About Via Christi Weight Management

James Early, M.D., Medical Director of Via Christi Weight Management and Clinical Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita.

Dr. Early received his Doctor of Medicine from the Indiana University School of Medicine in 1973. He has been board certified in Family Medicine and completed an Internal Medicine residency, becoming board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in 1981. His primary areas of expertise are nutrition and obesity, health promotion and disease prevention, lipid disorders and cardiovascular disease risk factors, and systems research related to health behaviors and ambulatory office settings.

In 1993, Dr. Early founded the Prevention and Health Center at Via Christi Regional Medical Center (renamed Via Christi Weight Management in 2005). With his expertise and outstanding patient care, Dr. Early built a modest start with two patients into one of the country's premier adult weight loss clinics. Collaborating with three surgeons, he expanded the continuum of care by adding surgical obesity as a treatment option for the morbidly obese.

Dr. Early is a leading advocate of institutional and corporate wellness programs. In that capacity he consults with corporations nationally and in the Wichita region, and he leads the initiative with Via Christi Health System to institutionalize corporate wellness for its Kansas employees. Data on outcomes and attrition from the Prevention & Health Center (now known as Via Christi Weight Management) were published in Obesity Research in July 2003, and presented at the North American Association for the Study of Obesity (NAASO) meeting in November 2004.

As a national consultant on the treatment of obesity, Dr. Early works to advance new paradigms regarding the perception of obesity, emphasizing that it is a complex disease involving genetic, metabolic, behavioral, and environmental components. In conjunction with this new paradigm, he advocates the use of the BMI (Body Mass Index) as part of the vital signs taught and used in medical schools across the country. He urges physicians to record BMI measurements in the same manner as they record a patient's blood pressure and cholesterol level. Thus, patients will view the BMI as vital to their health and assume responsibility. In 2004, Dr. Early collaborated with Judy Johnston, MS, RD, LD, his research partner at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, to write “Improving Medical Practice,” a chapter in Bias, Stigma, Discrimination, and Obesity, edited by Kelly Brownell and associates and published by Guilford Press.

Dr. Early’s motivation
"I spent years taking care of critically ill patients and consulting on difficult medical cases. The overwhelming majority of these people were suffering from completely preventable diseases. One night, after coming home late from the intensive care unit, I found myself depressed and in tears. I had been gaining weight, my feet hurt all the time and my blood pressure was out of control. I was exhausted trying to “put Humpty Dumpty back together again.” So I decided that others could do the repair and that I would start focusing on prevention; both in my life and in other’s lives. I lost weight and started exercising and turned my health around. The joy that now comes from seeing people have the chance to truly become WELL has made my move to prevention the best career move I ever made!"

Brent A. Lancaster, M.D., general surgeon at Wichita Surgical Specialists and Clinical Assistant Professor University of Kansas School of Medicine, Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery for Via Christi Weight Management - Via Christi Regional Medical Center. – Wichita, Department of Surgery

Dr. Lancaster did his preliminary surgery residency at the Mayo Graduate Medical Education, Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota, and his general surgery residency at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, Kansas. He received his Doctor of Medicine from Texas A&M University College of Medicine, College Station, Texas in 1990. Dr. Lancaster was Board Certified in surgery from the American Board of Surgery in 1997. His primary areas of interest and expertise are endocrine surgery, laparoscopic surgery and laparoscopic bariatric surgery.

Dr. Howes, M.D., A general surgeon at Wichita Surgical Specialists, Clinical Instructor at University of Kansas School of Medicine – Wichita, Department of Surgery.

Kate Jantz, Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner and Bariatric Surgery Coordinator, received her Bachelor of Nursing Science from Bethel College (North Newton, Kan.) and her Master of Nursing Science Advanced Registered Family Nurse Practitioner from Wichita State University. She is certified through American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Prior to joining the Via Christi Weight Management team and focusing on medical and surgical weight management, her experiences as a registered nurse and as an advanced nurse practitioner included work with patients with eating disorders at the Menninger Clinic. At a practice in Wichita, she coordinated research for clinical trials of pharmaceutical and cardiovascular devices. As a nurse practitioner, she worked in a cardiovascular and gastrointestinal practice.

