Life-changing weight loss

Watch our on-demand webinar to see if weight loss surgery is right for you.

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After watching the webinar, call 844-987-0491 and we will verify your insurance benefits at no charge before scheduling your consultation.

Providence Center for Weight Management-East

4805 NE Glisan St., Suite 6N40, Portland, OR 97213
824.3 miles away
844-987-0491
844-987-0491
Mon - Thurs: 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Providence Center for Weight Management-East

Mon - Thurs: 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.

About Us

At Providence, we take a whole-person approach to weight loss, supporting your health, comfort and overall well-being. Whether you’re exploring medical weight-management options or considering weight-loss surgery, our personalized programs are designed to help you move toward your goals with confidence.

Located on the campus of Providence Portland Medical Center, our care team brings together physicians, advanced practice providers, dietitians, behavioral health experts and fellowship-trained surgeons – all working collaboratively to support your journey. With comprehensive tools, guidance and encouragement, we’re here to help you achieve lasting success and improve your quality of life.

Our Services

Our weight-loss surgery program, also called bariatric surgery, surrounds you with support before, during and after your procedure – helping you lose weight safely and keep it off.

As a nationally accredited program, we consistently see life‑changing outcomes, including:

  • An average loss of 65% excess weight within the first year
  • Potential improvements in overall health, including reduced sleep apnea symptoms and lower cholesterol, blood pressure and risk of diabetes
Our approach to bariatric surgery

Your dedicated team of obesity care specialists will guide you through every stage of care, offering:

  • Pre-surgery education
  • Nutritional education and guidance
  • Bariatric procedures and surgery using minimally invasive techniques whenever possible, such as:
  • After-surgery support
Ready to learn more about weight-loss surgery?
  1. Register for our free, on-demand webinar about surgical weight loss. It explains the basics of bariatric surgery and the available options.
  2. It’s important to find out if your insurance plan covers weight-loss surgery at Providence hospitals. After you’ve watched the webinar, contact us at 844-987-0491. We’ll help verify insurance benefits at no cost to you.
  3. You can also call us for more information about any of our services.

Making weight-loss surgery successful requires hard work and a commitment to specific lifestyle changes. Although bariatric surgery is extremely safe, there is a risk with any surgery.

At Providence, our medical weight management program offers a comprehensive, 12-month approach to non-surgical weight loss. Based on your specific goals, our team of specialists will work with you to build lasting weight-management habits for long-term success. 

Our approach to medical weight management

Our program starts with an in-depth evaluation of nutrition, medical history and metabolic lab results, so you have a clear understanding of your overall health.

From there, your care team creates a personalized plan that may include:

  • Genetic testing
  • Medications such as GLP1s
  • Referrals to specialty care like sleep medicine or physical therapy
  • Surgical options, when appropriate

The 12-month program also provides you with access to:

  • Help navigating insurance coverage
  • Multidisciplinary, inhouse care team
  • On-demand classes for encouragement and accountability
  • Practical tools to help you tackle challenges, such as access to a nutrition tracking app
  • Regular follow-ups
  • Smooth transition into Providence’s accredited surgical weight-management program, if interested

Our medical weight management clinic has two Portland area locations for convenient access to your care. Call 844-987-0491 or contact us to make an appointment.

Find a Doctor

At Providence Center for Weight Management-East, you'll have access to a vast network of dedicated and compassionate providers who offer personalized care by focusing on treatment, prevention and health education.

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Recognition

American College of Surgeons - Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) Accredited Bariatric Surgery Center

Blue Cross Blue Shield - Designated Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery

Aetna® Institutes of Quality® - Bariatric Surgery

See All Recognition

Weight-Loss Surgery at Providence

When it comes to weight-loss surgery, you have choices. Providence helps tailor a program to your weight-loss goals.

Register for our on-demand webinar to learn more about your options. Once you’ve watched the webinar, our team will work with you to evaluate whether surgery is right for you.

Access Webinar

Patient Success Story

"I feel better about myself, like I’ve accomplished something. And it feels good." | Amy

– Amy lost 84 pounds and is off all but one of her blood pressure and diabetes medications. Read more about Amy’s story.

Read More Stories

Learn about Injectable Weight Loss Medications

GLP-1 medications are a new, innovative class of injectable weight loss drugs. Explore how their criteria and results compare to the benefits of bariatric surgery.

