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South County Psychiatry opens weight, wellness program in Cranston – as Lifespan closes theirs
Hope for hundreds of patients left without services in Rhode Island
Dr. Vincent Pera has joined South County Psychiatry to open The Weight and Wellness Institute. The offices will be in Cranston, on Pontiac Avenue, right off Route 95. Dr. Pera is the past director of the Centers for Weight and Wellness at Lifespan, which closed suddenly, with little notice to its patients. The Lifespan program offered the Optifast nutrition supplement, and when the program closed there was no other provider in Rhode Island.
Some patients traveled to a program offering Optifast in Foxboro, New Horizon Medical since the Lifespan program closed.
In making the announcement about the new program, South County said, “Dr. Pera, a board-certified specialist in bariatric medicine…has helped over 15,000 patients with weight management difficulties through evidence-based treatment of obesity and weight-related issues affecting prediabetes, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, pulmonary disease, arthritis, and others. Dr. Pera’s impressive career spans three decades and includes helping establish one of New England’s most comprehensive weight management centers more than 30 years ago and acting as the medical and program director of that center until recently. He has participated in clinical and academic research and authored numerous research publications.”
“I look forward to once again helping patients throughout Rhode Island meet their weight loss goals,” said Dr. Pera. “Our new facility, The Weight and Wellness Institute, will have all the resources patients need to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way.”
South County Psychiatry would also like to announce the opening of The Weight and Wellness Institute in Cranston, RI. The Weight and Wellness Institute will begin scheduling new patients on November 1, 2022, and will begin active patient treatment on December 1, 2022. The new facility will provide comprehensive treatment options for all levels of overweight and obesity as well as medical and psychiatric weight-related conditions.
Dr. Anthony Gallo, the President of South County Psychiatry, said, “There is a natural synergy between weight loss, wellness, and mental health; we are thrilled to welcome Dr. Pera and are creating a program on the vanguard of modern medicine.”
Located at 1170 Pontiac Ave in Cranston, RI, the clinic will be staffed by a team of physicians, nurses, behaviorists, exercise physiologists, and registered dieticians who specialize in weight management and wellness. The clinic will offer interventions utilizing the specialties of the staff in a coordinated manner customized to the needs of the patient.
“We will provide both in-person and remote treatment options to make the clinic’s services more accessible,” said Dr. Gallo. “We will be incorporating exercise physiology, nutrition, behavioral health, and bariatric medicine, in addition to optifast products, with a mix of both in-person and mostly virtual to help with convenience. We feel very proud to have Dr. Pera with us.”
The Weight and Wellness Institute will offer a full range of services, including lifestyle modification, nutrition counseling, exercise prescription, medical weight loss medications, bariatric surgery consultations, and follow-up and weight maintenance ongoing care. The clinic is a comprehensive resource for individuals who are struggling with overweight, obesity, diabetes, and health-related conditions.
The Weight and Wellness Institute offers patients many benefits, including:
- Optifast products including bars, shakes, and powders
- An integrated approach to treatment that combines medical weight loss interventions, with lifestyle interventions such as nutrition counseling, exercise prescription, and bariatric medication
- A full range of services to help patients lose weight safely and effectively
- Access to the latest in medical technology, including digital x-rays, advanced body composition analysis, and breath testing for glucose levels
Since the announced closure of the Lifespan program, patients have “gathered” on a Facebook group page, “We are all in this together – Optifast”. Lily Costa, coordinator of the program said, “I am beyond excited that Dr. Pera is opening this program at South County. So many of us on “We are all in this together… Facebook Group I created “most of us are ready to start the new program where Dr. Pera will be now located. I spoke with a few people that have been struggling with the program and now excited to start. I’m so happy to start with Dr. Pera. I am beyond grateful that I created this Facebook page and the media and Dr. Pera heard our voices. And, I credit RINewsToday with helping to restore the program to us by helping to tell our stories.”
About South County Psychiatry
South County Psychiatry is a full-service outpatient psychiatric practice located in Suite 120 of South County Psychiatry. The clinic is staffed by psychiatrists and psychologists who specialize in treating a variety of mental health disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. The clinic offers individual therapy, medication management, and couples counseling. South County Psychiatry has 3 locations in North Kingstown, New Bedford, and Old Lyme, Connecticut.
To learn more about South County Psychiatry, visit https://www.southcountypsychiatryri.com.
About The Weight And Wellness Institute
The Weight and Wellness Institute is a weight management facility that is slated to begin accepting new patients on November 1, 2022, and is set to open on December 1, 2022. The Weight and Wellness Institute will be located at 1170 Pontiac Avenue Cranston, RI. Patients can call 401-895-9937 to schedule an appointment.
One past patient, Lou, says, “this is great news that a program that has been successful for over thirty years will continue”.
Follow their website for developing information: https://www.southcountyweightandwellness.com/ – their phone number is (401) 895-9937.
South County Psychiatry can be followed, here: https://www.southcountypsychiatryri.com/
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To read articles RINewsToday did on the Lifespan weight loss program that was suddenly closed: https://rinewstoday.com/follow-up-closure-of-lifespan-centers-for-weight-and-wellness/
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Yayyyyy
Thanks so much for continuing to follow this story. As a patient of the program at Lifespan CWW who is in the Masters program (maintenance), I was thrilled to get the news last week and will be joining the program at S County. I am so happy that this program will continue to benefit those in our community who need it most. Kudos to Dr Pera and to RI News for helping us to support this vital work.