Patient-centred consultations—clinicians can still do better.

This article discusses the findings of a study on the advice given by general practitioners to obese patients in order to help them lose weight. The study found that many clinicians lack the knowledge and confidence to provide effective advice. Even when clinicians have the knowledge, the way in which they deliver the advice is often sub-optimal, with advice being superficial and not personalized to patients. The article suggests that in order to improve the effectiveness of primary care consultations, clinicians should receive regular training on delivering personalized advice and utilize strategies such as patient activation measures, motivational interviewing, scaling, and setting SMART goals. The article emphasizes the importance of personalized advice in reducing patient morbidity and calls for the implementation of these strategies in medical schools and primary care settings. [Extracted from the article]