Our Commitment to Your Health: Comprehensive Healthcare at JosephCareRX in Fayetteville, NC

JosephCareRX started on January 1st, 2024. The founding vision was to have personalized and science-based weight loss delivered by an obesity medicine physician, reaching those who need it the most. Our goal is to deliver comprehensive and high-quality care.

At JosephCare, we wish to change the obesity rate heat map pattern in North Carolina (per the CDC’s website) and close the gap with healthcare disparities – targeting underserved populations. We also wish to validate patients who may have been affected by healthcare bias or struggled with being stuck at a weight plateau despite extreme lifestyle changes. A parallel mission is to have the delivery of this high-quality care be scalable by technology.

Evidence-based weight loss using the principles of precision medicine. One size does not fit all. Each health journey is different, so getting a thorough weight history is of top priority.

We use validated questionnaire screenings, lab data, body composition data, metabolic rate data, and any other information to deliver a unique plan for each patient, rather than going along with the latest trends. We try as much as possible to advocate for our patients using their insurance or otherwise secure the lowest prices if medication support is needed. We treat obesity medicine as a specialty service, accepting referrals from other healthcare providers in the community, rather than as an aesthetic practice.

JosephCare is based on the definition of obesity as a chronic, progressive, relapsing, multifactorial, neurobehavioral disease per the Obesity Medicine Association. There is a loss of energy balance where the physiologic forces that promote weight gain are stronger than those that promote weight loss. We empower patients by emphasizing that it is not simply a matter of willpower, liberating them from previous healthcare and society biases. We offer support based on the pillars of obesity medicine – nutrition, activity, behavior, and medication support as needed, delivered in a structured weight management program.

We go beyond focusing on pounds of weight loss, and track body composition and other health parameters along the way. Every patient gets a personalized metabolic report with a visit to explain this report. We have an FDA-approved, validated Breezing Indirect Calorimetry device that can measure the resting metabolic rate. We do telehealth visits along with in-person visits and use technology to the maximum extent to make visits efficient.

Every new patient gets a body composition measurement with our state-of-the-art SECA MBCA machine, which gives useful and accurate information that regular body composition machines may not give. We measure visceral fat and the Tru-body score and track weight loss progress beyond pounds. We give robust lifestyle support and also offer resting metabolic rate testing with an FDA-approved device. While trying to deliver the highest quality care, we also focus on affordability. Dr. Joseph stays abreast of the latest research, insurance changes, and news in the field to always offer more options than any practice in town.

A typical day is mixed with seeing new patients and follow-up patients. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, we see patients in the office. Patients check in with our friendly office receptionist and are guided into the exam room. We do body composition measurements, body metric measurements, and proceed with the visit with Dr. Joseph. We ensure that the patient does not feel rushed while keeping on top of being on schedule. We rely heavily on technology to make the visit as efficient as possible. Many tools are available to our patients depending on individual need – medication samples, continuous glucose monitoring, resting metabolic rate testing, sleep studies, etc.

Follow-up visits are done virtually on Tuesdays and Fridays, with in-person follow-up visits done at 6 weeks, then every 3 months to track progress. We have added additional staff to focus on working with insurance (prior authorizations), which can be time-consuming. We accept calls or messages from existing patients at any time, to ensure that needs are met beyond the actual visit. Referrals are made to our network of local providers or virtual services if services needed are beyond our scope.

Every patient should know that they are supervised by an actual MD/internist with a board certification in obesity medicine. Most of our patients have tried some type of weight loss method before and may not have achieved long-term success. We cherish challenging cases.

Most of our patients lose a significant amount of weight with our support – at least 15% in 6 months. Our success is defined, however, by laying the foundation for lifelong weight loss by focusing on the healthy lifestyle factors apart from medication support only. We celebrate ‘non-scale victories’ daily with our patients, including increased energy, increased mobility, decreased pain, decreased need for blood pressure medications, etc, but seeing our long-term patients lose 40-50lbs or more is also satisfying.

Compassionate. Evidence-based. Comprehensive.

As a former primary care physician, Dr. Joseph still approaches the patient as a whole person. She respects each person’s journey and takes the time to listen. Dr. Joseph and her team correct the view that a person’s weight gain is a character flaw and validate patients by taking a non-biased approach to weight loss. We provide all available options so that patients do not feel forced/pressured to adhere to a plan that is not right for them. Options range from lifestyle support only, generic medications, or FDA-approved GLP-1 medications. Dr Joseph is particularly sensitive to issues of women’s health and minority health and its bearing on the weight journey.

Dr. Joseph’s sister has struggled with weight all of her life. They grew up in the same household and ate the same foods. It was clear to Dr. Joseph that she had different genes, and this helped her have more empathy for those on this journey. She has followed her sister’s failures and successes as if they were her own. Also, she has heard countless stories from her patients about healthcare bias that has influenced her advocacy and drive to validate her patients.

Dr. Joseph has done educational talks and lunch and learn events in her community. Being aware of the financial reality of many members of our community has helped her focus on affordability. She is also driven to reduce the complications of obesity on health, resulting in increased longevity of the population.

Dr. Joseph has always been intrigued by science and how it can be used to improve a person’s quality of life. She is aware of the huge problem of weight bias in healthcare and wishes to offer patients who may have been damaged by negative experiences with providers an alternative experience to improve their health. Her daily motivation is partnering with patients to help them achieve their best selves.

She has worked as a hospitalist, putting out fires in the ICU setting and seeing patients usually when it’s too late. She has then worked as a primary care physician, managing chronic medical disease and usually adding more medications as the chronic disease worsens. Working as an obesity medicine specialist is most fulfilling as she gets to see patients be weaned off of medications and achieve a higher quality of life, rather than have progressively worsening health and increasing healthcare costs.

Publications by Dr. Joseph:

● A pilot study of metabolic fitness effects of weight-supported walking in women with obesity. Ellen M. Godwin, Anthony Uglialoro, Andaleeb Ali, Leah Yearwood, Mary Ann Banerji Plos One 2019-02-20

● Behavioral approaches to obesity treatment

● Obesity Medicine Association
● Fellow of the American College of Physicians (ACP)

Credentials:

● M.D.
● Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP)
● Board Certified in Internal Medicine
● Board Certified in Obesity Medicine Specialist (ABOM-Certified Physician)

Educational Background:

○ Completed her residency at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York.