GMH Weight Management Services Celebrates 20 Great Years
of Healthy Living

When Rich Cohen MS, RD, LD, GMH Weight Management Services program director, was hired to manage Greene Memorial Hospital's new weight management clinic in 1989, he thought the program was already up and running. In fact, the program was still in the planning stages, and Cohen was tasked with building it from the ground up.

After meeting with Health Management Resources (HMR), a Boston-based company that works with prestigious medical weight management clinics to provide meal-replacement products, educational materials and other tools to promote successful weight management, Cohen decided that HMR was the perfect partner for the new GMH weight management program. Twenty years later this successful partnership has helped people to incorporate lifestyle changes to attain and manage a healthy body weight.

The program isn't just about meal-replacement products, in fact, says Cohen, it isn't even about dieting. "It is really not about weight loss, it's about empowering people so they will practice living a healthy lifestyle" said Cohen.

Located at Beaver View Health Care Center in Beavercreek, individualized care sets this program apart from others. "In other programs the patient has to fit into the program, we fit the program to the patient," said Nanette LeCain, RN.

The team works closely with each patient to make sure their individual needs are met while tackling obstacles with a holistic approach. The staff includes three counselors each with a related area of specialization - a dietitian, an exercise physiologist and a mental health counselor. The team works closely with several physicians who monitor patients as they go through the weight loss phase.

The clinical option offers both a non-medical program for those who are less than 70 pounds over ideal body weight with no medical diagnosis and a medically-supervised program for those who have a diagnosis such as diabetes and hypertension and are at a high body weight. Both programs include weekly group behavioral classes, individualized follow-up support and a long-term maintenance program.

A specialized track called The Solution Program is also offered, which helps patients retrain their brain from a state of stress to one of balance and reward. When the brain is in balance and reward, cravings naturally tend to fade. The Solution is geared to help patients learn how to cope with the stress and pressure of life without turning to food.

The program at Greene is only one of two programs nationwide to offer both The HMR clinic program and the Solutions Program. In that way, Cohen says, since obesity is a complex multi-factorial disease, "we can try to better meet the needs of most people coming to us for help."

Now in its 20th year, the program is stronger than ever. The longest standing medically-supervised behavioral weight loss clinic in the area, GMH Weight Management Services has repeatedly been recognized by HMR for being a top five affiliate in the areas of weight loss and patient retention.

Cohen says that word of mouth is the best source of advertising for their services. And with record participation in 2008, and 2009 on track to be another great year, it's clear that people are saying great things about GMH Weight Management Services.

For more information about GMH Weight Management Services please call (937) 458-4050 to attend a free, no obligation orientation.

KHN employees who have a BMI or 30 or greater may qualify for benefits with the GMH Weight Management Services. Those with Anthem medical insurance only pay $5 weekly and the cost of their meal replacements. KHN employees without Anthem receive discounted service fees.

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