Creating a Sustainable Obesity Management Program: The Center for Better Health and Nutrition.

Abstract

Over the past 30 years, obesity rates have more than tripled in the United States, and although rates seem to have stabilized over the past 5 years, about one- third of American children are still overweight or obese. The Center for Better Health and Nutrition (CBHN) is a comprehensive obesity treatment, manage- ment, and prevention arm of the Heart Institute within Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, offering necessary medical treatment to an often un- derserved population. With volumes increasing at substantial levels and services being reimbursed at low rates, the financial health of the program has been closely analyzed in order to determine the long-term sustainability of CBHN. Downstream revenue was analyzed and found to account for over $754,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2015; quality improvement efforts such as E/M coding and imple- menting the Nurse Practitioner role also added to increased revenue and a lower cost profile. Capturing all billable services, such as biometric measurement, was found to be valuable to the program's bottom line. By considering all applicable revenue sources, implementing quality improvement efforts, and billing for all relevant services, the program operates at a low level of profitability.