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With obesity rates reaching epidemic proportions across the country and with chronic health and quality of life issues driven by obesity, a provider at PATHS decided to do something about it.

She engaged her patients to be a part of a comprehensive weight loss plan.   Thirty eight patients in PATHS' Community Medical Center - Danville volunteered to have their weight loss efforts tracked as a group. These patients were clinically morbidly obese with a body mass index (BMI) over 30. As a group they represented patients with diabetes, hypertension, and joint and knee problems.

After a lot of effort and determination on the part of the patients, and with some very persuasive couching by their Family Nurse Practitioner, Elizabeth Hagan, the results are in and they are amazing. At the weigh-in on Sunday, August 25th, the groups’ weight as compared to their beginning weight taken some six months ago showed an astounding total 1,541.3 pounds lost. This represents an average of 40.6 pounds per participant. Most patients were able to reduce and in some cases, completely stop medications that had formerly worked to control chronic illnesses. One participant had to lose weight in order to have knee replacement surgery and after losing 90 pounds she is ready to schedule the much needed surgery.

Kay Crane, CEO, stated “That this is the kind of dedication and commitment on behalf of patients and providers that will affect change.”