Kate’s motivation
"As a nurse practitioner, I have developed a particular interest in health promotion and disease prevention. My encounters with overweight patients in cardiology and family practice have shaped my career, leading me to preventive medicine. Obesity contributes to a significant variety of disease processes; therefore, I am passionate about what we do at Via Christi Weight Management. I enjoy educating and encouraging our patients as they work to overcome issues with food and change their lifestyle."

Bobbie G. Paull-Forney, Clinical Outcomes Specialist RN, started her career with Via Christi Regional Medical Center in 1998 as an exercise specialist in the hospital owned Health & Fitness Center. Prior to that she was a double major at Friends University and received Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Management and Exercise Science. She is a Masters of Public Health candidate at University of Kansas Medical School, Wichita.

In 1999 she accepted an offer from the Prevention & Health Center (later renamed Via Christi Weight Management) to be a health educator. To broaden her scope of skills and patient care responsibilities, Bobbie continued teaching at Via Christi Weight Management while she went back to school at Hesston College and received her Associate of Science-Nursing degree in 2003. As a registered nurse, she worked briefly as a staff nurse before returning to her chosen profession as a nurse health educator in wellness and weight management at Via Christi Weight Management in 2003.

A key aspect of the Via Christi Weight Management programs that helped Bobbie choose her career is the use of outcomes data to guide behavioral and medical patient care decisions at SFL. She enjoys managing and analyzing data as a means of supporting the team in providing excellent patient care and outcomes. Bobbie is currently enrolled in the Master of Public Health program at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita.

Bobbie’s motivation
"I desire to reach the public through health education and promotion. Via Christi Weight Management provides an opportunity to teach a special population of people how to improve their quality of life and how to prevent chronic diseases through data-driven behavior modification. I have a passion for my career because of past personal issues surrounding food. I believe there is hope for every person to overcome their personal challenges surrounding body weight and eating issues. Via Christi Weight Management provides valuable behavioral modification tools that assist individuals on their journey to overcoming these challenges."

Dena Marten, Nurse Health Educator, joined the Via Christi Weight Management team in 1998. Prior to working for Via Christi, she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a Psychology minor from Fort Hays State University and her Master of Education in Counseling from Wichita State University She worked as an inpatient and outpatient nurse in medical, surgical and oncology units before she redirected her career to Behavioral Health, where she coordinated and delivered stress management programs in the hospital and throughout the community.

Dena began work as a nurse health educator with the HMR Program for Medical Weight Management™ and in 2002 further developed her knowledge and skills for the Surgical Weight Management Program. For both programs she provides nursing assessments and care coordination, and she teaches classes.

Dena's motivation
"I have the best of all worlds. As a health educator, I enjoy helping patients learn and practice the tools that will help them manage their health long term, and as a nurse, I'm privileged to see the improvements in patients' health as they practice these skills. I am also fortunate to be surrounded by a wonderful team of professionals, who make working at Via Christi Weight Management a pleasure."

Sheryl Baker, Health Educator, has been very active in wellness and lifestyle coaching throughout her career and long before she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Wichita State University in 2005. She began as an exercise specialist for the Opti-Fast program offered at St. Francis Hospital in 1990. When that program closed two year later, she continued her work as an exercise specialist at the St. Francis Employee Fitness Center and later at both campus-based fitness centers operated by Via Christi. There she developed a reputation for leading high-energy aerobics classes. During this time, she started teaching some of the weight management classes for the Prevention & Health Center (later renamed Via Christi Weight Management), and by 2004 she had become a full-time health educator, bringing her hard-energy charisma to her weight management classes.

Sheryl has been active in wellness education since 1990, serving not only Via Christi employees and patients but also volunteering at health fairs, seminars, and special events sponsored by Wichita community groups and corporations.

Sheryl's motivation
"I enjoy being a ‘coach.’ I love teaching lifestyle skills that enhance a person's health not just for today but for a lifetime. There is also the ‘cheerleader’ in me that continually encourages and motivates each person I work with as they practice skills and see results. My fulfillment comes from seeing someone take control of their health through diet and exercise to achieve goals they never thought could come to fruition — and for some who come to us that means just living through the next year. This means not only do they experience a better quality of life for a longer period of time, it also means that they will continue to share a fulfilling life as a father, grandmother, son, aunt or friend. Life definitely has a ripple effect and good health knows no boundaries."

