Don’t want to see weight information at the doctor’s office? No problem
M Health Fairview patients now have the option to hide weight information from their after-visit summaries. If they choose to hide their weight information, clinic staff will also be alerted not to read the number on the scale aloud or discuss weight unless medically necessary.
This change is particularly beneficial to people with a history of eating disorders, like Nancy Manther. As Manther worked on recovering from anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder, she actively tried to avoid weight stigma and diet culture – not an easy task since both are prevalent. But one place she found it impossible to avoid weight talk was in medical clinics.
She said that when she went to M Health Fairview primary care clinics, the staff was always supportive of her requests to stand on the scale backward and not to not say her weight aloud. But knowing that her weight and body mass index (BMI) would be printed on her after-visit summary caused anxiety.
“I chose not to look at it, but even knowing it’s there has caused a lot of anxiety that could be avoided,” she explained. “I considered asking the doctor to cross it out on the paper copy but knew that it would still be online. One might say that I don’t have to look at it, but wouldn’t it be nice if I didn’t have to think about it?”
Manther wrote to Sameer Badlani, MD, FACP, executive vice president and chief strategy & digital officer at Fairview Health Services, expressing her concern and requesting the option to hide weight information.
“Is there some way that if a patient either requests to not be weighed or not told the information, could those details be omitted from the printout and/or online chart?” she asked. “It may not seem like a big deal, but to patients struggling with weight stigma, body image issues, disordered eating and eating disorders, it’s a very big deal.”
Badlani took the request seriously and pulled together teams of patient-centered employees at M Health Fairview to address Manther’s concerns. As of July 2024, our patients can choose not to see or discuss their weight.
Carol Peterson, Ph.D, LP, a psychologist and professor at University of Minnesota Medical School was part of that group that implemented the change. Peterson said this was the most meaningful project she’s worked on because of the impact it had on people who were once fearful of going to the doctor’s office. She also thought it was important to give everyone – whether they've been diagnosed with an eating disorder or not – the choice of hiding their weight information or not.
“For people with eating disorders, weight can be a number that’s extremely triggering,” Peterson said. “It can elicit self-criticism and shame, but it can also lead to behaviors like restrictive eating or exercise that are problematic. For some people with eating disorders, it isn't a problem. It's something that's less relevant to them or that they've worked on in therapy, so it was important to allow that choice.”
How to hide your weight information
If you’d rather not see your weight information, sign into Fairview MyChart. Under questionnaires, you’ll see optional questionnaires. One asks Should We Show Your Weight and BMI on Your After-Visit Summary? Select that to answer yes or no. You can also ask your healthcare provider during your appointment to indicate that you’d like your weight hidden in your after-visit summary. They can make the change in your chart.
If you select the option to hide your weight, your healthcare providers will also be alerted not to say your weight aloud during an appointment. They might cover the numbers on the scale with their hand. You can also stand backward on the scale, so you don’t see the numbers.
You might still be asked to step on the scale when receiving care because that information can be important particularly for determining correct dosage of a medication, said Kim DeRoche, MD, a family medicine physician and chief of primary care with M Health Fairview.
“We want to do anything we can to make sure the patient feels like their individual needs are met,” DeRoche said. “If it’s harmful for the patient to interact with that data, we don’t want them to see it. We won’t discuss it with them unless it’s clinically important.”
Because weight can vary throughout the day, so one reading can have little meaning, said Jessica Cici, MD, child and adolescent psychiatry medical director at M Health Fairview and an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School. But to someone with a history of focusing on weight, one reading can cause anxiety and distress. If necessary, patients can discuss their weight or BMI with their doctor who can provide context and understanding.
“For those who are struggling with an eating disorder or in recovery, weight and BMI can be sensitive topics,” Cici said. “In eating disorder treatment, we recommend collaborative weighing: the physician relaying to the patient the information in a composed, objective manner, providing context.”
Manther was grateful to hear that the change she requested was implemented in order to support others.
“This change will make a difference to so many people,” she said.
