CME | Slim Solutions: Navigating Weight Loss Medications
Release Date: 07/18/2024
FFFM | March 2026 Advocacy Rounds
Inside Family Medicine
David Tully, AAFP vice president of government relations, recaps the AAFP’s March 2026 advocacy efforts. Academy EVP and CEO Shawn Martin testified before Congress on how underinvestment fuels workforce shortages, longer waits and practice closures. Chronic disease drives 90% of the $4.9 trillion the US spends on health care each year, but primary care receives less than 5% of those funds. With that in mind, the AAFP urged Congress to improve patients’ access and costs by making primary care affordable, supporting...
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IFM | Brain Health and Chronic Conditions: Lifelong Connections
Inside Family Medicine
In this episode of ‘Inside Family Medicine’, we hear from Dr. Ariel Cole, a family and geriatric medicine physician and fellowship/residency leader at AdventHealth Orlando, about the family physician’s role in cognitive aging, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Dr. Cole describes her experience caring for patients across the cognitive decline spectrum and emphasizes prevention. The conversation covers barriers like time and system awareness, strategies for sensitive discussions about shame and independence, and leveraging community resources such...
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CME | Tiny Ties & Big Opinions: Hot Takes in Peds
Inside Family Medicine
In this episode of CME on The Go, our hosts discuss a postpartum patient with painful breastfeeding and concerns about milk supply. They emphasize listening, cultural context, and early breastfeeding discussions. The episode reviews baby‑friendly hospital practices, noting risks when taken too far, and affirms that formula supplementation may be appropriate. Practical guidance includes assessing latch and positioning, supportive tools, tongue‑tie considerations, and concludes with neonatal circumcision as an elective, culturally influenced procedure. Learning...
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IFM | Downcoding: How Payers Are Cutting Payments and What Family Physicians Can Do
Inside Family Medicine
Guest host Karen Johnson, PhD, VP of Practice Advancement for the AAFP, talks with Dr. Tina Philip, DO, a solo family physician in Round Rock, Texas, and AAFP CEO, Shawn Martin, about payer downcoding, where insurers reduce billed evaluation and management levels (e.g., 99214 to 99213), lowering payment and adding administrative burden. Dr. Philip describes how downcoding most often affects moderate-to-high complexity office visits and stresses physicians must monitor claims beyond denials by working with billing/coding staff to confirm expected...
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IFM | Primary Care and Cognitive Concerns: Screening, Diagnosis, and Support
Inside Family Medicine
Host Michael Monroe interviews Dr. Brianna Wynne, a board-certified geriatric medicine physician, about how family physicians can support prevention, screening, and early detection of cognitive aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Wynne distinguishes normal aging (slower processing speed) from mild cognitive impairment (objective test deficits with preserved function) and dementia as a spectrum from mild functional difficulties with instrumental activities to severe end-stage dependence. She describes how concerns typically surface through caregivers or during routine...
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FFFM | Primary Care at the Center of Fighting Chronic Disease
Inside Family Medicine
Yalda Jabbarpour, MD, of the AAFP’s Robert Graham Center, interviews rural family physician Jennifer Bacani McKenney, MD, FAAFP, about the Robert Graham Center’s report “Investing in Primary Care: The Missing Strategy in America’s Fight Against Chronic Disease,” co-funded by the Milbank Memorial Fund and the Physicians Foundation. The report uses national data to show that having a usual source of primary care increases preventive services and screening, reduces emergency department visits and hospitalizations for people with chronic...
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CME | Hot Takes and Flashbacks of Menopause
Inside Family Medicine
In this episode of CME On the Go, our hosts revisit menopause through a case of a 51-year-old with seven months of amenorrhea, vasomotor and cognitive symptoms, and osteopenia-range DEXA findings, highlighting that she is perimenopausal. They note the limited role of FSH/LH testing and the need to rule out other causes. The episode focuses on systemic hormone therapy, recommending 17β-estradiol with progesterone for patients with an intact uterus, favoring transdermal routes for lower risk, gradual dose titration, shared decision making, and supportive lifestyle measures. ...
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IFM | Coverage and Care: What Family Physicians Should Know About Disability Insurance
Inside Family Medicine
On this episode of ‘Inside Family Medicine’, you’ll hear from Jered Hunt, president of AAFP Insurance Services, and Eric Muehlbach, disability insurance manager, about why disability insurance is a critical part of a family physician’s financial plan. They emphasize protecting a physician’s greatest asset, future earning potential, by securing coverage early to lock in insurability due to intensive medical underwriting. The discussion covers how to start by reviewing existing employer benefits, common limitations such as own-occupation caps, monthly benefit...
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FFFM | February 2026 Advocacy Rounds
Inside Family Medicine
David Tully, AAFP vice president of government relations, recaps the Academy’s February 2026 advocacy efforts. He highlights passage of a government funding package that keeps agencies operating and includes reauthorization of the Teaching Health Center GME program through 2029, continued funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corps and a two-year extension of telehealth flexibilities. The episode outlines the AAFP’s push for Congress to address Medicare Advantage practices that strain primary care, including downcoding and...
