Health coaches are licensed, registered nurses who work with primary care doctors to provide one-on-one care as they partner with patients to set and achieve health care improvement goals.Health coaching  helps patients gain the knowledge, skills, tools and confidence to become active participants in their care so that they can reach their self-identified health goals.  Health coaching encompasses five principal roles: 1) providing self-management support, 2) bridging the gap between clinician and patient, 3) helping patients navigate the health care system, 4) offering emotional support and 5) serving as a continuity figure. Health coaches are available to work with patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure, to provide support and education during the journey to a healthier lifestyle. In addition, health coaches also remind patients when it is time for their regular health screenings and wellness exams.

The health coach and health coach assistant offer wellness exams, lifestyle change support and education, and population health identification and management. At VDFHC our health coach team focus on Medicare Annual Wellness Visits, chronic condition patients (i.e. those with hypertension or uncontrolled diabetes), perform chart reviews to identify those patients in need of preventative care services, provide health coaching support for those who are interested in improving their health, provide education for patients newly diagnosed with a chronic condition, and assist patients transitioning home after a hospitalization.

 

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