How to Increase Your Weight Loss Surgery Caseload: The Role of Effective Pipeline Management
You can build a steady caseload and increase team efficiency through strategic patient engagement and pipeline management.
There is little doubt that the landscape of obesity treatment has shifted, with a notable rise in the use of GLP-1receptor agonists as anti-obesity medications. These medications have gained popularity due to their efficacy in treating obesity without the need for surgery, leading some patients to consider pharmacological options before exploring bariatric surgery. However, despite the growing popularity of GLP-1s,metabolic bariatric surgery remains a vital option for many patients, especially those with complex comorbidities, those that are morbidly obese, orthose who face challenges with pharmacologic treatments.
In the face of these changes, weight loss surgery practices must focus on effectively managing their patient pipeline to sustain and grow their caseload. By proactively addressing the needs and concerns of potential surgery candidates and keeping them engaged in a seamless process, you can ensure that patients have the right information and support to make informed treatment decisions.
Why Effective Pipeline Management Matters
Recent research shows a 132.6%increase in GLP-1 prescriptions for obesity between 2022 and 2023.Correspondingly, the rate of metabolic bariatric surgery decreased by 25.6% in the same period, highlighting the influence of pharmacologic treatments on surgical caseloads.1 This shift underscores the importance of guiding patients through the decision-making process, ensuring they understand the full spectrum of treatment options and potential outcomes.
For metabolic and weight loss surgery programs, this means that every interaction with potential patients counts. Building a strong, well-managed pipeline can help you:
- Address patient hesitations and misconceptions about bariatric surgery.
- Educate patients on the comparative benefits of surgical and pharmacologic treatments, especially for those with higher BMIs and multiple comorbidities.
- Ensure a steady flow of patients who are prepared and well-informed about the surgical process.
Putting Effective Technology to Boost Your Caseload
The PatientFlow® solution is designed to support practices in managing their patient pipeline more effectively. This tool streamlines thepatient journey from initial inquiry through to surgery, helping practices to:
- Capture Leads Efficiently: With automated lead management, the Patient Flow solution ensures that every prospective patient inquiry is recorded, tracked, and followed up on. This reduces the likelihood of losing potential candidates due to missed or delayed responses.
- Patient Engagement: Patient engagement is an essential component of effective pipeline management and optimization. By actively involving patients from their first inquiry and addressing their concerns early, practices can build trust and support informed decision-making. Proactive engagement ensures patients feel supported and valued, reducing their hesitancy and keeping them motivated throughout their journey. This approach minimizes drop-offs in the pipeline, resulting in higher conversion rates and a stronger caseload. The PatientFlow® solution enhances this process by streamlining patient interactions, and allowing practices to maintain consistent, meaningful communication with potential candidates, ultimately improving patient readiness and satisfaction.
- Educate Patients on Treatment Options: With customizable patient education modules, practices can provide tailored information that helps patients weigh the benefits of surgery versus medication. As research indicates, some patients delay surgery because they see it as a last resort; proactive education can help change this perspective.
- Track Patient Readiness and Progress: The PatientFlow® solution offers a centralized platform for tracking patient readiness and easy to follow patient real-time checklist for tracking completion of pre-operative insurance requirements. You and your team can monitor where patients are in their decision-making process and provide timely, personalized follow-ups that address specific patient concerns, questions, or needs.
- Support Complex Cases: The research also showed that patients undergoing surgery tend to have more complex medical profiles. By tracking patient health status and comorbidities, practices can ensure that candidates most likely to benefit from surgery are prioritized.
Building a Stronger Pipeline for Future Success
The rising use of anti-obesity medications presents both challenges and opportunities for bariatric surgery practices. By investing in tools like PatientFlow® by ProNex Inc., you and your team can optimize your pipeline management, ensuring that no patient inquiry goes unnoticed and that potential candidates are well-informed and prepared for surgery.
With a strategic approach to pipeline management, your practice can continue to grow its caseload, ensuring that patients receive the right treatment at the right time.
1 https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20241025/dip-in-bariatric-surgeries-shows-emerging-medical-options-first-approach-to-weight-loss