.Landis@UHhospitals.org or Ryan Farrell, MD at Ryan.Farrell@UHhospitals.org or call 216-553-1947 to be connected with one of these specialists.