Research
Adherence
PCP referral is associated with higher end-of-study patient-provider relationship quality, although it does not improve satisfaction with the intervention or participation rates.
If your doctor refers you to a weight loss program, you may feel a stronger connection with your doctor, which is a positive outcome. However, do not expect this to translate into better weight loss results or higher satisfaction with the program itself. The program's success depends on your engagement with the coaches and materials, not the referral source.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
PCP referral was not significantly associated with percentage of completed coach contacts, web logins, and satisfaction with trial, but was associated with higher end of study patient–provider relationship quality (p = 0.007).
Why this rating
Based on the same RCT secondary analysis with robust statistical adjustment.
Source
Role of PCP referral and weight loss in the Hopkins POWER trial
Eva Tseng et al. · Preventive Medicine Reports · 2015
DOI 10.1016/j.pmedr.2015.11.002
rct · n=415Cited 5×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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