The GLP-1 Market Opportunity
Demand for GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and other semaglutide-based options has grown rapidly. For telehealth operators and established clinics, GLP-1 programs can be a strong opportunity—but winning programs are built around a complete patient journey, not just prescriptions.
This guide breaks down the steps to launch a GLP-1 telehealth program—from operations and clinical workflows to acquisition and retention.
Important: This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical advice. Clinical decisions should be made by licensed providers and follow current prescribing guidance and local regulations.
Step 1: Understand the Regulatory Landscape
Telehealth licensing requirements
Before launching, make sure your model works across the regions you plan to serve:
- State licensing: Providers generally need to be licensed in the state where the patient is located
- Telehealth prescribing rules: Requirements vary by state (even for non-controlled medications)
- Documentation and consent: Some states have specific rules for telehealth consent and charting
- Corporate practice of medicine: Ownership and MSO structures can be restricted in certain states
DEA and pharmacy considerations
Even though GLP-1s are not controlled substances, you’ll still need a clear pharmacy strategy:
- Pharmacy partnerships: Work with properly licensed pharmacies that can dispense your prescribed medication
- Compounded medication workflows: If offered, use pharmacies that meet applicable requirements (e.g., 503A/503B) and follow current guidance
- Refill management: Implement a system to track refills, follow-ups, and patient eligibility over time
HIPAA and data handling
If you handle patient information, you’ll need strong privacy and security practices:
- Secure messaging and access controls
- Clear data retention and audit logging practices
- Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) where applicable
- Policies for vendors that touch patient data
Keep wording accurate: many platforms can support HIPAA requirements depending on configuration and agreements.
Step 2: Choose Your Technology Stack
Essential platform components
A successful GLP-1 telehealth program usually needs:
- Intake + onboarding: eligibility screening, medical history, and consent flows
- Clinical workflow: documentation, follow-ups, and care team coordination
- Patient portal: program tasks, messaging, refills, and status updates
- Billing: subscriptions and/or visit payments, receipts, retries, refunds
- Communication layer: reminders, follow-ups, and patient outreach
Build vs. buy decision
Most teams choose one of these paths:
- All-in-one platform: fastest way to launch with fewer moving parts
- Best-of-breed stack: more flexibility but more integration overhead
- Custom build: highest control, highest cost, longest timelines
For many new programs, an integrated platform is the simplest way to reduce operational risk early on.
Step 3: Develop Clinical Protocols
Patient eligibility criteria
Set clear inclusion/exclusion criteria that match your clinical model and risk tolerance.
Examples of common inclusion criteria:
- BMI criteria based on current clinical guidelines
- Age range your program supports
- Readiness to follow program expectations
- No contraindications based on labeling and clinical assessment
Examples of common exclusion criteria:
- History of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2
- Severe gastrointestinal disease
- Pregnancy or planning pregnancy
- Other risk factors based on provider evaluation
Initial assessment protocol
A structured first evaluation helps prevent churn later:
- Medical history review: key conditions, contraindications, past response
- Weight history: previous attempts, patterns, plateau risks
- Current medications: interaction and safety review
- Labs (if required): based on provider judgment and program design
- Lifestyle assessment: diet, activity, sleep, stress
- Goal setting: realistic milestones and what “success” looks like
Dosing and titration protocols
Create a consistent approach for titration that follows prescribing guidance. Many programs use step-based schedules, but dosing should always be determined by licensed clinicians and patient response.
Tip: Avoid locking your ops team into hard-coded dose timelines. Build workflows that support provider-driven adjustments.