Helen Ramsey, Clinical Dietitian and Health Educator, is a licensed and registered dietitian as well as a certified diabetes educator. She received her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from Indiana State University, Terre Haute, and she worked toward her master’s in Nutrition at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Other than working four years at St. Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City and one year at St. Francis Medical Center in Tulsa, Helen’s professional career has been with St. Francis Regional Medical Center/Via Christi Regional Medical Center since 1977. She provided nutritional assessments, counseling and education and worked in Cardiac Rehabilitation and the Diabetes Treatment Center. She was a consulting dietitian with Family Medicine physician groups and with long term care facilities.

Prior to joining the team at Prevention & Health Center (later renamed Via Christi Weight Management) in 2001, Helen developed the nutrition protocols for the Heart Transplant and Cardiac Rehabilitation teams, and she co-authored materials for their patients. She also facilitated the heart transplant support group.

The expertise Helen gained with these programs has been especially applicable to the focus of her work at Via Christi Weight Management. She developed nutrition protocols for the gastric bypass surgery program. She wrote the curriculum for and teaches nutritional lifestyle education classes for the surgical weight management program. In addition to the pre-operative nutrition classes, Helen teaches post-operative classes where she and the patients problem-solve together how to get their proper nutrition and maximize their weight loss. In addition to working with surgical patients, Helen teaches in the HMR Program for Weight Management™.

Helen’s motivation
"I have taught in a variety of nutrition education areas throughout my career. I enjoy helping people improve or maintain health, no matter what their age. I particularly enjoy the outpatient area as I can be on the journey with them and see the success they achieve. I also enjoy the challenges of new program development and the continued changes in the health care field. One of the benefits of working for Via Christi Weight Management is the interdisciplinary team concept of all professions collaborating for the patients' well-being."

Kathryn Gaeddert, Manager, came to Via Christi from a very different career path and background. After receiving her Bachelor of Science in History and Social Sciences from Bethel College (North Newton, Kan.) and graduate studies in Anthropology at Indiana University, she worked in the museum field for more than 20 years before coming to Via Christi.

Kathryn began working with Dr. Early 1996 as manager of the Prevention & Health Center (renamed Via Christi Weight Management in 2005). Their goal was to build a practice that included the full continuum of care for people who wanted to lose 10 to 200 pounds or more. They also were interested in developing wellness opportunities for Via Christi employees, patients and the community. In addition to the weight management programs, Kathryn also managed Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Diabetes Education Program, and Via Christi’s two campus-based fitness centers.

Kathryn’s motivation
"When I first met Dr. Early and his team, they were seeing 10 patients a week in the HMR Program for Weight Management™. Being able to help guide the program’s growth from 10 patients per week to more than 300 in a few short years was very exciting and gratifying. But even more rewarding was seeing how both the medical and surgical weight management programs have changed the lives of our patients. Not only do they have significant weight loss but they experience significant improvement in the quality of their lives. Many have overcome significant health issues because they are committed to exercising and making healthier food choices a daily part of their lifestyle. I know from the bottom of my heart, these changes don’t just happen. They happen because the successful patients are committed to making the changes and because we have a very skilled and caring staff that reinforces the learning of new behaviors."

Louise Newman, Development Coordinator, has had wide-ranging experiences working in the field of health and fitness. Her career as a certified personal trainer, health club manager and weight loss counselor spans more than 26 years and comes as a surprise to herself and family. Louise’s years of music education included the Royal Academy of Music in London, which she attended at 17, along with Reginald Kenneth Dwight “Elton John” and Annie Lennox.

Her work with Via Christi Weight Management began in 2005. Typically, she is the first person with whom people talk when contacting Via Christi Weight Management. Louise’s role is to answer all phone inquiries about our programs, provide the orientation seminars for all prospective patients, and to open new markets for the weight management programs. Each new inquiry is very important to her, and she tries to personalize an understanding for each prospective patient of how they can successfully lose weight and improve their health. Louise does this very simply by being sincere. She firmly believes that people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care about them.

