Physicians Treating Eating Disorders

Learn about the Physician Career in the Eating Disorder Treatment Field...

An article published by the American Journal of Psychiatry reports that the death rate associated with anorexia nervosa alone is more than 12 times higher than the overall death rate among young women in the general population.1

In addition to anorexia nervosa, other eating and food related disorders, such as bulimia and binge-eating disorder, can severely impair the long-term health of individuals afflicted with these disorders.  Thankfully, many treatment methods have been developed to help people with eating and food related disorders to get well.  Physicians play a key role in coordinating eating disorder treatment services.  Physicians ensure that
patients are diagnosed and treated, which prevents their patients from becoming victims of their own eating disorders.

While there is no eating disorder specialty, physicians that deliver medical care to eating disorder patients typically have a background in family or primary care medicine.  The medical care that physicians provide to eating disorder patients varies from person to person, and physicians’ roles also differ depending on their workplace.  For example, people with advanced bulimia can develop heart-problems caused from inducing vomiting.  Heart problems can lead to cardiac arrest, which can lead to death.  In such a case, the attending physician must stabilize the patient’s condition, which typically involves admitting the patient to a hospital, administering medication, arranging for psychological care, and sometimes performing surgery.

In less severe cases, patients do not usually require emergency medical care.  Instead, doctors arrange for mental therapy, and for the periodic assessment of physical health.   For example, a primary care or family doctor may notice signs of bulimia while performing a patient’s annual check-up.   In this case, the doctor uses his or her knowledge of eating disorder psychology to confront the patient, and to help the patient understand the dangers of eating disorders.  From this point, the doctor will arrange for a patient to see a counselor or psychologist who can assist the patient in overcoming the psychological issues underpinning their eating disorder.  Throughout the recovery process the doctor is responsible for ensuring the patient’s physical health does not deteriorate.

In some instances, a doctor may not be able to provide the comprehensive, intensive care a patient requires to recover.  When this happens, the doctor may recommend that the patient enter a residential or out patient eating disorder treatment program where the physicians have specialized knowledge and capabilities to care for the patient. In such a program, the system of care is intensive, and can involve constant supervision, and the mental and medical care that is necessary. 

Treatment progams rely heavily on the expertise of doctors to oversee the safe and efficient operations of their treatment programs.  To this end, doctors employed by treatment centers are often responsible for the supervision of all medical staff, such as nurses, medical assistants, and other medical aides.  In addition, doctors continually monitor the effectiveness of treatment methods, and implement changes to treatment models when necessary.  It is also the doctor’s responsibility to communicate these changes to staff, and organize for any necessary staff training.  Because of their diverse responsibilities in working with treatment programs, doctors must not only have excellent medical skills, but also excellent management and communication abilities.

With help, people with eating disorders can make full recoveries, and doctors are essential to providing and coordinating this help.  Often the first health care workers to see signs of an eating disorder, doctors are on the front line of care in the eating disorder treatment industry.  In addition, as supervisors, doctors also serve as the backbone of treatment programs.  Physicians have the varied skill set necessary to help people with eating disorders, and to guide those who care for people afflicted with eating disorders.  If you think that you many excel in practicing medicine, and enjoy helping people who are mentally down on their luck, a career as a physician with a focus on eating disorders may be for you.

Resources:
1Sullivan PF. Mortality in anorexia nervosa. American Journal of Psychiatry, 1995; 152(7): 1073-4