This will help you start a conversation about medical weight loss with your primary care doctor. They can refer you to a medical weight loss expert – like a bariatrician or bariatric surgeon – for guidance on which option might be the best choice for you.

Woman exercising

You could be eligible for GLP-1s if you meet one of the following criteria:

  • Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is 30 or higher.
  • Your BMI is 27 or higher and you have other medical conditions like arthritis, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and/or sleep apnea.

By comparison, you qualify for bariatric surgery if:

  • Your BMI is 40 or higher.
  • Or your BMI is 35 or higher and you have other medical conditions like arthritis, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and/or sleep apnea.

GLP-1s can be more accessible to patients who don’t qualify for bariatric surgery but still want a substantial weight loss solution.

However, on average, GLP-1s were tested on a population with lower BMIs. For example, they haven’t been tested on those with a BMI of over 45. So, if your BMI is 40 or higher, and you’re potentially considering the use of a GLP-1, it might not lower your risk of certain conditions – like heart disease or cancer – the same way as bariatric surgery.

GLP-1s help you lose weight gradually over time. You can expect moderate weight loss of 5-15% of your overall body weight. Once you reach your goal weight, you must keep taking the medication to maintain it.

With bariatric surgery, you’ll see weight loss more quickly in a larger amount. On average, patients may lose an average of 30% of their overall body weight.

Keep in mind that other factors, like lifestyle changes and eating habits, can affect how quickly you lose weight – no matter which weight loss option you choose.

If you’re considering medical weight loss, keep in mind that it could be a lifelong commitment.

Once you reach your goal weight with a GLP-1 medication, you need to keep taking it to maintain that weight. You also need regular monitoring from your physician.

It’s important to note that GLP-1s haven't been evaluated for long-term use. All studies have been for short-term use, so doctors don't currently know how long a patient is able to stay on a GLP-1.

Bariatric surgery is the only medical weight loss treatment that has been evaluated for long-term use and is proven to help sustain weight loss. The results of bariatric surgery are long-lasting, especially if you make the necessary lifestyle changes. This surgery also requires pre- and post-surgical care.

You’ll need to check with your insurance company. Some plans might cover GLP-1 medications but require prior authorization.

Bariatric surgery is generally covered by insurance if you meet the eligibility criteria.

Frequently Asked Questions

In addition to improving the overall quality of your health, losing excess weight could help you sleep better, have more energy and have a more positive outlook.

It may also prevent or improve some obesity-related conditions, including:

  • Asthma
  • Cancer
  • Depression
  • Heart and lung disease
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Joint pain
  • Liver disease
  • Migraines
  • Obstructive sleep apnea
  • Type 2 diabetes

Requirements may differ based on your health condition and insurance rules.

You might be a candidate for weight loss surgery if:

  • You have a body mass index (BMI) over 40 or a BMI of 35–40 with obesity-related conditions like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea or high cholesterol
  • You have no endocrine causes of obesity
  • Your risk for surgery is acceptable
  • You understand the surgery and its risks
  • You have no drug or alcohol problems
  • You have no uncontrolled psychological conditions
  • You have been unsuccessful with other attempts at medical weight loss through diets or other lifestyle options

You might not be a candidate if:

  • You have a current drug or alcohol problem
  • You use tobacco or nicotine products
  • You have uncontrolled psychological conditions
  • You plan to become pregnant in the next 18 months
  • Your surgeon determines that you’re not healthy enough for surgery

After surgery, you’ll spend one or two nights in the hospital. You’ll meet for regular check-ins with your care team at least every 12 weeks for the first year.

Then, we recommend following up with the team each year, or more often if needed.

Our team can help you figure out your insurance benefits and answer financing questions for bariatric surgery or medical weight management.

For questions about insurance benefits and out-of-pocket costs, please contact our clinic.

After we verify your weight management benefits, the clinic will call you to discuss your next steps. If you are ready to move forward, we can schedule your initial visits.

Yes. If you’re looking for non-surgical options for weight loss, Providence has a medical weight management program.

Providence also offers a variety of services to support your nutrition and weight-loss goals:

Women running outdoors

Center for Weight Management

At Providence, our approach to weight loss embraces the whole person. We’ll help you create a program to fit your weight loss and health goals, and provide the tools, care and support to help you succeed and improve your quality of life.

Our expert care team surrounds you with ongoing support and encouragement and will guide you, every step of the way.

Learn More About Our Weight Loss Services

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