This review evaluates the effectiveness of interventions aimed at healthcare providers to promote a patient-centred approach in clinical consultations. The review included 17 studies, which showed considerable heterogeneity in terms of interventions, health problems, comparisons, and outcomes. All studies used training for healthcare providers as part of the intervention. Ten studies evaluated training for providers only, while the remaining studies used multi-faceted interventions. The healthcare providers were mainly primary care physicians (general practitioners or family doctors) practicing in community or hospital outpatient settings. In two studies, the providers also included nurses. There is fairly strong evidence to suggest that some interventions to promote patient-centred care in clinical consultations may lead to significant increases in the patient-centredness of consultation processes. Twelve of the fourteen studies that assessed consultation processes showed improvements in some of these outcomes. There is also some evidence that training healthcare providers in patient-centred approaches may impact positively on patient satisfaction with care. Of the eleven studies that assessed patient satisfaction, six demonstrated significant differences in favour of the intervention group on one or more measures. Few studies examined healthcare behaviour or health status outcomes. The review found that interventions to promote patient-centred care within clinical consultations may significantly increase the patient-centredness of care. However, there is limited and mixed evidence on the effects of such interventions on patient healthcare behaviours or health status; or on whether these interventions might be applicable to providers other than physicians. Further research is needed in these areas.This review evaluates the effectiveness of interventions aimed at healthcare providers to promote a patient-centred approach in clinical consultations. The review included 17 studies, which showed considerable heterogeneity in terms of interventions, health problems, comparisons, and outcomes. All studies used training for healthcare providers as part of the intervention. Ten studies evaluated training for providers only, while the remaining studies used multi-faceted interventions. The healthcare providers were mainly primary care physicians (general practitioners or family doctors) practicing in community or hospital outpatient settings. In two studies, the providers also included nurses. There is fairly strong evidence to suggest that some interventions to promote patient-centred care in clinical consultations may lead to significant increases in the patient-centredness of consultation processes. Twelve of the fourteen studies that assessed consultation processes showed improvements in some of these outcomes. There is also some evidence that training healthcare providers in patient-centred approaches may impact positively on patient satisfaction with care. Of the eleven studies that assessed patient satisfaction, six demonstrated significant differences in favour of the intervention group on one or more measures. Few studies examined healthcare behaviour or health status outcomes. The review found that interventions to promote patient-centred care within clinical consultations may significantly increase the patient-centredness of care. However, there is limited and mixed evidence on the effects of such interventions on patient healthcare behaviours or health status; or on whether these interventions might be applicable to providers other than physicians. Further research is needed in these areas.