HMR was founded as a separate company in 1983, and has provided its programs to U.S. hospitals, medical centers, provider groups, and health systems. More recently, HMR introduced a self-directed program that participants can access online with the option of coaching support by phone. In 2013, HMR became a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. and is part of Merck's Healthcare Services & Solutions, an entity separate from the pharmaceutical business, which focuses on improving the healthcare experience for patients, providers, and payers. In January 2020, HMR was acquired by Providence St. Joseph Health. HMR has been included on U.S. News & World Report's rankings for 40 Best Weight-Loss Diets.
The HMR Program
The HMR Program enables participants to make lifestyle changes to lose weight and then maintain the weight loss. Specifically, the program helps participants learn ways to reduce fat in the diet, eat more fruits and vegetables, and increase daily physical activity. HMR programs reinforce that the behavioral changes participants make to manage their weight also help for overall health management.
HMR offers a range of program options with varying degrees of structure. There is a clinical plan that includes medical supervision and face-to-face group coaching. Individuals may also choose less structured options which can be done with or without medical supervision in a clinic setting. HMR also offers several “at home” weight-loss plans/ All HMR Programs are divided into two phases:
Phase 1 : The goal is to lose weight quickly by replacing current meals and snacks with HMR foods while beginning to incorporate regular physical activity.
Phase 2 : Participants learn more strategies to manage their weight over the long term as they face "real world" eating challenges such as socializing, dining out, or traveling.
There have been several published studies documenting the outcomes of the HMR Program. The clinic-based Decision-Free® Diet has the largest published weight losses ranging from 43 – 66 pounds in 12 – 26 weeks. Two studies have reported on weight losses of 100 pounds or more with the average weight loss over 130 pounds. The clinic-based Healthy Solutions® Diet has reported weight losses ranging from 28 – 37.5 pounds in 12 – 26 weeks.
Two randomized controlled trials on the Healthy Solutions at Home Program found that participants in the phone-based program lost as much weight as those in a traditional face-to-face clinic. In both studies, participants in the phone coaching program lost an average of 28 pounds at 6 months. Another randomized study found that participants using Healthy Solutions at Home without any additional coaching lost an average of 13 pounds in 12 weeks.
