How do I refer a patient to Sparrow Weight Management Center (SWMC) for surgery or another program?

Call 517.364.8080 or fax a referral form to 517.364.8088 to refer a patient for a free consultation.

Does my patient need a prior authorization from their insurance company to attend a consultation?

No, consultations are free. If your patient decides to do one of SWMC’s programs, our staff will assist your patient in obtaining the appropriate pre-authorizations.

Why do you make patients go through your weight loss program before they can have surgery?

First, all surgical patients of the SWMC are required to participate in a 4-week pre-surgical education and weight loss program. This includes weekly classes taught by dietitians, behaviorists, and registered nurses. The weight loss program involves use of the Optifast Ò liquid meal replacement products. Research has demonstrated that surgical outcomes improve with multidisciplinary education and with weight loss. This also prepares patients for the liquid diet they will follow immediately after surgery.

Second, insurance companies may require documentation of 12 weeks to one year of medically supervised weight loss program as part of their criteria for covers of surgery. This can be done through the primary care physician, or a formal program such as ours. This is a separate insurance requirement not related to our 4-week pre-surgical program.

Third, patients with a weight of greater than 450 pounds, which is the upper limit for Sparrow’s CAT scan, will need to lose weight prior to surgery.

What is medically supervised weight loss?

A supervised weight loss program is a formal weight loss attempt that can be documented by someone besides the patient. This could include a specific program such as Weight Watchers^®, Optifast^®, or Medical Weight Loss Center^®. A supervised weight loss program could also be provided by a primary care provider and would include documentation of a specific meal plan, all other weight loss components recommended (exercise, medications, dietitian visits, psychological counseling, etc.) and periodic weights. All visits must be specifically for the purpose of weight loss, include a weight and a statement about the success of the plan. This must be documented in the patient’s medical record.

Must all supervised weight loss programs include monitoring by a physician or other primary care provider?

Not always. Weight loss criteria vary among insurance companies. If medical monitoring is required, a program as described in question 4 should also include monthly primary care physician visits specifically for the purpose of weight loss.

Why does my patient need a physical when they start Sparrow’s Weight Loss program?

We always refer patients back to their primary providers for any health concerns that are not directly related to their weight loss. However, since our medical providers will be seeing the patient through their weight loss program it is important to have a recent physical for baseline information.

How much does your program cost?

Costs vary based on length of program, type of program and whether the patients insurance covers any portion of the program. Also, Sparrow associates receive a rebate after program completion. During the free consultation we go over all the program expenses with the patient. We also provide a “no interest, no service charge” payment plan for any expenses not covered by insurance.