EMBRACING CHANGE
on the patient ’ s list : finasteride , propranolol or a compounded medication . It is important to talk to your patients and advise that you are there to help , and that you can help with the prescriptions too . It ’ s also helpful to check in with the patient to see if they have any side effects , like depression with finasteride , or that they are drawing up the medications correctly in the vial and continuing to work on their diet , stress , sleep and exercise .
Other online entities focusing on weight loss are Henry Med , Mochi , Ro and Plush Care . Henry Med offers a compounded version of semaglutide . It is not a legitimate version of the medication and may not help your patients lose weight , and again they must be familiar with how to draw up medications from a vial . Ro has recently partnered with LillyDirect in providing branded Zepbound for patients . Mochi works with patients with a provider and a nutritionist to help them reach their weight loss goals . Mochi also works with the patient ’ s insurance to get them medications through prior authorizations . In this realm , again , it is important to have conversations with your patients : ask if they have support , if they are working on building their muscle and if they are watching for gastric side effects . The virtual provider is not you , their doctor who knows and cares about them – you need to ask .
There are also some mental health options available with Betterhelp and Cerebral . You may have heard of Cerebral during the pandemic , when they had to pay a $ 3.6 million fine in a non-prosecution agreement with the U . S . Attorney ’ s Office for the District of New York for “ engaging in practices that encouraged the unauthorized distribution of controlled substances , during 2019-2022 .” Cerebral has had to roll back its services . Betterhelp is another online option that provides therapy and counseling services . It is interesting because Betterhelp is being utilized by some entities for their Employee Assistance Programs . Unfortunately , sometimes Betterhelp may involve just texting with a counselor , and does not get too deep , to the root of an issue . This seems promising but again , does not always give the patient what they need .
As you can tell , these online options offer some promise and are accessible if you have funds and a good internet connection . If you have questions about the prescription or need help with the process , the online service may not always be available or helpful . As an in-person provider providing continuity , this is when you might remind your patient that you are glad they are taking charge of their health . Remind them that you are a partner in their care and that you can help with those concerns . You too can provide convenience with virtual visits and reinforce the clinician-patient relationship .
Dr . Tailor is a practicing internal medicine physician at Norton Community Medical Associates : Barret .
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