Blurred woman with dark hair in the background behind green plant leaves.

Skilled support for your weight and metabolism — funded by OHIP.

THE SHIFT START PROGRAM

The Shift Start Program is OHIP-funded weight and metabolic health care for Ontarians 15 and older. One consultation with Dr. Ashley White, weekly virtual group sessions over two months, and a full report back to your own doctor. By referral.

For referring physicians and nurse practitioners

There is no “outside use” or “access negation” for rostered patients with this program.

There is no financial penalty to family doctors who refer to this program.

Recent bloodwork is helpful but not required. You'll receive a consult report at completion, and the patient will remain under your primary care.

Refer a patient in one of three ways:

Ocean eReferral*

*Search Ocean Health Map for Dr. Ashley White or The Shift Clinic  

Fax to 1-833-427-1406
PDF Referral Form

Tell us you're interested

We take a limited number of patients each month, so every cohort stays small and personal. Tell us you're interested by completing this form and we'll walk you through the referral. If the next cohort is full, we'll add you to the waitlist and let you know the moment a spot opens.

This is for you if…

  • You're 15 or older and live in Ontario.

  • You want care that explains what's happening in your body, not just a plan to follow.

  • You're done with restriction and shame and want an evidence-based approach.

  • You're ready to spend two focused months on how your metabolism and appetite actually work.

  • You want your own doctor kept in the loop, with a clear report at the end.

  • You have internet and a private space for virtual sessions.

  • Sharing in the group is welcomed but never required.

OHIP-funded. By referral. No membership required

The Start Program gives you skilled, structured support for sustainable weight and metabolic health — funded by OHIP once you're referred. You meet one-on-one with Dr. White, join a small group of people working on the same things, and finish with a clear picture of your metabolism, appetite, and perspective. Your long-term care and any medication adjustments stay with the provider who already knows you.

How it works

  1. Your provider refers you (Ocean eReferral , download form, or fax to 1-833-427-1406).

  2. You complete a short online intake.

  3. You join weekly virtual group sessions over two months.

  4. You work through curated activities and challenges before, during and after each session.

  5. You finish with a comprehensive weight playbook sent to your referring clinician, and a summary written for you.

  6. You're discharged back to your own provider with a plan.

What you’ll work on

The Start Program looks at the three things that drive weight. By the end, you’ll have a complete read on all three. So does your doctor.

  • Metabolism — insulin resistance, lab interpretation, cardiovascular risk, and how medication fits where it's appropriate.

  • Appetite — learning to read your appetite as information instead of fighting it.

  • Perspective — the mental and emotional experience of weight and what to do about it

We work alongside your own doctor or nurse practitioner.

The Start Program is focused and time-limited. For two months you get concentrated support and a clear plan. At the end, you're discharged back to your primary care provider, who continues your long-term care and any ongoing medication adjustments. You'll both have what you need to keep going — your provider receives a consult report, and you receive a summary written for you.

A woman dressed as a doctor with a stethoscope around her neck, standing in a bright office near a desk with a laptop, with plants and large windows in the background.

Meet Dr. White

MD, CCFP-EM, Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.

I built this program around what I wish I'd had earlier — care that treats weight as the medical condition it is, with evidence and without shame.

We look at the whole picture: your metabolism, your appetite, and what it's actually like to live in a changing body.


FAQ

  • Yes. The core program is OHIP-funded once you're referred. A few optional add-ons — like an in-clinic InBody body composition scan, or insurer prior-authorization forms for medication coverage — are disclosed clearly before you book.


  • Yes. Ask your primary care provider to refer you, or tell us you're interested and we'll send your provider exactly what they need. Patients cannot-self refer to the Start Program.


  • Two months, start to finish. One consultation with Dr. White, then weekly virtual group sessions. You're discharged at the end.

  •  Anyone 15 or older who lives in Ontario.

  •  Where it's clinically appropriate, medication may be started with a clear, structured plan. Any long-term adjustments continue with your own doctor. (flagged below)

  • No. We treat weight as a complex medical condition and look at the full picture — metabolism, appetite, and perspective.


  • You're discharged back to your provider with a plan. Your provider receives a consult report, and you receive a summary written for you.


  • We accept a limited number of patients each month so every group stays small. If a cohort is full, let us know you're interested and we'll add you to the waitlist and tell you when the next one opens.


For referring physicians and nurse practitioners

There is no “outside use” or “access negation” for rostered patients with this program. There is no financial penalty to family doctors who refer to this program.

Recent bloodwork is helpful but not required. You'll receive a consult report at completion. Refer a patient three ways: