Our Services

Obesity is often oversimplified as a disorder of simply eating too much and exercising too little.

We know quite well that it is much, much, more complicated than that.  There are many dozens of factors beyond simple diet and exercise that predispose, cause, and contribute to obesity. 

An abbreviated list includes internal factors such as genetic predisposition, metabolism, gender, age, hormone imbalances, biochemical and neurotransmitter imbalances, sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, stress responses, other mood disorders, insulin resistance, innate hunger and cravings, and food sensitivities and insensitivities ... and external factors such as other medical conditions and medications, work, work schedules, stress, finances, physical or psychological pain, sedentary lifestyles, lack of exercise, sleep deprivation, family schedules and responsibilities, social influences, cultural beliefs and pressures, urban planning, community layouts, food industry advertising, and unending environmental ques to stimulate eating.

As such, there is no single intervention or single approach that will work for all people to achieve successful long term weight loss.  Most people will require a combination of tools to help them achieve their goals.

• A caring team of healthcare providers who personally evaluate you each visit to customize a plan for you,

• A comprehensive medical evaluation that includes

                         -  a detailed review of your medical history,  
                         -  an in depth review of your weight history, 
                         -  an analysis of your nutrition and exercise status, and other factors contributing

                            to weight gain
                         -  laboratory studies (if indicated),
                         -  a detailed body composition analysis (InBody machine)
                         -  EKG and heart studies (if indicated),

• An initial weight loss plan that is customized and tailored specifically to your needs, 

• An ongoing re-evaluation and adjustment of your plan to incorporate and find the right tools that work for you,

• Initiation and adjustment of medications to assist with weight loss (if indicated),

• Continued monitoring of your other medical conditions that are impacted by weight reduction,

• Adjustment or removal of current medications you may be taking for diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol.

• Prior to your first visit, please complete the "New Patient Forms"  and if possible fax them one week in advance to our office at fax number (804) 726-1501 so that we review your information and learn more about you prior to your visit.

• Please arrive 20 minutes before your scheduled appointment and register with the receptionist at the front desk.

• The medical staff will obtain your height, weight, blood pressure and pulse.

• A detailed body composition analysis will be obtained using our InBody body composition machine.  Please note, the InBody analysis cannot be performed on anyone who has an implanted electrical device (which include but are not limited to pacemakers, defibrillators, AICD, loop recorders, spinal, gastric, bladder, or brain stimulators, insulin pumps, CGMs, etc) and in these cases we will obtain your weight without the body composition analysis.

• Your initial consultation will last approximately 1 hour during which time you will have a complete evaluation and teaching session, and together you will come up with an individualized weight loss plan.

• If indicated labs will be ordered for further evaluation.

• If indicated an EKG will be obtained in the office at the time of your visit. 

We appreciate your busy schedules and respect your time.  Traditionally our follow up visits are scheduled on a once monthly basis during the active weight loss period with either Dr. Sicat, Erin Poston, Heather Sedwick, Susanna Payne, or Julie Goodman.  The frequency of follow up visits can be customized to more often (for more accountability and intensity) or less frequent (for more flexibility).

During your follow up visits, we will monitor your progress, evaluate and work through the hurdles that you have encountered during the month, and continue to adjust your overall health plan.

Once your have reached your goal weight, we will focus on weight maintenance and space your follow up visits out further. 

Because most insurance plans do not cover medical weight loss services, we do NOT accept insurance and we do not submit bills to your insurance company.  As such, the cost for a new patient consultation and follow up visits are listed below.  We also have a registered dietician who can individually work with you as an option as well.

• New Patient Visit = $200 with Dr. Sicat (or $160 with Erin Poston, Heather Sedwick, 

                                                    Susanna Payne, or Julie Goodman)

• Follow up Visit     = $80  (typically we encourage monthly visits until your goal is 

                                                   reached or maintenance is initiated) 

• Re-establish visit = $160 if it's been more than 1 year since your last

                                                   appointment with us

• If your last appointment was more than 3 years ago then we would assess you as

                                                   a new patient visit

If you had had labs within 6 months and/or an EKG within the last 90 days, please bring a copy to your first visit or arrange a copy to be faxed to our office to (804) 726-1501.

Otherwise, if we request you to have labs drawn, you will be given a printed order request to have these drawn at any LabCorp of your choice.  These labs will be billed directly by the lab to your insurance company outside of your clinic visit.

For patients who are interested in using appetite suppressants and EKG is required within the last 90 days.  If you need an EKG, this will be obtained during your office visit and is included as part of your visit for no additional cost.  Thyroid tests and blood work are required before prescribing any weight loss medications and can be ordered at your initial visit.

If you require any additional more intensive heart studies such as a stress test or heart evaluation, we will give you an order to schedule this with a cardiologist office and this would be billed through your insurance by the cardiologist's office.