5 Tips On How To Use a Health Coach

Integrating a health coach into your integrative or lifestyle medicine practice can significantly enhance patient care. Drawing insights from an expert session with Dr. Scheinbaum, founder and CEO of the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, here are five crucial strategies for successfully working with a health coach:

 1. Ensure Proper Insurance Coverage

If your health coach is an independent contractor, ensure they have adequate insurance coverage. There are two essential types of insurance to consider:

• Your Practice’s Malpractice Policy: Your health coach should be named under this policy.
• Independent Professional Liability Policy: Your health coach should also maintain their own professional liability insurance as an added layer of protection.

This dual coverage provides peace of mind and ensures all parties are appropriately covered in case of liability issues.

2. Define the Health Coach’s Role

A health coach should complement and execute the treatment plan you develop. While you, as the physician, are responsible for prescribing nutrition plans, exercise routines, lab recommendations, and medications, the health coach’s role is to implement these plans effectively.

It’s vital to establish boundaries early:

• Health coaches should not make independent recommendations for labs, supplements, or treatments. These activities fall within the scope of medical practice and must remain under your guidance.
• This clarity prevents patient confusion and maintains a seamless, cohesive treatment experience.

3. Schedule the Health Coach Immediately After Your Appointment

To streamline care and enhance patient compliance, schedule a follow-up with the health coach 7–10 days after the initial appointment. This allows:

• Time for you to complete your notes and for patients to digest your recommendations.
• The health coach to address logistical concerns, like ordering supplements or completing lab tests.

This process provides patients with a built-in support system, reducing follow-up inquiries and reinforcing adherence to their care plan.

4. Establishing a System for Seamless Communication

Integrating your health coach into your electronic medical records (EMR) system is essential for efficient collaboration. In this setup:

• Health coaches can access your notes and align their sessions with your recommendations.
• You can provide specific directives for the health coach within the EMR, ensuring they focus on critical areas like sleep hygiene, dietary tips, or travel-friendly nutrition solutions.

For example, if a patient struggles with insomnia, your note might direct the health coach to discuss sleep hygiene strategies, while you address medical interventions during the initial visit. This cohesive approach enhances the patient’s experience and outcomes.

5. Position the Health Coach as an Integral Part of Your Practice

To maximize the health coach’s impact, fully integrate them into your practice’s ecosystem. While health coaches may operate as independent contractors, patients should perceive them as essential members of your team. Some ways you can achieve this include: 

• Featuring the health coach in your newsletter with short, insightful articles.
• Hosting group classes led by the health coach on relevant health topics.
• Sharing health coach-created content, like videos or posts, on social media.

This visibility ensures that when patients meet the health coach for one-on-one sessions, they already recognize their expertise and value.

Conclusion 

Incorporating a health coach into your practice is a game-changer for providing holistic, patient-centered care. By ensuring proper insurance coverage, defining clear roles, streamlining scheduling, utilizing shared tools, and fostering team integration, you can elevate the patient experience and drive better health outcomes.

Keep these tips in mind as you build your practice, and remember: the right health coach can be a powerful ally in helping patients achieve their goals.