Eating Disorders Institute
A Continuum of Care
EDI offers a full range of clinical services for adults and adolescents with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and related forms of disordered eating. Patients may receive treatment on an outpatient basis, or if their needs are greater, we offer both partial hospital and full inpatient treatment as well.
No matter where a patient falls along our continuum of care, the goal of treatment is the same: to help patients regain control of their lives and overcome the potentially life-threatening consequences of living with an eating disorder. Programs are open to both men and women, and family involvement is strongly encouraged each step of the way.
A Multidisciplinary Approach
The treatment of eating disorders requires a special kind of care. Primary treatment team members include psychologists who provide psychotherapeutic services and play a key role in the overall coordination of care. Psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses assess the need for medications. Dietitians work with patients and their families to provide nutritional counseling and develop specialized meal plans. Nurse practitioners and doctors who specialize in the care of patients with eating disorders provide the necessary medical treatment and ongoing monitoring.
To ensure the highest level of care possible, this core team works together to develop and coordinate an appropriate treatment plan, striving to ensure that every patient receives complete, appropriate care.To that end, the team may call on additional experts as needed, including:
- Registered nurses
- Masters-level therapists
- Occupational and recreational therapists
- Psychiatric technicians
- Certified personal trainers
- Social workers
- Addiction counselors
- Exercise/Yoga trainers
- Chaplains
Individualized Care: Assessing Needs
Eating disorders manifest themselves in varying ways. A course of treatment that works well for one person might not work as effectively for someone else.With that in mind,we begin each new intake with an individual assessment of the patient's needs, so we can tailor their therapies and timelines accordingly. This assessment includes:
- A physical evaluation to determine the person's health status
- A psychological evaluation by a psychologist or psychiatrist, including a detailed history of current and prior eating, weight and psychological difficulties
- An assessment by a dietician to determine nutritional intake and eating patterns
Other potential assessments include:
- Laboratory assessments and consultations by specialists (gastroenterologists, bariatric surgeons, endocrinologists, etc.) as needed
- Assessment and support services for bariatric surgery
- Measurement of energy expenditure and other physiologic variables
When establishing a new treatment plan, the assessment team will base its decisions on the patient's individual needs. Many people begin their treatment at a higher intensity level (inpatient or partial hospitalization) and gradually work their way to the outpatient clinic as their condition improves. Others move up to a higher level of care if lower levels prove insufficient.
Regardless of the type of treatment provided, the goal of treatment is to help get the recovery process underway as quickly as possible, while minimizing the risk of relapse. Our three tiers of treatment work well in achieving that aim by transitioning people back into their everyday lives gradually, seamlessly and at their own pace.