Patients have the right to know of treatment options and degree of realistic outcomes of various options. Patients have the right to know that being overweight or obese is a serious disease with known health risks. Patients have the right to know that obesity is a chronic health disease requiring personal effort over many years and probably involving lifelong changes in diet, exercise and behavior. Patients have the right to know that rapid weight loss may cause serious health problems. Patients have the right to know the anticipated cost and duration of services.
Patients have the right to know the provider's qualifications.
Providers have a duty to maintain currency with obesity research and best practices appropriate to their specific profession. Providers have a duty to determine each patient's medical and psychological condition prior to provision of services. Providers have a duty to counsel each patient about realistic weight loss goals, the timelines to reach those goals and the diet, exercise and behavioral changes necessary to maintain weight loss and achieve associated health benefits. Providers shall always provide for the best interests of the patient and will not recommend or provide products or services which are not reasonably expected to be effective without informing the patient that they are participating in an experimental program and obtaining their informed consent. Providers shall inform patients of this Bill of Rights as a member of AOA and their adherence to it.