Portland clinic takes holistic approach to weight loss
August 19, 2004
By Robin J. Moody
A multidisciplinary health clinic specializing in care for chronic conditions and offering a comprehensive weight-loss program has opened in Southeast Portland.
The clinical staff at Portland Health & Wellness LLC include a nutritionist, a registered dietitian, a psychologist, a clinical social worker, a psychiatrist, a naturopathic physician and physical therapist.
"By addressing psychologicical as well as physical and nutritional issues, we can really help folks," said clinic founder Dr. Marcela Vinocur.
The clinic will not submit insurance papers for patients, but it will provide the documents to allow patients to submit the forms themselves.
The clinic has also started to offer workshops on cooking for health, and in the future it will offer seminars on difficult-to-treat health conditions.
Vinocur said she was spurred to open the clinic partly because long-term weight loss rates are dismal, and she thinks it's because an evidence-based, holistic approach is not often applied.
"The emotional factors affecting weight are often
overlooked," Vinocur said. "You can't tell
a depressed patient to lose
weight and expect them to be successful."
The clinic is marketing itself to potential sources of referrals, targeting the health care community.
Vinocur previously operated a private psychiatric practice in downtown Portland.
Source:http://portland.bizjournals.com
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