Nearly 31% of adults in the U.S. are overweight and more than 42% have obesity. Yet, many don’t receive treatment. A new partnership between Hello Alpha and TrestleTree aims to support patients through a combination of primary care, mental health support, chronic condition management and coaching.
Palo Alto, California-based Hello Alpha is a virtual women’s health platform that connects patients to a primary care provider. Along with supporting primary care needs, it offers services for mental health, urgent care, reproductive health and chronic condition management. TrestleTree, based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, connects people to a health coach to help support behavior change, such as management of obesity or lifestyle behaviors like tobacco.
Through the new partnership, which was announced last week, patients in need of weight loss support will see their Hello Alpha provider for their primary care, mental health and chronic condition management needs. The company can also prescribe GLP-1s. Then the patients will get access to a TrestleTree health coach to support them between Hello Alpha visits. The health coach can help patients improve their eating and exercise habits and take their medications as prescribed.
“Long-term success in weight management requires a whole-person approach that combines the pharmacological benefits of the GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Zepbound with other approaches for sustainable weight management,” said Gloria Lau, founder and CEO of Hello Alpha, in an email. “Nutrition, physical activity, and behavior modification are integral components that must be addressed in tandem with prescription medications.”
The combined offering with Hello Alpha and TrestleTree is starting direct-to-consumer, though the companies plan to extend the partnership to employers in the future, Lau added.
TrestleTree and Hello Alpha chose each other as partners because of each company’s focus on personalized, whole-person care, declared Ted Borgstadt, CFO of TrestleTree.
“TrestleTree and Hello Alpha both understand and embrace the principles that every individual is unique and that outcomes are significantly improved when co-morbidities are treated collectively rather than in a siloed approach,” Borgstadt said. “Other external factors, such as social determinants of health, also play a key role and must be acknowledged and incorporated into a pragmatic, holistic health improvement solution.”
Borgstadt added that the goal of the partnership is to “provide a tangible solution to weight loss and overall improved health that is achievable, measurable, flexible and tailored, and sustainable for every participant, regardless of their past struggles along their weight loss journey.”
Several other companies are also providing support for patients struggling with obesity. WeightWatchers offers WeightWatchers Clinic, which gives access to a care team, medication management services and behavior change support. LifeMD offers access to weight loss medications, clinical support, coaching and other services.
Photo: mikdam, Getty Images
