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Table 6 Further patient needs for weight management

From: The 5As team patient study: patient perspectives on the role of primary care in obesity management

Subtheme

Patient quotes

Individualized weight management resources

• …when you do a group session, there are people with so many different dietary needs. There were a lot of people in that class that had…were looking at needing bariatric surgery and all kinds of other things. So the needs of all people were so different that it’s hard to get the answers to what you want because everybody is different. (Patient 16)

Advanced educational sessions

• I would like there to be more of the Moving for Health. It would be nice if there was different levels, because they’ve got a lot of equipment there. It would be great to learn how to use. There’s just that first one to get you moving and then it’s up to you to carry on. It would be great if they would do classes. I think a lot of people would come here to do it because one if it’s free, and two when everybody else is overweight, you’re more comfortable. You’re not as comfortable when you’re having to go to a gym and everybody is all healthy and skinny and running on that track, so if you could come here and do Jazzercise or that kind of thing in the gym. (Patient 19)

Enhanced advertisement

• I think the one thing that I would say was if this were more readily advertised…The PCN programs were advertised that they were available, I think I would have jumped on them a lot faster ‘cause it is something that is interesting and motivating for me. (Patient 14)

Follow-up sessions

• The other thing that would be really helpful in these programs is the commitments from patients. Again, it comes down to accountability. So the patient says, ‘I’m going to do this, this, and this.’ When you check back, whoever it is that you’re checking in with is asking, ‘Have you done this?’ ‘Why?’ ‘Why not?’ ‘How did it work?’ ‘What can you do further?’ ‘If that’s not work, what can we do instead?’ (Patient 23)

• The other part would be accountability. That there is an opportunity either at the PCN or at the doctor, whoever wants to take the lead that can be an ongoing follow-up. I think the programs are great, but when the program ends, what happens next to that patient? . . . And, the thing is this is a lifestyle thing. So all of those things are great building blocks on your lifestyle, but what is going to keep you working on that lifestyle, to improve in general. So, it would be an ongoing connection, I think, with a PCN or with the doctor. I think PCN would be a great place to continue because they have some resources that the doctor’s offices don’t always have. (Patient 23)

• I’d love something that could be ongoing! Almost like a course where it was a whole year long and you make a commitment to it…Yeah I’d love something like that where you’re more accountable, there’s more follow up, and you can ask questions and express your concerns. (Patient 2)