The group facilitator contacted the participants by telephone at 8 and 16 weeks after the commencement of the intervention program. The purpose of calling was to foster continued performance accomplishment via verbal persuasion. Each phone call lasted for 10–15 min. Maintaining contact not only helped the patients to feel cared for, which enhanced their motivation, but it also provided the healthcare providers with an invaluable early-warning system for problems that could get much worse before the patient called about them.