The office approach to the obese patient.

Effective obesity care will not be accomplished without the implementation of a well-planned, office-based organizational system designed to address the assessment, evaluation, and treatment of the overweight and obese patient. Completing an office audit, as shown in Table 1, should be useful for triggering quality improvement opportunities regarding obesity care. Similarly, the chart audit in Table 4 can be used to assess current and future practice behavior. This article has reviewed the key office-based components for the delivery of obesity care. The strategies and techniques used for treatment are addressed in the remaining articles in this issue.