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Primary care physicians have an important role both in assessing the weight of patients, counseling on weight loss and behavior change, and in supporting a bariatric surgery plan. These web sites offer guidelines and tools to improve physician practices working with overweight patients. Assessment of weight and documentation of the patient’s body mass index (BMI) is an important process step for initiating therapeutic process steps to promote a healthy weight.
The American College of Physicians
The ACP issued the evidence based guideline, “Pharmacologic and Surgical Management of Obesity in Primary Care: A Clinical Practice Guideline from the American College of Physicians” which include medical and pharmacy treatment recommendations for management of the obese patient.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
AHRQ is a federal agency that supports reviews of research evidence underlying clinical treatments. The AHRQ evidence review, “Pharmacological and Surgical Treatment of Obesity” examines the medical literature and recommends treatment approaches based on effectiveness.
Michigan Quality Improvement Consortium
This consortium has developed guidelines for managing overweight and obesity, and also offers tools and information for physicians to improve practice. A particularly helpful tool is the guide to communications with patients about weight loss.
Wellpoint
For a health plan example of resources for physician management of weight, see, “Patient Counseling Guidelines for Families with Overweight Children and Adolescents”
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