We are pleased to introduce the Unit of Therapeutic Patient Education for Obesity and Diabetes at Geneva University Hospitals, an Adult COM in Switzerland, led by Prof. Zoltan Pataky, MD. This COM provides multidisciplinary, person-centred care for adults living with obesity, integrating medical, nutritional, psychological and behavioural approaches within a structured Therapeutic Patient Education (TPE) model. Alongside clinical care, the unit is actively involved in research, education and professional training in obesity and chronic disease management. The centre is also a WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research in the Field of Education and Long-Term Follow-up Strategies for Chronic Diseases, reflecting its longstanding expertise in patient education and chronic disease care.
Welcome, Professor Pataky. What is the philosophy behind your COM’s approach to obesity care?
Key elements of obesity management in our specialized unit include approaches that consider the perspectives, experiences and life circumstances of people living with obesity. These include setting personalized goals, planning actions and supporting their implementation within the framework of Therapeutic Patient Education (TPE), as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO).
TPE is the cornerstone of our care model and has been developed at Geneva University Hospitals since the 1970s. This structured, person-centred approach supports people living with obesity in developing the skills and confidence needed to manage their condition and improve their health and quality of life. It is defined as a structured and lifelong learning process that helps individuals identify their needs, mobilize their own resources and explore sustainable changes to achieve their health goals, with the support of healthcare professionals, their loved ones and their community.
A fundamental principle of TPE is the recognition of the patient as a full expert partner in the therapeutic process. Individuals living with obesity are not passive recipients of information but active participants in decisions concerning their health and care pathway. Our programmes are developed in close collaboration with patients and tailored to their individual medical, psychological and social needs.
Outside the healthcare setting, it is the patient who, day after day, makes decisions, adapts behaviours and manages their condition as part of comprehensive obesity management in everyday life.
Thank you. Could you please tell us about your multidisciplinary team’s activities, both in clinical work and research?
Our multidisciplinary team is composed of 11 physicians, 7 nurses, 4 dietitians, 3 psychologists, 3 specialists in adult pedagogy, 1 art therapist and 1 physiotherapist. The team is trained in both obesity management and TPE, ensuring a comprehensive and coordinated approach to care. Our specialised unit offers individualized obesity management programmes of varying durations, integrating the full range of evidence-based treatments available for obesity. Depending on individual needs, this may include individualized medical follow-up aimed at initiating and monitoring pharmacological treatment, consultations with multidisciplinary specialists and structured therapeutic education delivered in individual or group formats.
We also offer structured TPE programmes through individual consultations, workshops and group sessions addressing nutrition, eating behaviours, psychological aspects, physical activity and treatment options including pharmacotherapy and bariatric surgery. Dedicated programmes are available to prepare patients for bariatric surgery and to support long-term follow-up after surgery. In addition, we provide specialised group programmes for eating disorders and individual and group art therapy. More information about the Therapeutic Patient Education programmes is available here (in French).
What research, innovation, and achievements has your COM been involved in recently?
Our unit is actively involved in clinical research and international collaborations. We are:
- Currently an investigational centre in a Phase 3 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of Maridebart Cafraglutide in adults living with obesity or overweight without type 2 diabetes
- Part of a Horizon Europe multicentre trial called “Staying healthy in a rapidly changing society” and leading the project “Strategic Health Initiative for Effective Disease Prevention”
- Publishing our work, including a recent case report in JCEM Case Reports titled “Weight management in a patient with Smith-Magenis syndrome: the role of GLP-1 receptor agonists”, which was presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) 2025 in Malaga, Spain.
Our team has also published Guidelines for obesity management for GPs in Switzerland (in French only) and for management of pharmacological treatment of obesity.
Can you tell us about your teaching and training activities?
We contribute to the training of medical students at University of Geneva by providing courses on obesity and metabolism. Our specialized unit plays a leading role in education and professional training in the field of obesity and chronic disease management. Each year, we organize the Geneva Obesity Day, a major scientific and educational event open to all healthcare professionals in Geneva and the surrounding region involved in the care of people living with obesity. As part of our department’s postgraduate education activities, we provide specialized training for general practitioners focused on the prevention and management of overweight and obesity.
In addition, we offer a Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) and a Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS) in Therapeutic Patient Education. This rigorous and comprehensive postgraduate program is designed to equip healthcare professionals with the competencies required to:
- Practice Therapeutic Patient Education in a structured and evidence-based manner;
- Design, develop, and evaluate therapeutic education programs for the prevention and management of chronic diseases;
- Acquire pedagogical skills to train other healthcare professionals in Therapeutic Patient Education;
- Coordinate and lead the implementation of Therapeutic Patient Education projects within healthcare institutions.
To date, this training program remains unique in Switzerland and Europe, and is recognized internationally for its academic quality and innovative approach.
What are your COM’s main goals and priorities for the future?
Our goal is to strengthen the monitoring and management of clinical outcomes and to continue developing personalised programmes in partnership with people living with obesity. We also aim to raise awareness among healthcare professionals and the public about effective obesity treatments, including pharmacological therapies, and to strengthen obesity prevention efforts at the population level.
Through continued innovation in Therapeutic Patient Education, multidisciplinary care and research, our unit remains committed to improving care and long-term outcomes for people living with obesity.
Further information on the team’s interdisciplinary approach and clinical work in both obesity and diabetes is available via Prof. Pataky’s professional website.
This edition highlights the Unit of Therapeutic Patient Education for Obesity and Diabetes at Geneva University Hospitals, an Adult EASO COM in Switzerland led by Prof. Zoltan Pataky. The centre delivers multidisciplinary, person-centred obesity care for adults, integrating medical, nutritional, psychological and behavioural approaches within a structured Therapeutic Patient Education (TPE) model. The interview highlights the team’s patient-partnership approach to care, alongside their contributions to clinical research, professional training and education in obesity and chronic disease management. We thank Professor Pataky and the COM team in Switzerland for their continued contribution to the EASO COMs network.
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