Patient Goal Setting Process for 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:

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.