Reducing chronic disease and obesity through telenutrition
Telehealth is expanding access to nutrition care, helping patients overcome barriers to prevent and manage chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Obesity and chronic disease affect millions of people across the United States. Many adults living with obesity also have health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. In rural communities, it can be hard to find nutrition specialists who help patients manage these conditions. Telehealth is helping to close that gap.
In 2012, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) began offering virtual visits with nutrition specialists. These appointments connect patients with expert nutrition care without requiring long travel times. Rural providers can refer patients to MUSC’s Center for Telehealth, and the scheduling team contacts patients directly to set up a virtual visit.
During these appointments, registered dietitians work one-on-one with patients. They help patients build healthy eating habits, create realistic meal plans, and set goals for physical activity. Patients learn how to include more whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and proteins, into their diets. These changes can help prevent or manage chronic diseases.
By expanding access to nutrition care through telehealth, MUSC continues to help people prevent and manage chronic diseases, build healthier habits, and improve their quality of life – no matter where they live.
Through its HRSA-funded Telehealth Center of Excellence, MUSC also created the Primary Care Weight Management Program. This program supports primary care providers in caring for patients with obesity and related conditions. By using telehealth, providers can connect patients to nutrition services as part of their regular care. Many patients have been successful in their nutrition goals, including over 60% who reported that they maintained their goals. In addition, approximately 40% of people active in the program showed clinically significant weight loss within 3 months with health improvements in heart risk factors, blood sugar or blood pressure. The majority of active patients had a Body Mass Index decrease of almost 8%.
Like many new programs, MUSC faced challenges. At first, some clinics struggled with scheduling, staffing, and using electronic health records for virtual visits. In response, MUSC developed a clear onboarding process to help clinics get started more smoothly.
The program also worked to improve patient engagement by providing simple instructions to patients for what to expect after receiving a referral for telenutrition services. This change helped more patients complete the scheduling process.
By expanding access to nutrition care through telehealth, MUSC continues to help people prevent and manage chronic diseases, build healthier habits, and improve their quality of life – no matter where they live.