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Liver in the Balance: Tackling Fatty Liver Disease in Primary Care

Family Medicine

Up to 25% of Canadians have fatty liver disease. This project empowers primary care doctors to identify and manage silent liver diseases like MASLD and MASH before they cause serious harm.

Project Partners

  • Physician Learning Program (PLP)

  • Dr. Puneeta Tandon (Medical Director, PLP)

  • Dr. Mang Ma (Session Lead and Speaker)

  

Background

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) and its more severe form, MASH, are growing public health concerns in Canada, affecting millions. MASLD impacts 25% of Canadian adults—roughly 8 million people—and approximately 1.5 million live with MASH. Due to its silent progression, MASH is often underdiagnosed and is now the second leading cause of liver transplants in North America. Early diagnosis and intervention are key to mitigating long-term complications and healthcare burdens.


Aims/Objectives

  • Raise awareness of MASLD and MASH among family physicians

  • Improve early identification of at-risk patients in primary care

  • Share practical strategies for screening and management

  • Offer referral guidance and treatment pathways

  • Equip healthcare providers with evidence-based tools and resources

 

Findings/Summary

To address the growing impact of MASLD and MASH, PLP developed a two-part webinar series guided by Dr. Puneeta Tandon and led by Dr. Mang Ma. The sessions were designed to provide family physicians with practical strategies for early identification, risk stratification, and management of patients with or at risk for MASLD/MASH. Key audiences included physicians managing obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disorders. A total of 262 participants registered, with 124 attending live and 87 viewing asynchronously. Each webinar was supported by a “Pearls for Practice” resource and recorded for continued access. Participant feedback was unanimously positive, with 100% affirming the relevance, usefulness, and impact on their clinical practice.


Conclusions/Outcomes/Impact/Implications

This series provided primary care teams with timely education to better detect and manage MASLD and MASH, conditions that are rapidly becoming major contributors to liver-related morbidity. Empowering providers with the tools for early intervention supports improved patient outcomes, reduces long-term complications, and may lessen the future strain on Canada’s healthcare system, particularly the demand for liver transplantation.

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