Rutgers Obesity ECHO: Advancing MASLD and Obesity Management through Interdisciplinary Collaboration (Obesity-MASLD)
September 4, 2025 -
 January 22, 2026
Select Thursdays
7:30 AM -
 8:30 AM

This innovative ECHO series is designed to empower healthcare professionals with comprehensive, evidence-based knowledge and skills for the diagnosis, management, and treatment of obesity and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD). Recognizing that both conditions are highly prevalent and require specialized expertise for optimal patient care, this program seeks to bridge these critical gaps in understanding and practice.

Our primary objective is to significantly enhance your understanding of obesity as a chronic disease and its intricate relationship with MASLD. By offering education on these crucial factors through interprofessional, case-based learning, this program will significantly enhance participants’ ability to deliver high-quality, integrated care. This approach is vital for optimizing patient outcomes and effectively addressing the complex metabolic aspects of these prevalent conditions, ultimately improving overall patient health and managing disease progression.

Series Leaders

  • Mary Bridgeman, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP, Clinical Professor, Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Internal Medicine Clinical Pharmacist, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital 
  • Julien Chamoun, MS, RD, RD Nutritional Counseling
  • Eric Jahn, MD, Sr. Associate Dean for Community Health, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School 
  • Keerthana Kesavarapu, DO, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School  
  • Patricia Patsaros, RN, MSN, APN, BC-ADM, Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services, Diabetes Services, State of New Jersey
  • Lee Ruszczyk, LCSW, CCS, ACS, Senior Director of Behavioral Health, Henry J. Austin Health Center

Learning Objectives

After participating in ECHO, providers will be able to:

  • Recognize MASLD as a major obesity-related comorbidity and its progression from steatosis to more advanced liver disease stages.
  • Integrate dietary modifications, physical activity recommendations, and pharmacologic therapies (including GLP-1 receptor agonists) into care plans for patients with obesity and MASLD.
  • Develop criteria for timely referral to gastroenterologists, hepatologists, or endocrinologists for advanced stages of MASLD or related complications.
  • Use non-stigmatizing, patient-centered communication frameworks and strategies to address weight and MASLD in a respectful, non-stigmatizing manner
  • Identify and mitigate barriers, such as food insecurity and health literacy, that impact patients’ ability to engage in MASLD and long-term obesity management

Continuing Education Accreditation

To view the CE Accreditation for CME, CNE, CPE, and Social Work credits, click here.

  • Continuing Education (CE) certificates will only be issued upon completion of the following surveys:
    • Initial Pre-Series Assessment
    • Post-Session Survey for each session attended
    • Post-Series Assessment after the series concludes

 

Additional Information

Provided by Rutgers Project ECHO & supported by an educational grant from Novo Nordisk. 

Sessions

MASLD: An Overview of the Condition 
Thursday • September 04, 2025
7:30 AM
MASLD Screening & Diagnosis in Primary Care
Thursday • September 18, 2025
7:30 AM
MASLD Staging & Treatment Strategies 
Thursday • October 02, 2025
7:30 AM
- 8:30 AM
Impact of Obesity Management on Comorbidities: T2D and CVD
Thursday • October 16, 2025
7:30 AM
- 8:30 AM
Health Disparities in Obesity and MASLD Care
Thursday • November 06, 2025
7:30 AM
- 8:30 AM
Emerging Pharmacotherapy in Obesity Management and MASLD Management
Thursday • November 20, 2025
7:30 AM
- 8:30 AM
Destigmatizing Obesity and MASLD Care
Thursday • December 04, 2025
7:30 AM
- 8:30 AM
Lifestyle and Behavioral Interventions for MASLD and Obesity.
Thursday • December 18, 2025
7:30 AM
- 8:30 AM
Integrated Care Models for Managing MASLD and Obesity
Thursday • January 08, 2026
7:30 AM
- 8:30 AM
Sustaining Long-Term Success in MASLD and Obesity Care 
Thursday • January 22, 2026
7:30 AM
- 8:30 AM