Illinois, US, 21st January 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, Dr. Ha T. Hatley, MD, a board-certified physician in Family Medicine and Obesity Medicine, is raising awareness around the need for sustainable, long-term approaches to weight management and overall health, emphasizing that weight care is not a short-term issue but a foundational part of lifelong wellbeing.
Dr. Hatley’s advocacy comes at a time when obesity continues to affect more than 42% of adults in the United States, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity is linked to increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, joint disease, and certain cancers, contributing to hundreds of billions of dollars in annual healthcare costs nationwide.
“Weight intersects with nearly every aspect of health,” Dr. Hatley said. “Yet too often, the conversation is reduced to quick fixes or isolated outcomes rather than long-term health and quality of life.”
With over a decade of clinical experience across outpatient care, emergency medicine, urgent care, telemedicine, and obesity medicine, Dr. Hatley has seen firsthand how fragmented approaches can limit patient success. Over the past two years, she has focused her work primarily on weight management, drawing on her broad medical background to address health in a more comprehensive way.
“Weight management isn’t just about a number on a scale,” she said. “It affects energy, mental wellbeing, confidence, and how people move through their daily lives. When we overlook that, we miss the bigger picture.”
Dr. Hatley also highlights access as a critical part of the issue. Through telehealth, she works with patients across the United States, helping remove geographic and logistical barriers that often prevent individuals from engaging consistently in care. According to recent industry research, telehealth utilization has stabilized at levels nearly 38 times higher than before the pandemic, signaling a lasting shift in how patients seek medical support.
“Access matters,” Dr. Hatley said. “When care fits into real life, patients are more likely to stay engaged and focused on long-term health.”
Beyond her civilian practice, Dr. Hatley serves as a physician in the Army National Guard, an experience she says reinforces the importance of readiness, structure, and preventive care.
“In the military, you see very clearly how health impacts performance and resilience,” she said. “That perspective carries over into civilian medicine as well.”
Dr. Hatley is also pursuing an MBA, reflecting her belief that healthcare leadership requires both clinical expertise and systems-level understanding.
“Healthcare today is complex,” she said. “If we want better outcomes, we need physicians who understand both medicine and how care is delivered.”
As part of her advocacy, Dr. Hatley encourages individuals to become more informed participants in their own health journeys by seeking credible information, asking thoughtful questions, and recognizing that long-term wellbeing is built over time.
“Progress happens when people understand that health is cumulative,” she said. “Small, consistent decisions add up.”
Call to Action
Dr. Hatley encourages individuals to engage in informed conversations about long-term health, seek reliable medical information, and reflect on how sustainable care models can support wellbeing over time.
To read the full interview, visit the website here.
About Ha T. Hatley, MD
Ha T. Hatley, MD, MS, is a board-certified physician in Family Medicine and Obesity Medicine based in Edwardsville, Illinois, providing telehealth care nationwide. Her clinical focus includes primary care, weight management, and long-term health optimization. She also serves as a physician in the Army National Guard and is pursuing an MBA to expand her leadership impact in healthcare.
Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Smart Herald journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.