Focusing on the Role of a Medical Assistant in a Team-based Weight-counseling Project in Primary Care

• Published in: Journal for nurse practitioners Vol. 13; no. 4; pp. e185 - e190
• Main Authors: Brain, Maura Moran, Hackel, Jennifer, Stuart-Shor, Eileen M., Dalton, Joanne
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Elsevier Inc 01.04.2017; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Activities of daily living; Assistants; Behavior modification; Body mass index; Counseling; Health behavior; Health education; Intervention; medical assistants; Medical personnel; Obesity; Primary care; team approach; Teams; Weight control; weight-loss counseling; Workforce planning; Boston Massachusetts; United States > US; weight-loss counseling; primary care; medical assistants; team approach
• ISSN: 1555-4155; 1878-058X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nurpra.2017.01.020

There is a paucity of literature describing team-based approaches to weight-loss counseling and using a medical assistant (MAs) as a weight-loss counselor at the time of the patient’s arrival to the primary care clinic. This case study describes the role of the MA in a team-based project for weight counseling. Project data revealed an increase in patient knowledge about body mass index and health. MAs and patients viewed the role of the MA as a weight-loss counselor positively. •Evaluation of a team-based approach to weight-loss counseling.•Analysis of the role of the medical assistant in a team-based project for weight counseling.•Project data revealed counseled patients had increased knowledge about body mass index and health.•Medical assistants and patients viewed the role of the medical assistant as a weight-loss counselor positively.