Ro selected to present new research at The Obesity Society’s ObesityWeek 2024

Research advances knowledge about the role telehealth can play in supporting obesity care

November 4, 2024 –  Ro, the leading direct-to-patient healthcare company, is set to present new research at The Obesity Society’s ObesityWeek 2024 conference in San Antonio, TX. All six of Ro’s abstracts, authored by leaders from across the company’s clinical, research, and data teams as well as several of Ro’s renowned obesity advisors and other obesity thought leaders, were selected for poster presentation. The research sheds light on key issues in obesity medicine today, including: how telehealth can bridge access to weight management care for patients living in rural areas or care deserts; patients’ diverse motivations for weight loss and their relationship to quality of life; the role technology plays in monitoring and managing side effects among patients treated with GLP-1s, and more. 

“Ro’s vertically integrated platform gives us the unique ability to collect and analyze diverse, structured data throughout our patients’ journeys – from the moment they start a visit to the time they celebrate reaching a health goal. These research capabilities are critical to Ro’s ability to deliver the best possible patient experience and highest quality of care,” said Zachariah Reitano, Co-founder and CEO of Ro. "Our findings presented at ObesityWeek demonstrate Ro’s dedication to uncovering, applying, and sharing insights that enable us and others to improve care for the millions of patients with overweight and obesity.”

The following abstracts were selected and will be presented in the Poster Hall (Exhibit Hall 4):

Improving semaglutide adverse event management using a structured severity classification system

Poster‐189 | Nov 3 at 7:30PM

Authors: Lauren Broffman, PhD,  Kerry Quolliotine, BSN, MHA, Laurey Lou, DPT, Linda Pietzman, MD, Sydney Getzin, Raoul Manalac, MD, Melynda Barnes, MD

Using data from Ro’s comprehensive adverse event reporting and classification system, this study assessed the differences between how patients perceive the severity of GLP-1 related adverse events vs a clinical definition of severity. From a random sample of 10,000 patients on Ro’s platform, it was found that patient reported severity exceeded clinical severity in 17.2% of cases, while clinical severity exceeded patient reported in 24.3% of cases. In either scenario, a structured adverse events reporting and classification system can help prompt timely intervention that supports quality of care and treatment adherence. 

Findings from an online surveillance tool for GLP-1 RA supply issues and availability

Poster‐341 | Nov 4 at 2:30PM

Authors: Lauren Broffman, PhD, Benjamin Gershuny, Zachariah Reitano, Nicholas Samonas

The GLP-1 medication shortages have been a persistent challenge for patients seeking weight management pharmacotherapy. While the FDA monitors supply, there is little data available on demand. Ro launched an online tool that allows anyone in the United States to report GLP-1 supply or availability. Users can also opt-in to receive localized updates about GLP-1 supply as well as changes to the status of GLP-1s on the FDA’s drug shortage list. An analysis of data collected through the tool showed that more than 40,000 supply issues were reported by more than 20,000 unique users in a little more than a month (May 24 - July 3, 2024). With some deviations, the reports generally aligned with the FDA shortage list, and the uptake of the tool suggests that offering availability notifications may incentivize reporting.

The role of telehealth in mitigating access gaps for weight management care

Poster‐597 | Nov 5 at 2:30PM

Authors: Raoul Manalac, MD, Nick Hardy, Lauren Broffman, PhD

Access to weight management care can be challenging for patients that live in rural areas and/or care deserts. Ro conducted a study to assess whether patients residing in rural or designated Primary Care Health Provider Shortage Area (HPSAs) are seeking weight management care via telehealth, and if this population possesses unique characteristics. The study found that a substantial portion of those seeking weight management care via Ro’s platform live in rural or HSPAs and that rural-residing patients were more likely to suffer from more advanced disease. The findings suggest that telehealth can help bridge gaps for patients with geographic access challenges and may present opportunities to improve access for undertreated populations in these groups.

Intrusive food thoughts are common when seeking weight loss treatment irrespective of obesity class

Poster‐340 | Nov 4 at 2:30PM

Authors: Raoul Manalac, MD, Lauren Broffman, PhD, Lee Robinson, Erika Schmidt, David B. Allison, PhD*

The increasing use of GLP-1 medications for overweight and obesity has led to anecdotal reports of a reduction in 'food noise.' This study looked at a random sample of 12,000 patients who answered a prospective question, "how often do you find yourself thinking about food even when you're not hungry?" while being assessed for weight management treatment on Ro’s platform. Experiencing intrusive thoughts about food when not hungry was common among patients with overweight and obesity seeking pharmacotherapy, indicating that more research on ‘food noise’ is needed to further define and understand it.

Understanding diverse motivations for weight loss and their relationship to quality of life

Poster‐596 | Nov 5 at 2:30PM

Authors: Lee Robinson, Lauren Broffman, PhD, Max Kerwick, Beverly Tchang, MD

The discourse around anti-obesity medications, including GLP-1s, emphasizes their health benefits while trying to avoid perceptions of the treatments as ‘vanity drugs’. This study conducted qualitative interviews with patients with overweight or obesity who were actively undergoing treatment with GLP-1 medications about their personal goals and definitions of success. The study found that patients with overweight and obesity seek pharmacotherapy due to diverse medical, psychological, functional, and social motivations that contribute to their overall quality of life. It also found that dismissing some motivations as vanity overlooks the potential impact that these goals have on patients’ sense of identity or quality of life.

Who is seeking telehealth care following bariatric surgery? 

Poster‐188 | Nov 3 at 7:30PM

Authors: Raoul Manalac, MD, Lauren Broffman, PhD, Laura Boyer, FNP-C, Philip Schauer, MD, FACS, FASMBS

Ro partnered with researchers at a leading academic bariatric surgery and research center to better understand the journeys of patients who underwent metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) and have experienced weight regain. Using a random sample of 5,000 patients who previously underwent MBS and sought pharmacotherapy via Ro, the study revealed that most patients still lived with severe obesity, had at least one comorbidity that indicated impaired metabolic homeostasis, and had previously attempted lifestyle modifications.

“The breadth of our findings highlights the value of real-world data collected in conjunction with high-quality obesity care and pharmacotherapy delivered at scale via a telehealth platform. With this data, we can address a wide range of scientific questions, driving advancements in knowledge that enhance access to and quality of care,” Lauren Broffman, PhD, Director of Real World Evidence.

About Ro

Ro is a direct-to-patient healthcare company with a mission of helping patients achieve their health goals by delivering the easiest, most effective care possible. Ro is the only company to offer nationwide telehealth, labs, and pharmacy services. This is enabled by Ro's vertically integrated platform that helps patients achieve their goals through a convenient, end-to-end healthcare experience spanning from diagnosis, to delivery of medication, to ongoing care. Since 2017, Ro has helped millions of patients in nearly every single county in the United States, including 98% of primary care deserts. Visit Ro.co for more information.

*Dr. Allison is a distinguished professor and dean at Indiana University-Bloomington and is acting as an independent consultant to Ro and his views do not necessarily represent those of Indiana University-Bloomington or any other organization