Follow-up schedule
A structured follow-up cadence improves safety and retention:
- Week 2: tolerability + side-effect check (async or brief visit)
- Month 1: progress review + plan adjustment
- Months 2–3: efficacy evaluation and next steps
- Month 4+: monthly maintenance or personalized cadence
Step 4: Build Your Team
Core team roles
Clinical team
- Prescribing providers (MD/DO/NP/PA depending on state rules)
- Clinical support (RN/MA for education and triage)
- Medical director (protocol oversight + quality)
Operations team
- Patient coordinators (intake, scheduling, patient comms)
- Billing support (coverage checks, collections, subscription support)
- Platform ops (workflows, reporting, integrations)
Provider recruitment
What tends to work best:
- Clear protocols and support resources
- Predictable workflows and visit templates
- Realistic volume expectations
- Training that reduces cognitive load on day one
Step 5: Set Up Operations
Patient intake workflow
A scalable onboarding flow looks like:
- Lead capture: landing page form or inbound call
- Eligibility screening: quick qualification questions
- Coverage or pricing clarity: insurance vs self-pay expectations
- Full intake: medical history, consents, program readiness
- Scheduling: first touch or async provider review
- Pre-visit prep: labs, welcome materials, account access
Prescription and pharmacy workflow
A simple operational loop:
- Provider review and prescribing decision
- eRx and/or pharmacy coordination (depending on your model)
- Track fill status and patient confirmations
- Refill timing based on follow-up completion
- Automate reminders + re-checks when needed
Billing and revenue cycle
Your billing model should match your program design:
- Subscription vs per-visit pricing
- Clear expectations around what’s included
- Automated retries and dunning (if applicable)
- Simple refund flow through your payment provider
Avoid promising pricing outcomes publicly. Focus on transparency and predictability.
Step 6: Patient Acquisition
Marketing channels
Common channels for GLP-1 programs include:
Digital
- SEO for GLP-1 keywords (semaglutide, weight loss telehealth, etc.)
- Paid search (Google Ads)
- Paid social (Meta, TikTok)
- Educational content (blogs, FAQs, guides)
Partnerships
- Provider referrals
- Employer wellness programs
- Local partnerships where relevant
Conversion optimization
Most wins come from the basics:
- Clear landing page positioning + expectations
- Fast lead response time
- Intake flows designed for mobile completion
- Follow-up sequences for non-converters
Pricing strategy
Common approaches include:
- Insurance-based care where coverage exists
- Cash-pay programs with predictable monthly pricing
- Hybrid models (visit + program fee)
- Bundles (coaching, labs, add-ons)
Step 7: Quality and Compliance
Clinical quality metrics
Track the metrics that help you run a better program:
- Retention rate (month-to-month)
- Follow-up completion rates
- Time to first touch
- Support load per patient
- Patient satisfaction
Compliance monitoring
Operational guardrails matter:
- Regular chart reviews
- Credential/license tracking
- Prescribing pattern reviews (internal QA)
- Patient complaint tracking and resolution
Adverse event protocols
Establish escalation and documentation workflows, including when patients should seek urgent care and how your team responds to safety flags.
Step 8: Scale Your Program
Automation opportunities
As volume grows, automate the repetitive work:
- Patient intake and routing
- Appointment and refill reminders
- Patient-initiated refill requests (with clinical review gates)
- Follow-up scheduling prompts
- Subscription billing + retry logic
Expand your service area
When expanding geographically:
- Add provider coverage across states
- Confirm pharmacy coverage by region
- Localize your marketing and expectations
- Maintain consistent clinical quality controls
Add complementary services
Common add-ons that increase program value:
- Nutrition coaching
- Fitness guidance or partnerships
- Behavioral health support
- Lab services (where appropriate)
- Supplements (if aligned with your brand)
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Clinical pitfalls
- Weak screening: higher risk and higher churn
- Inconsistent follow-up: patients drop when support disappears
- No lifestyle support: expectations mismatch creates refunds and dissatisfaction
Business pitfalls
- Underestimating competition: differentiation is often in experience + operations
- Cash flow gaps: reimbursement timelines can strain small teams
- Provider burnout: unclear workflows and overload lead to turnover
Regulatory pitfalls
- Multi-state complexity: requirements differ more than most teams expect
- Pharmacy instability: your partner choice impacts patient experience directly
- Marketing claims: avoid promising specific outcomes or timelines
Launching Your Program: A Timeline
Weeks 1–4: Foundation
- Finalize structure and legal model
- Choose platform and pharmacy strategy
- Draft clinical protocols and intake
Weeks 5–8: Build-out
- Configure workflows and patient journey
- Recruit and train team
- Set up billing and messaging operations
Weeks 9–10: Testing
- Run a small pilot cohort
- Fix drop-offs and support bottlenecks
- Finalize marketing pages and intake copy
Weeks 11–12: Launch
- Launch acquisition campaigns
- Monitor daily ops and retention signals
- Iterate quickly based on data
Conclusion
Launching a GLP-1 telehealth program is absolutely doable—but the best programs win on operations: predictable onboarding, structured follow-ups, strong retention loops, and a platform that keeps everything connected.
Ready to launch your GLP-1 program? Explore our GLP-1 solutions or contact our team to discuss your workflows.