Typically, weight loss medication programs work by asking patients to share basic information like their height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and medical history, says Mayank Ohri, M.D., a board-certified physician in internal medicine and obesity medicine and the medical director and founder of Metabolite Clinic, a telehealth company based in Toronto, Canada. From there, patients are typically connected with a health care provider—either a nurse practitioner or a physician—for an evaluation to determine eligibility for weight loss medications.
Weight loss medications may include GLP-1 agonists like Wegovy, or GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonists like Mounjaro or Zepbound, says Dr. Ohri, noting that the prescription is then either sent to the user’s preferred pharmacy or shipped directly to the person’s home. Additionally, “ongoing monitoring is provided, usually on a monthly basis, as the medication is gradually titrated depending on the patient’s response and to monitor for any side effects,” explains Dr. Ohri.
“Depending on the telemedicine company, care can also be provided asynchronously, meaning through text-based or secure messaging, or synchronously via video visits,” he adds.