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For referrals, appointments, and general information please call 401-444-5980.
Outpatient Services at the Eating Disorder Program
What to expect from your first outpatient clinic visit
You will have two intake appointments as you get started with the Hasbro Eating Disorders team. Your first appointment will be with medical and mental health providers, and will last several hours. Your second appointment will be with a dietitian, and will last about one hour.
Medical and Mental Health Intake
When you arrive in our clinic, several things will happen before you see the medical or mental health provider.
- You will have your vitals checked, including weight and height.
- You will be taken to the laboratory, where we will obtain blood tests to help assess the severity of your illness. These blood test results will take several days to return, so you will not receive any results during your visit. If any test comes back with abnormal results, our team will call you.
- You will also have an electrocardiogram (EKG) performed to check your heart function.
- You will be asked to complete a questionnaire about your eating disorder behaviors and thoughts.
- Following these tests, you will be seen separately by the medical and mental health providers. They will also speak with your parents extensively during the visit. Once all the information is gathered, the medical and mental health providers will formulate a treatment plan with you and your parents, and discuss the plan with you at the end of the visit. Most patients will be cared for in the outpatient setting. Some patients may require hospitalization from their first clinic appointment based on the severity of their illness.
Nutrition Intake
Within a few weeks of the medical and mental health intake, you will be seen by one of our team dietitians for a complete nutritional assessment. The dietitian will discuss specifics of what you used to eat, what you eat now, and what your body needs nutritionally to thrive. She will provide specific nutritional recommendations to you and your parents, and will follow up with you at future visits to modify the plan as necessary.
Individual and Group Therapy
Our program has two clinical social workers who are actively involved in the assessment and care of our patients, however, ongoing individual and family therapy is not available within the program.
Our program offers group therapy options for both patients and parents throughout the year. These groups are made available to all patients and parents actively involved in the program.
Follow-Up Visits
Follow-up visits in the eating disorder program range in frequency from once per week to once every few months. The visits usually last about one hour, and take place in our clinic in Providence, East Providence, or East Greenwich. You will always see a medical provider at your follow up visit. Mental health providers are often available in clinic for coordination of care and support. You will also sometimes see a dietitian during your follow up visit.