Pilot program study finds that pediatric obesity patients like telehealth services
For youth dealing with obesity who need extra help losing weight, experts suggest a multidisciplinary approach in which care is provided by several health specialists. However, the logistics of traveling to multiple appointments, even if just across town, can be a barrier to receiving care, especially for low-income families.
UCLA researchers who work with this patient population set up a pilot program using telehealth technology — a secure system that allowed patients to see and speak with their health care providers at UCLA over a computer from their local health clinic — to evaluate if such a system could be an effective strategy to help overcome these issues. (more…)