Integrated Health Support Group Committee

Andrea Rigby, PsyD
Chair

Emily Thompson, RD, CSOWM
Co-Chair

Nini Peterson, PhD
IHLC Liaison

Members

  • Kirsten Tychonievich, MS, SRPN, ANP-C
  • Jill Welshans, RN, MSN, AG-ACNP
  • Aimee Rothe, BSN, RN, CBN
  • Beth Czerwony, MS, RD, CSOWM
  • Chelsea Price, MS, RD, LDN
  • Hannah Farnsworth, PsyD
  • Allison Holgerson, PhD, ABPP
  • Lisa Baro, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BC
  • Stephanie Shaw, BSN, RN
  • Sheethal Reddy, PhD
  • Lauren Zidek, MSN, RDN, LD

ASMBS Staff Liaison

Karen Loerzel, MS, CMP, ODCP

Description

The mission of the IH Support Group committee is to promote the development of the concept of support groups in the care of bariatric surgical patient; identify the needs of support group leaders and develop strategies to meet these needs; identify, develop and distribute resources for support groups and support group leaders; and encourage the exchange of ideas and networking among support group leaders.

Projects

  • Support Group Quarterly Networking Series 2025
  • Support Group Manual
  • Literary paper on Systematic Review
  • Webinar on Using Support Groups for Patient Advocacy
  • Survey of Support Group Leader Needs
  • Support Group Facilitator’s Training Program uploaded to ASMBS LMS

ASMBS Mission(s) Met by the Committee

In alignment with the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) mission to elevate global health and quality of life by significantly reducing the impact of obesity and its related illnesses, the Integrated Health (IH) Section Support Group Committee is entrusted with advancing the concept of support groups in the care of bariatric surgical patients, identifying the needs of support group leaders, developing strategies to meet these needs, and fostering networking and idea exchange among support group leaders.

Description

  • The IH Section Support Group Committee is dedicated to promoting the establishment and enhancement of support groups for bariatric surgery patients. It focuses on providing resources, education, and networking opportunities for support group leaders to ensure the delivery of effective support services.

Committee Objectives

  • Maintain the support group leader manual and provide resources for the education and advancement of support group leaders.
  • Rationale: This objective ensures that support group leaders have access to the latest comprehensive resources to effectively facilitate support groups and the manual is regularly updated, ultimately improving the quality of support group sessions and the support provided to bariatric surgery patients.
  • Support group leader/participant survey to gather feedback, informing future initiatives and improvements.
  • Rationale: This objective provides valuable feedback that informs the committee about the effectiveness of support groups, allowing for the identification of areas for improvement and the development of initiatives tailored to meet the needs of both leaders and participants.
  • Maintain accurate and relevant ASMBS support group listing and program information about support groups, enhancing patient access to these valuable resources.
  • Rationale: This objective ensures that patients seeking support group resources can easily access accurate and relevant information, thereby enhancing patient access to these valuable support services.
  • Raise awareness among patients of the benefits/necessity for support groups and improve patient access to them.
  • Rationale: This objective highlights the importance of support groups and ensures patients have access to these valuable resources in their journey towards improved health outcomes, ultimately enhancing patient engagement and adherence to treatment plans.
  • Further development, implementation, and advancement of support groups for bariatric surgery patients by the facilitation of the exchange of ideas and networking among support group leaders.
  • Rationale: This objective ensures that patients have access to high-quality support services that cater to their evolving needs, fostering a supportive community and enhancing patient satisfaction and outcomes and creates opportunities for support group leaders to share experiences, learn from each other, and collaborate on best practices.

Goals

  • Complete and maintain the training material presentations for the support group facilitator training program and continue to provide resources for support group facilitators.
  • Rationale: This goal ensures support group leaders have access to comprehensive training and supports ongoing education and development for support group leaders, contributing to the quality of support group sessions.
  • Maintain the Support Group Manual, update it with virtual resources, and continue to market it to ASMBS members to remain current.
  • Rationale: This goal ensures that the support group manual remains relevant and accessible, reflecting  current best practices, especially in the context of remote support group meetings, remaining a valuable resource for support group leaders.
  • Present bariatric patient support group information at the ASMBS Annual Meetings.
  • Rationale: This goal enhances visibility and educates ASMBS members about the importance of support groups in patient care.
  • Establish and publish best practices for running virtual support groups.
  • Rationale: This goal ensures consistency and quality in virtual support group facilitation, benefiting both leaders and participants.

2025 Completed Projects

  • Presented at the annual meeting in June 2025
  • Launched the Support Group Facilitator Training Program on the ASMBS LMS

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