Med Spa GLP-1 Program Launch Checklist: Everything You Need Before Your First Order

GLP-1 weight management programs have become one of the highest-revenue services in outpatient aesthetics. Med spas that launch well — with the right compliance infrastructure, clinical protocols, and supply chain — are generating $50,000–$200,000+ per month in recurring revenue. Med spas that launch poorly face state medical board complaints, supply disruptions, and patient safety issues.

This checklist is designed to get you to launch correctly. Work through every section before you see your first GLP-1 patient.

Every med spa offering prescription services must have a licensed physician (MD or DO) serving as medical director. The medical director:

• Holds prescribing authority in your state
• Reviews and approves clinical protocols
• Is available for patient consultations and adverse event management
• Signs off on standing orders if your state permits them

If you do not have a medical director, this is your first hire. Do not proceed without one.

Most states prohibit non-physicians from owning or controlling a medical practice. If your med spa is owned by a non-physician, you need a compliant corporate structure — typically a Management Services Organization (MSO) model where the business entity provides management services to a physician-owned professional corporation (PC) or professional association (PA).

This is not optional. State medical boards are actively investigating med spas with non-compliant ownership structures.

GLP-1 prescribing authority varies by state for NPs and PAs. Confirm:

• Your prescribing provider's scope of practice in your state
• Whether collaborative practice agreements are required
• Whether telehealth prescribing is permitted for weight management in your state

GLP-1 compounds are not controlled substances, so DEA registration is not required for semaglutide or tirzepatide. However, if you plan to offer peptides or other compounds that may require DEA registration, confirm requirements with your state medical board.

Define your inclusion and exclusion criteria before you see patients. Standard GLP-1 eligibility:

Inclusion:

• BMI ≥ 30, or BMI ≥ 27 with at least one weight-related comorbidity (hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, sleep apnea)
• Age 18+
• Willing to commit to lifestyle modification alongside pharmacotherapy

Exclusion:

• Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2
• Active pancreatitis or history of recurrent pancreatitis
• Pregnancy or planning pregnancy
• Severe GI motility disorders
• Current use of insulin (relative contraindication — requires physician review)

Establish a standard baseline lab panel for all new GLP-1 patients:

• Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP)
• Lipid panel
• HbA1c
• TSH
• CBC
• Urinalysis

Some practices add: fasting insulin, C-peptide, amylase/lipase, and a pregnancy test for women of childbearing age.

Document your titration schedule for each compound you offer. Standard protocols:

Semaglutide: 0.25mg → 0.5mg → 1mg → 1.7mg → 2.4mg at 4-week intervals Tirzepatide: 2.5mg → 5mg → 7.5mg → 10mg → 12.5mg → 15mg at 4-week intervals

Define your criteria for holding a dose (significant GI side effects, weight plateau) and your criteria for dose reduction.

Document your protocol for:

• Nausea and GI side effects (most common)
• Hypoglycemia (rare in non-diabetic patients)
• Pancreatitis (rare but serious — define your referral pathway)
• Injection site reactions
• After-hours patient contact and escalation

Your informed consent must cover:

• The compound being prescribed (including compounded vs. branded status)
• Known risks and side effects
• The importance of lifestyle modification
• Follow-up requirements
• What to do in case of adverse events

Have your medical director and a healthcare attorney review your consent form before use.

Before you can order from a 503A or 503B compounding supplier, your prescribing provider must be verified. The fastest method is NPI verification via the CMS database — this is what the MedClinic Partners portal uses for same-day approval.

Required for portal access:

• Active NPI number for your prescribing provider
• Valid state medical license
• DEA registration (for controlled substance compounds, if applicable)

Not all compounding suppliers are equal. Before placing your first order, verify:

• 503A or 503B registration with FDA
• cGMP compliance documentation
• Certificate of Analysis (COA) for each lot
• Third-party testing (HPLC purity, sterility, endotoxin)
• USA-manufactured API (not imported bulk API)
• Cold-chain shipping capability (refrigerated, overnight only)
• 12-month BUD (beyond-use dating) documentation
• IRB enrollment (for peptide programs)

Compounded GLP-1s and peptides require refrigerated storage (2–8°C). Establish a receiving protocol:

• Who receives shipments and checks temperature indicators
• Where product is stored immediately upon receipt
• What to do if a shipment arrives outside temperature range (contact supplier immediately; do not use product)

Define your par levels — the minimum quantity you keep on hand before reordering. For a practice seeing 20–30 GLP-1 patients per month:

• Maintain 2–3 weeks of supply on hand
• Reorder when inventory drops to 1-week supply
• Track lot numbers and expiration dates for every unit dispensed

Your intake form should capture:

• Medical history (with specific attention to GLP-1 contraindications)
• Current medications (check for interactions)
• Weight history and previous weight loss attempts
• Baseline weight, height, BMI
• Blood pressure and heart rate
• Consent for baseline labs

Prepare templates for:

• Welcome email with program overview and expectations
• Titration schedule and injection instructions
• Side effect management guide (what to do if nausea occurs)
• Monthly check-in reminder
• Refill request process

If patients are self-injecting (most common for subcutaneous GLP-1s):

• Provide written and video injection instructions
• Demonstrate technique at the first visit
• Confirm patient competency before they leave
• Provide a sharps disposal container

Define your standard follow-up cadence:

• Week 2: Phone or telehealth check-in for side effect assessment
• Month 1: In-person or telehealth visit, weight check, dose titration decision
• Month 3: Lab recheck (HbA1c, CMP), weight and body composition assessment
• Month 6: Comprehensive review, program continuation decision

Common GLP-1 program pricing structures:

Per-vial pricing: Patient pays per vial at each refill. Simple but creates revenue variability.

Monthly membership: $299–$599/month includes medication, provider visits, and support. Predictable recurring revenue, higher patient retention.

Program fee + medication: Upfront program enrollment fee ($199–$499) plus monthly medication cost. Captures commitment and covers onboarding costs.

Most successful practices use a monthly membership model. It aligns incentives (you want patients to stay on the program; they want to stay on the program) and creates predictable revenue.

GLP-1 patients are high-value, engaged patients. Build ancillary revenue into your program:

• Vitamin B12 injections (energy support during titration)
• NAD+ infusions or injections (metabolic support)
• Body composition analysis (InBody or similar)
• Peptide add-ons (BPC-157 for muscle preservation, CJC-1295/Ipamorelin for GH optimization)
• Aesthetic services (patients losing weight often pursue skin tightening, body contouring)

• Medical director agreement is signed
• Corporate structure is compliant with your state's CPOM rules
• Clinical protocols are documented and reviewed by your medical director
• Informed consent form is reviewed by a healthcare attorney
• Supplier is vetted and portal access is established
• Cold-chain receiving and storage protocol is in place
• Patient intake forms and communication templates are ready
• Staff are trained on injection technique and adverse event protocol
• Pricing model and billing process are defined

MedClinic Partners provides same-day portal access for licensed providers, with next-day refrigerated delivery of 503A/503B compounded GLP-1s and peptides to all 50 states. NPI verification takes under 60 seconds.