1 ) Coaching develops confident , capable and self-reliant people . Chronic disease and stress combined with a health care system designed to treat rather than prevent illness have a way of dismantling self-efficacy . Coaching leads patients to reclaim their power , allowing them to climb back into the driver ’ s seat of their well-being .
2 ) Coaching builds long-term wellness rooted in the willingness to be curious , learn and take action in small ways every day . Healing is an investigative process , a deep dive into finding out what works and what doesn ’ t , and why . Coaching uses knowledge from the neuroscience of behavior change and psychology to help clients develop sustainable habits that serve their overall well-being .
3 ) Coaching helps patients to embrace the wisdom of the body . While patients may have spent a good deal of time feeling powerless over their health , the truth is that the real power doesn ’ t lie within the hands of a medical doctor , a coach , a guru or anyone else . The path to a greater sense of wellness often lies within their hands . The coaching relationship helps patients tune into their body ’ s messages and reunite the mind-body connection that chronic disease and stress often weakens .
INCORPORATING HEALTH COACHING INTO MEDICAL PRACTICES
Supporting a patient ’ s ability to successfully implement recommended lifestyle changes could occur within a medical practice or outside of it . I , Dr . Lesley Kellie , DO , am a local primary care physician board-certified in internal medicine , implementing coaching strategies within my current practice . I found early in my career that usual prescriptive methods were not enough . I wanted to get to the root of the problem and partner with patients in coming up with solutions to help improve health . I got certified in Lifestyle Medicine and later became a certified wellness coach through Wellcoaches , founded by Margaret Moore , an NBHWC board member . It ’ s a great combination , I get to partner with patients and look for the root cause of their illness or chronic conditions , talk about the science and standard of care while eliciting internal motivation for patients to take control of their health and well-being . It ’ s not just about medications ; it ’ s about using lifestyle changes as the foundation to improve and , in some cases , reverse chronic medical conditions . Using the coaching techniques that I have learned has helped me empower patients to come up with life-sustaining positive behavioral changes that are within their current capacity .” It does not help to tell a patient to exercise 30-45 minutes a day when they have three jobs . It ’ s about the baby steps and “ SMART ” goals that the patients create for themselves that set them up for success . I see positive results , but it requires time , frequent visits and dedication to the process .
Many physicians may find they don ’ t have the bandwidth to perform dual roles and opt to hire or simply refer to a credentialed coach . Both the physicians and patients benefit from coaching support .
FEATURE
Health care systems such as Cleveland Clinic , Mayo Clinic and Kaiser Permanente have now incorporated wellness coaching into their programs to help employees and patients achieve better health .
INSURANCE COVERAGE AND AFFORDABILITY FOR PATIENTS
Many health coaching clients utilize their HSA ’ s to cover costs or simply pay out of pocket since health coaching services still largely remain uncovered by insurance . The American Medical Association did approve new Category III CPT codes for coaching in 2020 . According to the press release announcing this change , “ The new codes reflect what research is demonstrating : coaches have expertise that helps patients step into more active roles in their care .” 6
“ NBHWC and the U . S . Department of Veterans Affairs ( VA ) successfully applied for the creation of these new tracking codes , utilizing the NBHWC standards . VA will be tracking the use of the coaching codes to evaluate the effectiveness of coaching as a part of the Department ’ s whole health system of care . This data could support Category I approval .” 6
Margaret Moore , an NBHWC board member , noted in the press release that “ The new codes acknowledge the potential value of Health and Well-Being Coaching services , well documented in the scientific literature , for patients wishing to prevent or reduce the suffering and costs of chronic conditions including prediabetes , diabetes , hypertension , heart disease and obesity .” 6
References
1
U . S . Department of Health & Human Services . National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion ( NCCDPHP ). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , 2 Feb . 2022 , https :// www . cdc . gov / chronicdisease / index . htm .
2
Latif , Ph . D ., Saima . “ Is Motivational Interviewing Effective ? A Look at 5 Benefits .” PositivePsychology . com , 29 Dec . 2021 , https :// positivepsychology . com / motivational-interviewing-effectiveness /.
3
Brody , Jane E . “ We Could All Use a Health Coach .” The New York Times , The New York Times , 7 June 2021 , https :// www . nytimes . com / 2021 / 06 / 07 / well / live / health-coach-benefits . html .
4
“ Welcome to the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching .” NBHWC , National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching , 2 Feb . 2022 , https :// nbhwc . org /.
5
“ Health & Wellness Coach Certifying Examination , 2020 Content Outline With Resources .” National Board of Medical Examiners ® ( NBME ®) and the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching ( NBHWC ), June 2020 .
6
Webster , Leigh-Ann . “ American Medical Association Approves New Category III CPT Codes for Coaching , National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching and VA Collaborate on Rollout .” 24-7pressrelease . com , 15 Oct . 2019 , https :// www . 24-7pressrelease . com / press-release / 466893 / american-medical-association-approves-new-category-iii-cpt-codes-for-coaching .
Dr . Kellie , FACP , currently practices primary care internal medicine at Norton Community Medical Associates : Barret , is a DipABLM-Certififed Lifestyle Medicine Physician , and a Certified Wellness Coach / Owner of LifeFulfilled Through Wellness Coaching , LLC .
Jessica Hill Powell , NBC-HWC , CYT , is a National Board Certified Health Coach and the Founder of Meridian Integrative Wellness . ( non-member )
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