Providing patients with optimal care, not only in terms of their health, but also by taking their specific needs into account is absolutely essential. Every patient is different, but all should feel understood, regarded, and supported in the same way. That is why we are committed to adapting what we do to better suit the specific needs of each patient category.

This is even more important when it comes to patients who are normally stigmatised in their everyday lives. Obese patients, in particular, get looks every day from people whose heads are full of preconceived notions, even though their healthcare is particularly important, given their pathology. Obesity is an illness, but an illness that can be treated. It is easiest to treat when it is caught early, as part of an integrated care approach where the patient’s observations and commitment are key success factors.

However, improper equipment and the welcome they receive too often sometimes make lab visits difficult for obese patients. That is why we thought it necessary to focus with kindness and humility on the needs and expectations of obese patients, as well as those of healthcare providers, in order to adapt our practices to better care for these patients.

In an open innovation approach, we partnered with CNAO (Collectif National des Associations d’Obèses, or National Collective of Associations of Obese People) to take a step back and think from every angle about the expectations, needs, and concerns of both patients and providers. This project was executed in our innovation laboratory (Cerba HealthCare InnovLab), an accelerator dedicated to the Cerba HealthCare Group’s innovation projects.