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Afternoon Session | Obesity Management

Friday, May 2, 2025
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM

Overview

Multi-interventional obesity management approaches and considerations pre and post bariatric surgery

Dr Rosemary Allin, Joy Gailer, Dr Teresa Girolamo, Prof Debra Rowett



Details

“Obesity is not a cultural desire for thinness, it is a metabolic disease with psychosocial consequences (Kaplan LM 2024)”. Obesity is a chronic, progressive metabolic disease influenced by biological and environmental factors. It leads to significant health complications and psychosocial consequences, including weight stigma. Understanding its complex pathophysiology, including genetic and hormonal factors, is crucial for effective management. Multi-interventional approaches, including pharmacotherapy and behavioural strategies, are essential in obesity management. Learning objectives: - Discuss the complex pathophysiology of obesity. - Identify medicines contributing to weight gain. - Describe multi-interventional approaches to weight management including pharmacotherapy. - Outline medication considerations pre and post bariatric surgery. Competency standards (2016): 3.1, 3.3, 3.5


Speaker

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Dr Rosemary Allin
Clinical Pharmacist
Drug and Therapeutics Information Service (DATIS)

Multi-interventional management approaches and considerations pre and post bariatric surgery 

Biography

Rosemary is a clinical pharmacist, recognised by the Australian and New Zealand College of Advanced Pharmacy in 2023. She has worked for the Drug and Therapeutics Information Service (DATIS) for over 15 years, supporting the clinical practice of general practitioners and other healthcare professionals by providing evidence-based, balanced information on drug therapy. Rosemary has worked in a wide range of pharmacy practice settings and professional capacities including community pharmacy, education, research and service delivery in hospital, primary care, and residential aged care settings. Her interests are in the management of chronic conditions such as obesity, mental health and chronic pain and is always keen to implement strategies promoting quality use of medicines in any setting. She has been actively involved in medicines management in field of obesity and metabolic bariatric surgery since 2018.
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Miss Joy Gailer
Senior Pharmacist
Drug And Therapeutics Information Service

Multi-interventional management approaches and considerations pre and post bariatric surgery 

Biography

Joy is a credentialed Advanced Practice Pharmacist and US Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist pharmacist with the Drug and Therapeutics Information Service (DATIS), and the practice support clinical pharmacist at Chandlers Hill Surgery. She is passionate about assisting patients, pharmacists, doctors and nurses make the best possible decisions relating to medicine use.
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Dr Teresa Girolamo
Bariatric Medical Practitioner/Director
Re:you Health

Multi-interventional management approaches and considerations pre and post bariatric surgery 

Biography

Dr Teresa Girolamo is a general practitioner who has extensive experience in the field of obesity management. She completed her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in 1994 at The University of Adelaide, is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP), Graduate of the Chapter of Perioperative Medicine (GChPOM), and SCOPE certified. She has worked in multi-disciplinary teams in the area of obesity management since 2008, and is Director and Co-Founder of Re:You Health, a GP lead weight management service established in South Australia on 2018. Dr Girolamo is a Committee Member of the National Association of Clinical Obesity Service (NACOS), board member of the Australian & New Zealand Metabolic and Obesity Surgery Society (ANZMOSS), a leadership committee member of the Obesity Collective and member of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO)
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Prof Debra Rowett
Advanced Practice Pharmacist Discipline Leader
University of SA

Multi- interventional management approaches and considerations pre- and post- bariatric surgery

Biography

Professor Debra Rowett, Discipline Leader Pharmacy, Clinical and Health Sciences, UniSA and Director, Drug and Therapeutics Information Service (DATIS), Southern Adelaide Local Health Network. Debra is the current President of the Council of Pharmacy Schools: Australia and New Zealand. Debra serves on a number of local and state advisory committees including the Drug Utilisation SubCommittee of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. Debra has worked extensively in the area of quality use of medicines, inter-professional practice, health policy and workforce development in Australia and internationally. In 2002 Debra was awarded the SHPA’s Australian Clinical Pharmacy Award, and in 2016, Debra received the prestigious SHPA Fred J Boyd award and is a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.

Session Chair

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Debbie Rigby
Director

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