Louise’s motivation
"Successful weight loss management requires a comprehensive approach. Like practicing the piano, learning to use the tools for effective weight management takes practice. Our programs teach our patients the pieces they need and supports them as they practice. Then together we celebrate their new, healthier lifestyle!

I feel very fortunate that I have the opportunity to help someone start on their journey of improving their quality of life. Not only do I make new friends every month, but I also get to watch their progress. I notice how each week their attitudes improve. They gain better mobility. And I’m very excited when they tell me of their need for fewer medications. It is very rewarding, and I’m excited to be a part of the Via Christi Weight Management team."

Rhonda Stricker, Coordinator Business Operations, came to the Via Christi Weight Management team after 28 years handling account and financial responsibilities for private businesses. Coming to Via Christi and Via Christi Weight Management has been her first experience working with patient accounts in a medical clinic. During her career, she took time out to attend Wichita State University and to raise her two daughters.

Rhonda’s motivation
"I find it very rewarding to work in an environment where people are making lifestyle changes to improve their health. I have had health challenges in my life, so I have walked in their shoes. I chose to have the gastric bypass surgery in June of 2008, as a tool to achieve my personal weight loss goal. It has helped me see the surgical process from the patient's point of view. Attending our post-op support group meetings have been an integral part of my education and on-going success. Without the support and education that Via Christi Weight Management provides, I would still be struggling.

I feel Via Christi Weight Management can provide all of our patients with something they can take away after our programs, and that is an education in good health, a gift for life."

Juliane Johnson, Health Educator, came to Via Christi Weight Management from a background in social work, case management, and education coordination, specifically working with the issues of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Emporia State University and a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Kansas. Juliane has worked for the past 9 years with the SANE/SART Program here at Via Christi Regional Medical Center, in coordination with the Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center.

She brings commitment and a drive to help people build a healthier lifestyle to her current position as a Health Educator with Via Christi Weight Management.

Juliane's motivation
"Health and fitness is a challenge, it is a journey not a single moment in time. It takes a willingness to change behaviors, a desire to develop new skills, and the commitment to make it a lifestyle transformation. I feel extremely privileged to be on this journey with each patient and to be the one to provide them the opportunity to learn these new skills. Part of my teaching style will include helping patients understand that weight loss is only one part of a healthy lifestyle. Once they lose the weight, it is important for them to continue on in their learning process in order to maintain that loss. I am really happy to be joining the team at Via Christi Weight Management, as the staff has a vested interest in providing patients the best possible care and a learning environment that promotes success in a supportive way."

Shelly Ewertz, Health Educator, started working for Via Christi shortly after she received her Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science at Wichita State in 1998. Her career began at the Via Christi Health and Wellness Center as an exercise specialist doing personal training and teaching water and land aerobics, senior fitness programs and other fitness classes for the Center membership.

Shelly became a Health Educator with the HMR Program for Weight Management at Via Christi Weight Management in 1999. In addition to teaching the weight management classes, she is a member of the bariatric surgery team and advocates on behalf of individuals wanting gastric bypass or gastric banding procedures to their health insurance companies.

Shelly’s motivation
"I enjoy helping and seeing people make the lifestyle changes throughout the whole program. It’s very rewarding to help someone not only improve their health but to be with them as they change their life. Lifestyle changes are not easy and I’m very happy to be here for patients when things are going great as well as the challenging times. I have learned just as much from my patients as they have from me. It's great to be a coach on this team."

Rosa Heimerman, Receptionist, has worked in the health and fitness area as a life guard and swim instructor for Disney World’s All Star Resort and the YMCA after school program in child care and as a life guard in their swimming program before coming to Via Christi Weight Management.

Rosa’s motivation
"I enjoy speaking with our patients at the front desk. When people lose weight, not only are they healthier, they also feel physically and mentally better about themselves. To know that I played a role in helping people is what makes my day.

Many patients like our program, and they love the meal replacements. Many continue to use our products after they complete our program through our HMR @ Home program, where our products are available for purchase on-line. I am responsible for the HMR @ Home orders, and it is fascinating to see all the different states and cities the orders come from. Basically, the staff is great, the diet works, and the food is good!"