We recently received data from our pharmacy partner, which is the largest compound pharmacy in the United States of America. The data they provided said “85% of GLP-1 patients walk away after their second refill.”
And while we know that all providers and programs are not created equally, that stat still blew our mind. Medically assisted weight loss providers are popping up everywhere – you can find ways to get a GLP-1 prescribed to you within as little as 10 minutes by a quick Google search. We’re not totally sure if they are all legitimate, but they are out there.
Still, it left us wondering:
- Why would 85% of patients walk away within 10 weeks?
- Have we ever lost a patient within 10 weeks?
We had to know so we dug into our own data to get those answers.
Question 1: Why would 85% of patients walk away within 10 weeks?
I know I briefly mentioned that medically assisted weight loss providers are popping up everywhere and I think it’s worth noting that we believe that there is a key standard of care that seems to be lost on many, especially virtual, GLP-1 providers. A lot of these GLP-1 providers do not specialize in or have the ability to put in the work that most patients need to see positive and lasting results. They have a “10 minute” meeting, in which they ensure you are not disqualified from a GLP-1, due to medical risks and then you never hear from a medical professional again. We even see medical practices that prescribe semaglutide in Charlotte doing this.
Our belief, and our data supports this belief, is that transformative change and a positive experience on a GLP-1 must have hand-in-hand provider-patient guidance. This is what garners sustainable and maximized results. We set the foundation for this by exploring and determining the root cause and underlying factors that contribute to your weight gain – this lets us know how a GLP-1 will work best for you. On the titration up schedule, patients hear from us about every two weeks – during that time (and after) we ensure we are addressing any side effects that the patient may experience. We think side effects may be one reason for that 85% number shared by our pharmacy. GLP-1s can cause unpleasant side effects, but on our program we solve them. We are only a text away 24/7 should you have any issues that arise.
This leads us to question 2: have we ever lost a patient within 10 weeks?
Yes, we have, but only 4% of our patients have quit our program before 10 weeks. The other 96% stay and see success on the program. GLP-1s may not for everyone (though it’s hard to say if that 4% would have seen success had they stayed), but for most people the inextricable data (both at our practice and on the STEP trials) show that they do, but at different velocities from practice to practice. For example, a popular online GLP-1 provider share that after one year, their users experience 12% loss on average. After one year on our program, patients experience 21% loss. That’s a staggering difference when you break down what that looks like. For example, for a patient starting at 200, after 1 year on our program, they would be 158; after one year on the previously mentioned program, they would be 176. This is a difference of 18 lbs, but it’s more than the pounds lost – the more excess weight you are able to lose, the more you are protected against chronic illness and disease like cancer, heart disease, and more! This is spelled out on their website, if you’d like to know where, email info@theaestheticoncierge.co and we can share.
Medically assisted weight loss takes time and dedication from medical professionals and good communication from the patients.
At our practice, by the numbers:
- Patient’s average weight loss after week 18 = 13%
- Patient’s average weight loss after week 23 = 18%
- Patient’s average weight loss after week 52 = 21%
We are here to help you keep the weight off and be a healthier version of you. We are working with patients to prescribe compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide in North Carolina, Texas, New York, South Carolina and more!
