Contact Information

Phone: 781-485-6217

Explore This Program

    Our Program

    The MGH Division of General Internal Medicine’s Healthy Lifestyle Program (HLP) was founded in 2019 and is the largest clinical program of its type in the country. The HLP Committee currently includes over 60 MGH primary care physicians and nurse practitioners, health and wellness coaches, and dieticians. The HLP offers MGH Primary Care patients Lifestyle Medicine Virtual Group Visits as well as health and wellness coaching (see below). The Program’s mission is to empower people to engage in healthy lifestyles by integrating clinical practice, education, research and community programs; the Program’s vision is to establish healthy lifestyle change as the standard of care for chronic disease prevention and treatment.

    The HLP was the first U.S. Academic Medical Center to be designated a “Lifestyle Medicine Treatment Program” by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. The HLP has won multiple awards, including “Leading Innovator, Whole-Person Care Innovation Category” at the 2025 Primary Care Collaborative’s Innovation Showcase, MGH’s 10th Annual Patient Experience Team Award in recognition of “exceptional performance and dedicated commitment to providing an extraordinary experience” for patients and families, and the MGH Springboard Studio iSolve Grand Prize in 2021.

    What Is Lifestyle Medicine?

    "Lifestyle medicine is an evidence-based approach to preventing, treating and even reversing diseases by replacing unhealthy behaviors with positive ones," according to the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

    6 Ways to Improve Health »

    Lifestyle Medicine Virtual Group Visits (LMVGVs)

    The HLP is a national leader integrating Lifestyle Medicine Virtual Group Visits (LMVGVs) into primary care. LMVGVs, which are Shared Medical Appointments, allow multiple patients with a shared diagnosis, such as diabetes or obesity, to be in the same virtual room at the same time with a provider for 60 minutes. Providers can focus on motivating patients and sharing education on Lifestyle Medicine. During LMVGVs, providers also conduct individual check-ins with each patient to advance their individual care plans. In addition, other team members, such as Health and Wellness Coaches, provide patient support and guidance during an LMVGV (see below).

    The HLP showcases multiple evidence-based LMVGV series on hypertension (i.e., high blood pressure), prediabetes and diabetes (i.e., high blood sugar), hyperlipidemia (i.e., high cholesterol), and obesity management with GLP-1 medications. The Program also offers LMVGVs focused on brain care (i.e., dementia and stroke prevention), nutrition for health, acid reflux, insomnia, and stress reduction.

    To better understand how a LMVGV runs, watch the HLP LMVGV Overview video. If you receive primary care at MGH and you are interested in participating in an LMVGV, please call 781-485-6217.

    You can also sign up via self-service on Patient Gateway by logging in, navigating to Visits, selecting “Schedule an appointment,” and then selecting “MGH Lifestyle Medicine Virtual Group.” Please choose your preferred topic from the menu and complete the scheduling questions to book your virtual group appointment(s).

    Calendar of Upcoming Lifestyle Medicine Virtual Group Visits (LMVGVs) and Free Webinars

    Below is a list of upcoming Lifestyle Medicine Virtual Group Visits (LMVGVs) that are available to patients receiving primary care at MGH. Free webinars are open to all. Please click on each individual calendar event for details and information for signing up. If you are having trouble viewing the calendar, please click here .

    Health and Wellness Coaching

    Health and wellness coaching uses a client-centered approach wherein clients decide their goals, engage in self-discovery, and self-monitor behaviors to increase accountability. Health and Wellness Coaches meet clients exactly where they are on their lifestyle journey and support them in uncovering their desire to be well. The HLP offers participants in Lifestyle Medicine Virtual Group Visits (LMVGVs) complimentary one-on-one health and wellness coaching. To learn more, watch this video.

    Lifestyle Medicine Virtual Group Visit Curricula

    The Lifestyle Medicine Virtual Group Visit curricula and other resources that have been developed by MGH are now available for licensing through Mass General Brigham Innovation. Learn more.

    Video Channels

    Free Lifestyle Medicine Webinars

    Learn about the benefits of healthy lifestyle change through the Healthy Lifestyle Program webinars. All webinars are open to all and free. No registration is required. To view upcoming webinars, please see the Calendar of Upcoming Lifestyle Medicine Virtual Group Visits and Free Webinars. The Zoom link for all webinars is: https://partners.zoom.us/j/84063392146

    To view previously recorded webinars, visit the Healthy Lifestyle Program Video Channel .

    Patient Testimonials

    Thank you so much [to the Division of General Internal Medicine Healthy Lifestyle Program] for all their help with improving my health. I saw my new [PCP] for an annual physical and blood work, and I passed everything with flying colors. My blood pressure is 118/56 and I am down 11 pounds, causing my A1C to drop three points. The Healthy Lifestyle Program has been the catalyst and will continue to be the route for me to reach my life goal of living to 100 and dying healthy. Those results were enough for me to keep doing what I am doing, and I am so exhilarated by it.

    — Josephine

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    Our Team

    Jacob Mirsky, MD, MA, DipABLM, FACLM
    Medical Director

    Barbara Canada, MBA
    Program Director

    Anna Baggett
    Program Manager

    Nydia Febres
    Program Coordinator

    Amy Sinclair, NBC-HWC
    Health and Wellness Coach and Virtual Group Visit Coordinator

    Katie Engels, NBC-HWC
    Health and Wellness Coach and Virtual Group Visit Coordinator

    Jhoselyn Orellana
    Health and Wellness Coach and Virtual Group Visit Coordinator

    Lifestyle Medicine Virtual Group Visit Providers

    • Carolina Abuelo, MD
    • Chris Gelev, MD
    • Christine Goscila, FNP-BC
    • Claudia Guillen, DNP
    • Chin Ho-Fung, MD
    • Diana Cornell, MD
    • Grace Han, DNP, FNP-C
    • Helen Delichatsios, MD, SM, DipABLM
    • Jacob Mirsky, MD, MA, DipABLM, FACLM
    • Juliana Morris, MD, EdM
    • Ksenia Blinnikova, MD, MPH, DipABOM, DipABLM, MSCP
    • Laura Hu, MD, MPH
    • Mary Ann Foley, MSN, CNP
    • Melinda Mesmer, MD
    • Sydney Jimenez, MD
    • Sarah Matathia, MD, MPH, DipABLM

    Latest Research & News

    Memberships & Certifications

    ACLM Certification

    ACLM certified

    MGH Healthy Lifestyle Program has earned Certified Lifestyle Medicine Program designation from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM). The designation is given to structured programs that use a consistent protocol to treat chronic disease or educate individuals on health information or to implement healthy behaviors.

    Health Systems Council Founding Member

    Health Systems Council

    We are proud to announce that we are a founding member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Health Systems Council, a group dedicated to supporting the pioneering trend of implementing lifestyle medicine into some of the largest and most innovative health organizations in the U.S.

    Learn more

    Internal Medicine Division

    We have more than 400 physicians who are involved in clinical practice, teaching and training, research, innovation and scholarship.

    Learn more