OBE-DIGITHUM: A Clinician-Led Digital Pathway for Sustainable Obesity Care-A Perspective.

Abstract

Obesity is a chronic disease whose complexity exceeds the capabilities of traditional, BMI-centric care models. Here, we present OBE-DIGITHUM as an exemplar of a clinician-led, digitally enabled pathway that reorganizes obesity care around comprehensive phenotyping, patient engagement, and value-based principles. Based on our multi-year implementation and accumulated experience, we propose OBE-DIGITHUM as a novel clinical pathway that distills practical guidance for clinicians and health-system leaders. We outline how to structure referrals, previsit digital intake, automated staging, and a bimodal (in-person + virtual) education program that reallocates clinician time toward shared decision-making while reducing administrative burden. We also share illustrative service metrics to show how the pathway operates in practice. Our aim is to offer a blueprint-grounded in real-world practice-that others can adapt to improve the effectiveness, reach, and sustainability of obesity care.