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SLIM (Supervised Lifestyle and Integrative Medicine) Weight Loss

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For Referring Physicians Transfers, referrals and consultations

Your weight can affect your health and overall quality of life. If you've had a hard time losing weight on your own, talk to a doctor.

UC San Diego Health's Supervised Lifestyle and Integrative Medicine (SLIM) Weight Loss Program can help you reach your weight loss goals with healthy habits and intensive lifestyle management.

SLIM is led by Deepa Sannidhi, MD, who is trained in weight management, lifestyle medicine and integrative health. Our Weight Management Program partnered with the UC San Diego Center for Integrative Medicine to create this novel program. It's available only to UC San Diego Health patients upon referral.

How Does the SLIM Program Help Me?

Here are some program features and benefits:

This program is medically supervised.
Individual and group appointments are carefully structured over five to six months to set you up for lifetime success.
It's covered by insurance — an important benefit because group weight loss programs aren't typically covered.
This program doesn't recommend a one-size-fits-all diet; instead, you get an individualized plan based on a comprehensive assessment of your lifestyle and goals.

Referral Needed for SLIM Program

You must be referred by your UC San Diego Health provider to participate in this structured weight loss program.

For Referring Physicians

Is This Weight Loss Program for Me?

Our SLIM Weight Loss Program is designed to help you find your healthy weight and meet your goals. It's best suited for people who:

Are prepared to adapt their lifestyle and nutrition habits
Feel comfortable receiving medical care in a group setting
Benefit from group accountability
Feel comfortable discussing personal experiences
Are focused on sustainable weight loss over time
Can attend weekly sessions in the first two months, which space out over the length of the program

How the SLIM Weight Loss Program Works

Lifestyle medicine focuses on treating the most common chronic diseases by addressing diet, exercise, sleep, stress, risky substance avoidance and unhealthy relationships.

This structured weight management program consists of in-person and virtual visits over five to six months — long enough to help you practice and sustain the healthy habits you learn to keep off the pounds you shed and improve your overall health.

You'll meet with an experienced doctor who takes a comprehensive look at your medical history, lifestyle and needs, and creates a personalized weight loss plan that works best for you. Your health assessment may include lab work and tests. You may be prescribed weight loss medications if needed.
In addition to 5 one-on-one appointments, you'll attend 12 group medical visits that are supervised by a physician and a health coach. The virtual visits cover diet, culinary classes, exercise, sleep, stress, mindfulness, and most importantly, behavior change techniques, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
These interactive group sessions provide a safe and supportive environment to share your experiences and acquire long-term skills to manage your weight and improve your overall health. At the end of each session, your doctor may adjust medications or provide other care.

Program Costs and Insurance

Our medically supervised SLIM program is covered by insurance. We'll bill your insurer directly, but you may be responsible for co-pays, depending on your plan.

You may be able to use your employer-provided flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA) to help pay for some expenses with pretax dollars.