Physicians Weight Loss Centers (medical chain)

(Medical Weight Loss Clinics Chain)

Type of Counseling: One-to-one, provided by MDs, nurses, weight loss counselors

Typical Cost: Varies, but generally 700-1,000 for 12-week plan

Type Program: Medically supervised, variety of plans using grocery store food, company meal replacements and supplements, herbal appetite suppressants

Type of Foods Used: Grocery store food, low carb/high fiber

At-Home or Direct Mail Plan Available? Yes

Headquarters

Physicians Weight Loss Centers

395 Springside Drive

Akron, OH 44333-2496

330-666-7952 or 1-800-205-7887

Websites: www.pwlc.com and www.healthmanagementgroup.com

Company Summary

The company reports, as of late December 2003, that it has approximately 60 centers in operation today. None are located outside the United States. The company has locations in 10 states: AL, FL, IN, MS, NC, OH, SC, TX, WV, WI. Management said that they could ship their diet food products and bars overseas if requested, but really hasn’t done this that much, if at all.

Physicians Weight Loss Centers was founded in 1979. The Franchise Support Center is also located in Akron, Ohio. The company claims that to date 1.5+ million clients have enrolled in its weight loss program. The firm was founded by Charles Sekeres, who felt that the credibility of a medically supervised diet, combined with daily attendance and supervision, set his centers apart from the rest.

How The Program Works

The Physicians Weight Loss Diet System consists of these basic components:

• 6 weight loss programs, based on different rates of weight loss
• Medical screening – a nurse is present during regular office hours and the center physician pre-screens new clients at least one evening each week.
• A behavior guidance support system that helps clients to develop healthier eating habits. This includes counseling and constant staff monitoring of clients progress while clients are on the diet.
• A Slim Within program that focuses on psychological blocks to weight loss/maintenance.

The firm introduced in May 1991 four new diet plans nationwide, based on the use of regular food, that address the consumers demand for a specialized weight loss for individual lifestyles and budgets. In recent years, a System 5 plan was been added, which involves using the diet drug Meridia. Each system uses different calorie intake levels.

System 1: 28-day regular food diet, for losing œ to 1 lb. per week.

System 2: Company brand meal replacements, snacks, other items, for losing 2 lbs./week. This also requires a physical, with blood work and EKG (by the customer’s doctor or the center’s physician).

System 3: This is a high-fiber/low-fat/low cholesterol diet with regular food, nutritional supplements, etc., for losing 2 lbs./week, medical exam.

System 4: Accelerated weight loss /more medical supervision, uses regular food, high protein/low carbohydrate/low-fat plan, for losing 3 lbs./week.

Center personnel recommend NOT using System 1 and say that most clients choose System 3 or 4.

Basically, there are daily visits for the first two weeks and then three times a week for the remainder of the program.

The weight loss program is said to be a low-fat, high-fiber, low cholesterol and rich-in-complex carbohydrates diet, as suggested by the U.S. Surgeon Generals Report on Nutrition and Health. All clients must have an initial physicians consultation and evaluation with a center physician to determine eligibility. Vitamins, minerals, and nutritional supplements are available. PWLC also offers the Medifast brand very low calorie fasting supplements.

The Ideal Weight Protection Certificate is a guarantee for all Weight Maintenance clients. It allows clients to enroll one time in the Weight Loss Program with no cost for services if they regain more than five pounds while on the Weight Maintenance Program.

Online Programs

These programs are based on the 5 systems the firm has been using in its licensed centers for over 21 years. They were specially adapted for use over the Internet. Your membership includes:

• Automatic Computerized Enrollment
• Physician’s Consultation/Review
• Sample Menus
• Customized Dinner Menus
• Optional Weight Loss Supplement Kits
• Weekly Weigh-Ins
• Weekly Weigh-In Progress Reports
• Inch Loss Analysis
• Body Measurement Progress Reports

The Online Programs:

• Program 1: Ultra 28 – 10 Pound Weight Loss Plan
• Program 2: High Nutrition Meal Replacement Plan
• Program 3: High Fibers, Low-Fat Plan
• Program 4: Based On The Original PWLC Diet

Note: The prescription weight loss plan is NOT available as an online option. A description of it appears on the website, but you can’t sign up there. This program requires in-person medical evaluation and supervision.

Typical Fees

Time and money spent on the program varies, depending on the amount of weight the client needs to lose, and what kind of specials are being offered in your area. For example, a recent call to a center in Florida revealed a 99 special for System 1, losing up to 15 lbs., plus the cost of products/supplements (ranging from 30-90/week, avg. 58). Therefore, if one wanted to stay on this program for 12 weeks to get to their goal weight, it would cost about 795. For System 4 for 9 weeks, there was a 199 registration fee, plus the cost of a physical exam/EKG/blood work (amount not specified), plus 58/week for product/supplements. Consequently, this medical plan would cost about 1,045 for 9 weeks. BestDietForMe.com analysts therefore estimate 800-1,000 for a typical 12-week program.

A walking program is optional, and costs 12-15 total, as well as a maintenance program that may cost 300-400 per year.

The costs of the Online programs are as follows:

For all Online versions of the PWLC plans, you pay 96 for 3 months, and 4.99/month thereafter. For program 2, you add the cost of meal replacement bars or shakes. For Programs 1, 3, and 4, there is no extra cost, since you are using grocery store food.

• Program 1: 96 for 3 months
• Program 2: 96 for 3 months, plus 36 boxes of shakes or nutrition bars (18 per box, 3 boxes per week), or 648 — Total Cost = 744.
• Program 3: 96 for 3 months
• Program 4: 96 for 3 months
  
  

Comment

Physicians Weight Loss Centers has been in the business a long time—25 years. It is now the largest chain of stand-alone, franchised medical weight loss centers in the United States. They used to operate more centers, but like other medical chains they have been hurt by more competition. The plan is basically a sound one, and a wide variety of weight loss products are available, from meal replacements to entrees, to obesity drugs, if needed. The body composition analysis is also a good feature.

The requirement that the client come to the center 3-5 times a week may be a burden for busy working women and others with hectic schedules. It was the old model for weight loss centers that worked in the 1980s and part of the 1990s. This is basically why so many online diet websites sprung up over the past few years—convenience and anytime access. Simply put, it costs more money to staff and operate a bricks and mortar center, so diet companies have to charge you for that. However, the company has added online versions of this plan to address that concern.

The cost of the program is on a par with other medical programs. To their credit, BestDietForMe.com analysts must admit that this website is one of the best you will find in the diet industry, in terms of being user friendly and being rich in features and information. An online locator service finds the center nearest to you, with a neat mapping service as well. International dieters living outside the U.S. or Canada cannot be served by this program at present.

Information provided by BestDietForMe.com. Click Here to learn more.