The purpose of this study was to examine the premise that a stimulus to the physician in the form of a written reminder would aid the physician in influencing his patient in compliance with a therapeutic diet. Compliance outcome related to the physician-patient relationship and the quality and skills displayed by the dietitian were analyzed. A short questionnaire was designed to obtain information on types of diet and whether the physician had mentioned diet during a visit to his office. Likert-type responses to attitude statements related to physician-patient relationship, compliance, skills and knowledge of the dietitian, and patient understanding of reason for dietary restrictions were included. The questionnaire was mailed to previously hospitalized patients who had been instructed on a therapeutic diet. A random sample of their physicians were mailed letters to remind them of their patients' diet. The results indicated that there was a higher rate of initiation of discussion of diet with the patient among physicians whose patients were on simple diet modification when the physician had received a stimulus. Physician inquiry concerning the patient's diet was identical whether physicians had received a stimulus or not among patients with complex diet modification. The physician-patient relationship was perceived more positively by the complex diet group whose physician had received a stimulus than by the complex diet group whose physicians had not received the stimulus. The dietitian was perceived as being more knowledgeable and skilled by the patients with complex diets than by patients with simple diet modifications. / M.S.