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Patient Goal Setting Process for Behavioural Change

Discover the patient goal setting process for achieving behavioural change.
Goal setting is a key health behaviour change strategy and clinicians are generally confident in goal setting with patients. Through motivational interviewing and discussions with patients, the aim is to agree on some goals which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely and that are considered important to the patient.

These goals are best to be developed as targeted behaviors, where the barriers have been discussed and strategies developed to target these. For example, ‘weight loss’ is not a behaviour – it is the outcome. In contrast, behavioural goals are ones such as:

-Drink one less glass of wine per night. -Prepare and take a healthy lunch to work three out of five days per week. Weigh myself once a week and record in my log book. -Go for three walks around the block next week. -Cut out pasta, rice and potatoes from my evening meals.

The treatment plan can also include referral to other health professionals for weight management if this is not an area in which you feel you have the skills or expertise to advise on.

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EduWeight: Weight Management for Adult Patients with Chronic Disease

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