5 Key Moves Top Bariatric Surgery and Weight Loss Practices Are Making This Year

Practices winning right now aren’t just trying to pack their schedules with more consults. 

If you’re like most weight loss practitioners I talk to, you want to grow your practice without feeling like you’re constantly hustling for the next patient. The good news? You don’t need to spin your wheels chasing volume to build a thriving, sustainable business. 

Across the country, I have the privilege of working with forward-thinking bariatric surgeons, obesity medicine physicians, and lifestyle medicine practitioners who are rewriting the playbook. They’re building practices that deliver outstanding outcomes and consistent profitability—without burning themselves or their teams out in the process. 

In this blog, I’m breaking down the five key moves these top-performing practices are embracing—and how you can apply them, too. 

Shifting From Volume to Value 

Before we dig into the tactics, let’s talk about a critical mindset shift: moving away from chasing volume and instead focusing on building value. 

I hear it all the time: “I need more volume.” And yes, volume matters. But the practices that are winning right now aren’t just trying to pack their schedules with more consults. They’re focused on converting the right patients—and serving them so exceptionally that they become loyal advocates. 

When you prioritize the lifetime value of each patient and create a remarkable experience, three powerful things happen:

• Your conversion rates from inquiry to consult and consult to procedure improve.
• Your patients naturally refer friends and family.
• You and your team experience less burnout. 

If you take away just one idea today, let it be this: Build better, don’t just chase more. 

Diversifying Offerings for Better Outcomes 

One common thread among thriving practices is diversification. 

While your core service—whether surgery or medical weight management—should be rock solid, the most successful practices don’t stop there. They offer complementary solutions that improve patient outcomes and create additional revenue streams. 

Think about combining:

• Bariatric surgery with anti-obesity medications
• Medical weight loss and wellness coaching
• Cash-pay options alongside insurance-based care 

This hybrid model meets patients where they are and positions your practice as a comprehensive solution—not just a one-time transaction. 

Streamlining With Smart Systems and Automation 

Automation isn’t just for big corporations. Today’s best practices are leveraging simple tools to reduce overwhelm and improve efficiency. 

They’re using:

• Automated follow-ups so no lead falls through the cracks
• Digital patient education to engage and prepare patients
• CRM and EMR platforms that track leads, not just charts (My favorite? ProNex, Inc. —it’s robust, intuitive, and constantly evolving) 

When you systematize your processes, you free up your team’s time to focus on what matters most: patient care and personal connection. 

Investing in a Distinctive Brand 

Top practices don’t hide behind generic marketing or cookie-cutter messaging. Instead, they cultivate a clear, recognizable brand voice and a confident presence—both online and in their communities. 

Your brand is more than a logo. It’s the promise you deliver, the tone you use, and the feeling patients have when they interact with you. When your message is clear and consistent, you build trust faster—and stand out in a crowded market. 

Tracking Data and KPIs (and Making Decisions Based on Them) 

Gone are the days when you could rely on gut instincts alone. High-performing practices know their numbers. 

Every month, they track metrics like:

• Conversion rates from inquiry to consult and consult to procedure (or established patient)
• Cost per lead
• Retention and reactivation rates 

These insights drive smarter decisions and reveal exactly where to focus your time and resources. Remember: Decisions based on data outperform decisions based on feelings - every single time. 

Bonus: Prioritizing Team Culture and Retention 

Finally, none of this works without a strong, aligned team. The best practices prioritize a culture of clarity, recognition, and growth. 

They:

• Meet regularly to celebrate wins and tackle challenges
• Define clear roles and success metrics
• Train consistently so every team member knows what great looks like 

When your team feels supported and invested in your vision, everything else gets easier—and your results multiply. 

Where Should You Start? 

You don’t have to overhaul everything at once. Choose one area that feels like it’s holding you back—whether that’s diversifying your services, tightening up your systems, or finally tracking your conversion rates—and commit to improving it this month. 

Momentum builds when you take focused action. 

If you’d like help assessing where to begin or mapping out your next steps, I offer personalized strategy sessions where we pinpoint exactly where to optimize and how to get there. You can reach out anytime at [email protected] —I’d love to support you. 

And if this resonated with you, feel free to share this blog with a colleague or leave a review. I’m so grateful you’re here, doing this important work. 

Here’s to building a practice that’s profitable, sustainable, and deeply fulfilling.