Utilization of Health Coaches in a Primary Care Setting

Abstract

The patient population has grown tremendously since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This has led to an influx of many patients to primary care practices. The gap between an increasing patient population and physicians to care for these patients is growing immensely. This can be attributed to a decreasing primary care provider (PCP) workforce. One way to assist the PCP work force that remains is the use of health coaches in the primary care setting. Health coaches have the potential to positively impact health outcomes, patient experience, and the cost of health care. The purpose of this project was to increase the utilization of the health coach in the diabetic population at a primary care practice in eastern North Carolina amongst the providers. The American Association of Diabetes Educators’ Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support for Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: Algorithm of Care was used to implement a standardized process for referring diabetic patients to the health coach. The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle was used to evaluate the process. Following implementation, the diabetic patient referral rate to the health coach increased by 9.2%. Further exploration is warranted on the use of health coaches in the primary care setting and their implication in future practice.