Oral Presentation ESA-SRB-ANZOS 2025 in conjunction with ENSA

OPTIMAP: A Digitally Enabled Model to Transform Public Obesity Care in South Australia (128456)

Emily Meyer 1 2 3 , Katie Belobrajdic 4 , Melanie Mallee 1 , Shalvin Prasad 5 , Matthew Yi-Wei Lim 1 3 , Leonie Heilbronn 6 , Elena Dicus 7 , David Jesudason 1 3 , Gary Wittert 2 3
  1. Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville, SA , Australia
  2. Endocrine and Metabolic Unit, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
  3. Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  4. Dietetics Department, Royal Adelaide Hsopital, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  5. Upper GI Surgery, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  6. Obesity and Metabolism Stream, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, Australia
  7. Strategy & Digital , Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN), Adelaide, SA, Australia

Background
South Australia reports one of the highest obesity rates in Australia, with 13% of adults experiencing severe obesity (BMI >35). Until recently, the Royal Adelaide and Queen Elizabeth Hospitals operated siloed obesity services with a combined waitlist of over 700 patients and wait times exceeding seven years. In 2024, stakeholder engagement facilitated the unification of these services into a single multidisciplinary model—the CALHN Metabolic and Bariatric Clinic (CMBC), launched March 2025. The new model offers in-person and telehealth options, small group sessions (“My Healthier Life”), community-based exercise physiology, and fortnightly multidisciplinary team meetings.

Aim

To develop a sustainable, cost-effective digital model of care to improve access, service delivery, patient empowerment, and health outcomes.

Methods

Phase 1 – Discovery: An earlier prototype software (OBEMAN, CI-Wittert 2010) was assessed but not adaptable. Stakeholders (CMBC, CALHN Digital, Digivate Health) agreed to co-design a new solution: OPTIMAP.

Phase 2 – Design: OPTIMAP (Online Pathway from Triage to Individualised Metabolic Action Plan) is a first-of-its-kind digital platform that:

  • Triages patients by online questionnaire
  • Provides pre-appointment education and coaching
  • Generates GP-facing personalised "My Health Summaries"
  • Delivers tailored content on diet, activity, sleep, mental health, medications, comorbidities and goal setting
  • Automates documentation and pathology workflows
  • Tracks real-time patient progress and surgical readiness

Phase 3 – Implementation: OPTIMAP launched in May 2025 following user testing.

Results

Within three months, the CMBC and OPTIMAP achieved a fivefold increase in physician and nursing activity and tripled dietetic capacity. First-appointment waitlist fell by 8.7%, maximum wait time reduced by two years, and failure-to-attend rates dropped by 65%. OPTIMAP improved referral compliance, clinical documentation and readiness tracking.

Conclusion
OPTIMAP and CMBC model represent a scalable, digitally enabled solution addressing systemic barriers in public obesity care. Ongoing KPI evaluation will inform future sustainability, equity and the broader health system impact.  

 

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