A podcast of simulated clinic encounters dealing with motivational interviewing and weight management in different social contexts. 

Topics covered include:

… how to ask about a patient’s motivations and barriers to action.
… how to approach a frustrated patient.
… how to inspire small, consistent changes in your patients.
… examples of behavior modification for busy patients.
… how food insecurity, hunger, and weight interact.
… diet strategies for the resource-poor and busy patient.
… how to ask advanced diet history questions.
… how to assess the medical family history with ethnicity in mind.
… how to offer culturally aware and appropriate food substitutions.
… how to gather and interpret information about where homeless patients obtain food.

Episode 1: Talking to the Child with Obesity and Mom
A provider talks with Alex, a 12 year old boy and his mom. Alex’s BMI has been in the 95th percentile for a couple visits now, so the provider called him back in for a follow up appointment. Of note, the whole family sees the provider, and all members of the family have obesity.

 

Episode 2: Talking with the Opioid Dependent Patient
Today the provider will see a 65 year old female with chronic back pain and history of opioid dependence, treated with methadone for 1 year, treatment complicated by 20 lbs weight gain in the last year. The patient’s co-morbidities are chronic back pain and opioid dependence. She lives alone and is on disability.

 

Episode 3: Talking With The Resource Poor Patient
Today the provider will see a 45 year old white mother with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver disease, BMI 34, presenting for initial weight consultation. She is resource poor, works two jobs, and has 2 young children. Her husband has not been able to find work since the recession.

 

Episode 4: Talking with the Patient with Multiple Prior Attempts to Lose Weight
Today the provider will see a 28 year old South Asian male with high health literacy. He is frustrated because his BMI in college was 25, and despite multiple attempts to lose weight, his BMI has crept up to 32 today. He has a well paying job in the tech industry, and lives alone.

 

Episode 5: Talking with the Patient Who Doesn’t Know Why
Today the provider will see a 40 year old male presenting for a follow-up after a recent hospitalization for biliary colic. A cholecystectomy was not performed.

 

Episode 6: Talking with the Hispanic Patient
Today the provider will see a 45 year-old Puerto Rican woman with obesity who is part of a combined family, newly diagnosed with pre-diabetes.

 

Episode 7: Talking with the Asian Patient
Today the provider will see a 50 year old Chinese-American male, part of a combined family, newly diagnosed with pre-diabetes.

 

Episode 8: Talking with the Homeless Patient
Today the provider will see 33 year old male with mild cognitive impairment, unspecified mental illness, homeless, and a BMI of 17 presenting for initial weight consultation. He is plugged into public assistance services such as CalFresh. He also has a regular mental health team that he sees.

 

Episode 9: Talking with the Busy Patient
Today, the provider will be talking with a 38 year old woman with a BMI of 30. She is a lawyer and works full time. As a single mother of two pre-teen boys, she is incredibly busy balancing work and her family.