Multidisciplinary Pediatric Obesity Clinic via Telemedicine Within the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area: Lessons Learned

Abstract

Telemedicine has been shown to be effective for rural populations, but little is reported on pediatric obesity care via telemedicine in urban settings. This study aims to assess feasibility and acceptability of multidisciplinary pediatric obesity care via telemedicine within the same metropolitan area in terms of information technology, coordination, patient care, and clinical outcomes. All project notes and communications were reviewed to extract key lessons from implementation. Patient and Provider Satisfaction Questionnaires were conducted to assess overall satisfaction; baseline and follow-up information were collected from chart reviews to evaluate clinical outcomes. Based on the questionnaires, 93% of responding patients (n = 28) and 88.3% of referring providers (n = 17) felt satisfied with the appointment. Chart review indicated a trend for decreased or stabilized body mass index and blood pressure (n = 32). Implementation of telemedicine for tertiary multidisciplinary pediatric obesity care in urban settings is both feasible and acceptable to patients and health care providers.

Keywords: obesity; obesity management; pediatric; telehealth; telemedicine; urban.