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IFM | Recognizing and Managing COPD Exacerbations in Primary Care: A Conversation with Dr. Barbara Yawn
Inside Family Medicine
In this episode of Inside Family Medicine we hear from Dr. Barbara Yawn, a family physician and clinical researcher and former Chief Science Officer at the COPD Foundation, about recognizing and managing COPD exacerbations in primary care. Dr. Yawn explains why COPD is often missed due to gradual symptom onset and patients minimizing symptoms, and stresses asking targeted questions about dyspnea, activity tolerance, chronic cough, sputum changes, and frequent colds. She reviews recognizing exacerbations, instructions to call the office, outpatient treatment with short...
info_outlineThe CME on the Go series of the Inside Family Medicine podcast lets you earn up to 0.5 CME credits per episode — join the hosts as they dive into the complexities of weight loss medications, from historical perspectives to modern practices. Discover the nuanced conversations around BMI, patient-centered care, and the latest in weight loss treatments.
The hosts explore the history and controversies surrounding BMI, off-label medication use, and the evolution of weight loss treatments from the 1800s to today. The conversation emphasizes the need for patient-centered language, compassionate care, and a comprehensive approach that includes both lifestyle and pharmacological interventions. The hosts also touch on the mental health implications of obesity and the importance of forming a supportive partnership with patients.
Your hosts for this episode are Lauren Brown-Berchtold, MD, FAAFP, program director for the San Joaquin General Family Medicine Residency in French Camp, Calif.; Jason Marker, MD, MPA, FAAFP, associate director of the Memorial Hospital Family Medicine Residency program in South Bend, Ind.; and Tamaan Osborne-Roberts, MD, MBA, FAAFP, chief medical officer and vice president of health strategy at the public sector health plan Colorado Access.
Whether you're navigating patient queries or seeking to enhance your clinical knowledge, this episode offers valuable insights and practical advice for family physicians. Tune in now and earn CME credit with every listen!
Credit Claiming After listening to the podcast episode, claim 0.5 AAFP credit by following the provided link. https://www.aafp.org/assessment/take/15313/e
Learning Objectives:
- Discover the mechanisms of action of common weight loss drugs.
- Evaluate the efficacy and safety profiles of weight loss medications.
- Discuss the appropriate indications, contraindications, and monitoring parameters for prescribing weight loss drugs in clinical practice.
References
Li, Z., Hong, K., Yip, I., Huerta, S., Bowerman, S., Walker, J., Wang, H., Elashoff, R., Go, V. L., & Heber, D. (2003). Body weight loss with phentermine alone versus phentermine and fenfluramine with very-low-calorie diet in an outpatient obesity management program: A retrospective study. Current Therapeutic Research, Clinical and Experimental, 64(7), 447-460. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0011-393X(03)00126-7
American Academy of Family Physicians. (2022). Several drugs are effective for weight loss in obese or overweight adults; it is unclear whether they improve health outcomes. American Family Physician, 106(1), online. Retrieved from https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2022/0700/poems-weight-loss-drugs.html
American Academy of Family Physicians. (2023). Medications to promote weight loss: Guidelines from the American Gastroenterological Association. American Family Physician, 108(4), 424-426. Retrieved from https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2023/1000/practice-guidelines-medications-weight-loss.html
The New York Times. (1997, September 23). How fen-phen, a diet miracle, rose and fell. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/23/science/how-fen-phen-a-diet-miracle-rose-and-fell.html
Resources
AAFP: Treatment of Patients with Obesity -
AAFP: Practical Approaches to Improving Obesity Care, members-only free CME
AAFP: Addressing Health Disparities for Patients with Obesity, a free practice manual
ADA-AAFP Collaborative Podcasts: Medical Management of Overweight and Obesity | Journals Gateway | American Diabetes Association (diabetesjournals.org)
Topics by Timestamp
- 00:00 Introduction to CME On the Go
- 00:44 Meet the Hosts
- 01:16 Episode Overview: Weight Loss Medications
- 01:36 Patient Conversations on Weight Loss
- 03:25 Historical Context of Obesity in Medicine
- 07:43 BMI and Its Controversies
- 12:41 Medication Management for Obesity
- 17:52 Modern Weight Loss Medications
- 23:22 Partnering with Patients on Weight Loss
- 28:03 Future Topics and Resources
- 28:42 Moments of Gratitude
- 30:05 Conclusion and CME Information
Disclosure: It is the policy of the AAFP that all individuals in a position to control content disclose any relationships with commercial interests upon nomination/invitation of participation. Disclosure documents are reviewed for potential conflicts of interest and, if identified, conflicts are resolved prior to confirmation of participation. Only those participants who had no conflict of interest or who agreed to an identified resolution process prior to their participation were involved in this CME activity.
All individuals in a position to control content for this session have indicated they have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Disclaimer: Copyright 2024. AAFP. The views presented in this broadcast are the speaker’s own and do not represent those of AAFP. The information presented is for general, educational, or entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal, health, financial, or other advice. AAFP makes no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information and is not responsible for results that may arise from its use. Consult an appropriate professional concerning your specific situation and respective governing bodies for applicable laws. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by AAFP unless specifically stated otherwise. AAFP and the AAFP logo are registered trademarks of American Academy of Family Physicians.