Westmed Medical Group and WW are Making a Commitment to the Health & Wellness of Patients in Westchester and Fairfield

The Westmed partnership marks the first time WW is collaborating with a large medical group to encourage preventive population health at scale

News provided by

Westmed Medical Group

Jan 28, 2020, 06:32 ET

PURCHASE, N.Y., Jan. 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Westmed Medical Group, an award-winning multispecialty medical practice based in Purchase, NY, is demonstrating its commitment to preventive health and to the overall wellbeing of its patients by investing in a new strategic partnership with WW, formerly Weight Watchers.

The partnership with WW is one component of a robust strategy Westmed is developing to educate and empower patients to adopt healthy habits and lifestyle changes as a way to help prevent the development of chronic disease and complex illness associated with weight gain, stress and lack of physical activity. Beginning January 28, 2020, Westmed will be the exclusive medical group partner for partial subsidy of the WW program in Fairfield, Westchester and Putnam Counties and Westmed patients aged 18 and older will be offered the WW Digital Program at a discounted rate. *

"We are continuously seeking innovative ways to invest in the health of our patients, and have selected WW as a partner because our strategic visions are aligned. We both believe that overall wellness is determined by your lifestyle choices and the habits that you develop over time," said Anthony Viceroy, CEO of Westmed Medical Group.

Through the partnership, Westmed patients will have digital access to WW's most customized weight-loss plan ever, myWW. In this program, members take an evidence-based personal assessment that leverages details about food preferences and lifestyle and matches them to one of three comprehensive ways to follow the program.

"Today, nearly 21 percent of the population in Westchester County is currently at risk for or diagnosed with obesity, and 1 in 3 people in the US struggles with maintaining a healthy blood pressure", Viceroy continued. "We are committed to working together with our patients to help each individual reach their personal health and wellness goals. In the long-term we want to inspire patients to take action to prevent the development of disease that is often associated with costly and dangerous risk factors like hypertension, obesity and diabetes. Our goal is to keep patients out of the hospital, and enable our entire patient population to become the healthiest version of themselves."

Both Westmed and WW are organizations who prioritize evidenced-backed approaches to health and share the common belief that overall wellness requires a holistic approach, including eating healthy, sleep hygiene, physical activity and mental health.

"We are delighted to be Westmed's partner as they pioneer innovative methods for patients' weight loss and wellness journeys," said Gary Foster, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer WW. "Our new myWW program provides people with different ways to follow our scientifically-proven approach, based on a personal assessment. Our program of nutrition, physical activity and mindset yields impressive results, both on and off the scale. Collaborating with Westmed to give patients even easier access will make an impact on community wellness."

"Engaging in regular exercise, eating mindfully and maintaining a healthy weight are some of the most important preventive health measures that people can control. A healthy weight is attributed to reduced risk for heart disease, diabetes and even cancers," said Dr. Patricia Calayag, Deputy Medical Director at Westmed Medical Group. "Studies show that even a 5 percent weight loss can make a difference for someone's health and can lead to improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood sugars.¹"

In addition to the myWW program, patients have access to curated mindfulness and meditation content through the WW partnership with Headspace®, and on-demand guided audio fitness instruction through integration with Aaptiv. The WW app offers access to 24/7 WW expert Coaches, an engaged community of people , and a database of more than 5,000+ recipes that are delicious and help people make healthier food choices. This tremendous level of support will help patients stick to their plan and to deal with barriers that can be difficult to overcome while on a weight loss journey. Active Westmed patients 18 and older can sign up for the Westmed + WW plan, by visiting westmedgroup.com/ww .

About Westmed Medical Group

Westmed Medical Group is an award-winning multispecialty medical practice, staffed by a team of 500 top physicians and advanced care providers, and 1,500 clinical employees, who are all dedicated to providing patients with comprehensive, lifelong care. The practice has 13 locations in Westchester County, NY and Fairfield County, CT, and is known for the convenience of its full-service medical facilities, and national reputation for measured healthcare excellence. Westmed has New York medical offices in White Plains, Rye, Yonkers, Purchase, Scarsdale and New Rochelle, in addition to Connecticut offices in Greenwich, Darien, Stamford and Norwalk. For more information, visit to www.westmedgroup.com.