The WMed Health Adolescent Eating Disorders clinic is a consultative service that provides comprehensive medical management for adolescents with disordered eating and eating disorders. We function as one part of a multidisciplinary team that includes your primary care provider, psychological therapist, dietitian, nursing staff, social worker, psychiatrist if needed to manage other mental health concerns, parents, siblings, teachers, coaches, and other members that are identified by the patient and family as important to their successful recovery. Our physicians serve as consultants to the Bronson Pediatric Hospitalist Service for patients requiring hospitalization for medical and nutritional stabilization.
Patients who are cared for by the WMed Adolescent Eating Disorder Clinic have the choice of seeing our WMed dietitian Sara Beatty, RD, as part of their visit, or they may work with one of the dietitians in our community who have expertise in the management of eating disorders. All patients working with our medical providers are expected to engage in counseling with a therapist to manage the psychological components of the eating disorder, as well as other co-occurring mental health disorders.
Eating disorders are complex illnesses that are influenced by one's genetics, social environment and personal psychology. Patients and families may be familiar with the most common eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. We also work with patients who display disordered eating habits that do not meet the criteria for one of the named disorders, but for some reason are not consuming enough energy to keep up with their body's energy demands. This can be due to other medical illnesses or mental health disorders, as well as physical activity demands that outstrip nutritional intake (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport).
Appointments are available by physician referral only. Our team is familiar with the evidence-based psychological therapies recommended to treat adolescents with eating disorders and are able to support the work of your therapists, regardless of the model chosen for recovery.
Before your first visit we ask both our future patients and their caregivers to complete an intake questionnaire which will help us more efficiently identify behaviors and thoughts that we will need to target for recovery. We will also need your primary care provider to send us a referral, as well as a copy of your child’s growth record.
We attempt to see patients within a few weeks of receiving the physician referral, but increased patient referrals can result in longer wait times. If a care provider needs our assistance urgently to ensure the health and safety of an adolescent, they can contact us through the clinic and via the Bronson EPIC platform.
Useful Links
- National Eating Disorders Association
National Eating Disorders Association: Every year in February, the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) leads the largest national outreach effort to raise awareness about eating disorders: National Eating Disorders (#NEDAwareness) Week.NEDAwareness Week (February 22 – February 28, 2021) is an annual campaign to bring public attention to the critical needs of individuals and families dealing with this mental illness.
- F.E.A.S.T.
F.E.A.S.T. is an international non-profit organization of and for parents and caregivers of loved ones affected by eating disorders.
- Eating Recovery Center
Eating Disorder Resources List: Recommended Websites | Eating Recovery Center
Eating Recovery Center is accredited through the Joint Commission. This organization seeks to enhance the lives of the persons served in healthcare settings through a consultative accreditation process emphasizing quality, value and optimal outcomes of services.
Our Location
WMed Health Adolescent Medicine is located at 1000 Oakland Drive on the 2nd floor in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Parking is available adjacent to the building. Our practice is a non-smoking environment. We strive to provide a clean environment for our patients.
Fees and Insurance
WMed Health Adolescent Medicine participates with many insurance providers, including Medicaid and Medicaid Health Plans. Before you first visit, check with your insurance company to understand what services will be paid for by your insurance plan. For every appointment, you will need to bring your insurance card(s). Co-pays are due at the time of service and accepted forms of payment are cash, check, MasterCard, Visa, and Discover. If you have questions, our patient financial counselors we are ready to help you. Please call our Billing Department at 269.337.4460.
Referrals
A referral by a healthcare provider is required. To make a referral in Epic, "Add Order" at the bottom of the right of the progress note or within the Meds and Orders section, type in "Ambulatory Referral to WMed Adolescent Eating Disorder Clinic." Providers may choose to refer by phone by calling 269.337.6289 or by fax at 269.337.6547.
Our Care Team
- Kristine Gibson, MD
- Nicole Garton, MD
- Sarah Beatty, RD, Registered dietician
- Jordan Williams, LMSW, Medical social worker
- Jeffrey Chicoski, LMSW, Medical social worker
- Emily Wight, RN, Registered nurse
- Michelle Reed, MA, Medical assistant
