Bariatric Specialty Clinic

This clinic provides medical, psychological, and surgical interventions for weight management and improving health. Support is provided to individuals with obesity who require complex medical management and / or surgical intervention.

The initial clinic assessment determines the patient's specific barriers to managing their weight. The next steps involve developing an individualized care plan with the patient which may include:

• behaviour modification
• counseling for nutrition, physical activity, and mental health
• drug treatment and/or bariatric surgery (surgical treatment for obesity)
• coordinating care and transitioning the patient back to their family physician with recommendations from the clinic

Clinic staff also assess whether bariatric surgery is an option for clinic patients. Not everyone participating in the clinic is an appropriate candidate for bariatric surgery; other treatment options may be determined to be more appropriate and successful long term. Please note, it takes several appointments and considerable time to determine eligibility for bariatric surgery.

Prior to referral or while waiting for an appointment, patients can self refer to attend group sessions for weight management and improving health with the Alberta Healthy Living Program (AHLP) Weight Management Series.

For patients who have had previous bariatric surgery outside of the Medicine Hat Bariatric Specialty Clinic, please visit:

• Adult Bariatric Revision Clinic

• BMI ≥ 35 kg/m², with an obesity-related comorbidity (ex. hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, osteoarthritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, sleep apnea, depression, polycystic ovarian syndrome, cardiovascular disease)

• BMI ≥ 40 kg/m² with or without comorbidity

• no severe, untreated personality disorder, active psychosis, active substance dependencies, and/or major cognitive impairment