We live in an era in which healthcare costs are having a significant impact on corporations, insurers and individuals alike. With 50% of Americans living with one or more chronic illnesses, the cost of treating medical conditions accounts for more than 75% of the $2 trillion spent annually on health care in the U.S.¹ The need to better manage conditions and focus on preventative care could not be greater. Enter wellness programs

Wellness programs are uniquely poised to play a pivotal role in the effort to change how we look at health and wellness. These programs come in many shapes and sizes and with good reason—each organization and each individual has unique needs. However, there is one element that we know to directly improve the effectiveness of a wellness program—health and wellness coaching.

Effective coaching can inspire change by giving people the resources, support and accountability they need to make truly lasting changes.

How Coaching Helps

The value of coaching is leveraged in many aspects of our society. Perhaps the most obvious example is in the world of sports. What would an NBA team be without its coaching staff? Personal trainers, financial coaches, workplace mentors and even teachers are all examples of coaching at work. It only stands to reason, then, that this proven approach to results be leveraged in the world of wellness. Effective coaching can inspire change by giving people the resources, support and accountability they need to make truly lasting changes. It can also enhance wellness in the workplace and improve wellness program ROI. At WebMD, we have seen firsthand the impact of our health coaches. Across our Book of Business, 70% of people eliminated at least one modifiable risk factor thanks to our coaches.²

The Essential Ingredients

While each coaching program is and should be unique, there are five elements that will directly impact the effectiveness of a coaching program. These are as follows:

1. Leadership Support

From the top down, coaching needs to be positioned as an important initiative. Companies should cultivate executive champions, allow leaders to play a visible wellness role and recognize departments that meet wellness goals.

2. Communication, Communication, Communication

When it comes to coaching (and wellness programs overall), erring on the side of over-communication is better than under-communicating. Delivering personalized and motivating messages to employees is a must. Our clients who have used a proactive, outbound communications approach saw dramatically higher coaching engagement rates compared to those who relied on inbound communications alone. It is important to note here that the timeliness of all communications also matters greatly. Offering people the ability to self-schedule a coaching session upon completing a health assessment or otherwise becoming aware of a health risk, for example, capitalizes on these important moments and can increase engagement.

3. Quality Coaching Staff

Not just anyone can be a wellness coach. It takes specialized training and experience to be able to unravel the often complex health care issues people face and to motivate positive changes. At WebMD, all of our coaches are our direct employees and 100% of them have at least an undergraduate degree in a health science field with nationally recognized certification and motivational interview training. Many have additional advanced education, training or certifications.

4. Incentives

Even someone who wants to make a change can find it hard to take that first step. Offering incentives can give people that little extra “boost” that may just make the difference between them doing something good for themselves or not.

5. Trust

All of the above four elements are instrumental in creating trust in a coaching program. In addition, employees should be well informed about the privacy and security of their personal information and work with coaches. Once a coaching program is rolled out and well underway, sponsors should be prepared to remain active with communications and other aspects that can keep the effort fresh and innovative. Incorporating new technologies or ways of connecting with a coach, for example, can be part of a planned coaching program evolution. Changing the incentives that are available is yet another way to do this. Finally, as with any important effort, measuring the results and using that data to refine a coaching program should be considered as much a part of the program as an actual coaching interaction. When collecting metrics, feedback from employees and coaches alike should be included along with data about changes in health risks or conditions.

Making Wellness Work

Making wellness work takes work. By offering wellness programs, employers take an important first step in improving the lives of their employees. Maintaining the commitment through efforts like communications, incentives and more is what often separates the programs that deliver outstanding success from those that don’t. At WebMD, we pride ourselves on working with our clients to support the creation and ongoing delivery of wellness at work.

A recent article in Human Resource Executive Online, “The Coach Is In,” was especially exciting for all of us at WebMD Health Services because our client, Prudential Financial, talked about how WebMD coaches have been integral to them in developing a “coaching culture.”

Better health and lower costs are great reasons to have coaches. But the article highlighted other benefits that people may not think about. Here are my top four.

1. Coaches Help Build a Culture of Health

When you hire an onsite coach from WebMD, you get a full-time employee whose sole responsibility is to live, breathe, and promote your wellness program. Far too often, clients simply don’t have the bandwidth to promote their wellness programs, and their culture of health suffers as a result. An onsite coach can be the solution to this common problem.

Our coaches come equipped with WebMD tools, training, and brand recognition that can help further the goal of having a truly dynamic culture of health. Our onsite coaches have made such a difference that 71% of clients who hired one of our onsite coaches decided within 18 months to bring on additional team members to support those activities.

2. Coaches Make One-on-One Connections

Today, behavioral strategies for improving health are fairly common, but the medical community as a whole has been slow to adopt them. Health coaches take what people know they should be doing and partner with them to make it happen. Most people know what to do and just need a supportive professional to provide accountability and encouragement, as well as a trusted partner to give reliable advice when questions arise. A great way to get the best out of coaching is to offer different ways of interacting, such as over the phone and in person.

Prudential followed our best-practice approach, which is to integrate the two. Different people prefer communicating with their coaches in different ways, and the same person’s comfort level may vary depending on the circumstances, so it’s important to offer both approaches for the best user experience.

Onsite coaches can do things that telephonic ones can’t, such as read a client’s body language during a session or lead local activities like farmer’s market tours. But there are plenty of people who might not feel comfortable with that type of interaction.

Some people prefer the anonymity of talking over the phone, and they might not want to see their health coach in the company lunch room. Many like the flexibility offered by a telephonic coach who is available seven days a week for most waking hours.

By offering both, you reach a larger audience than you would by focusing on one or the other, and our two programs integrate seamlessly, so you allow people to take their pick depending on how they feel that day.

3. Coaches Bring Outside Expertise

In the article, one organization is quoted saying, “Managing competencies around wellness coaching and on-site nurses is not a core piece of our business, whereas vendors have that expertise.”

I couldn’t have said this better myself! We have over 25 onsite coaches who work with a variety of clients, and most of them have prior experience working in the same types of settings before they came to us.

Across our entire client base, our coaches and client management have regular meetings in which best practices and common pitfalls are discussed openly, for the betterment of all of our clients. Onsite coaches also meet regularly with our telephonic coaches to ensure that we have a strong sense of what’s happening—and succeeding—within the entire employee base.

What this all means is that each of our onsite coaching clients gains the benefits of our entire book of business, and can implement best practices and avoid mistakes that they might otherwise make if they were going at it alone.

4. Coaches Are Visible Reminders

In the article, Dr. Andrew Crighton, Prudential’s chief medical officer, said, “We think we ‘message’ too much, but a lot of times, the employees aren’t paying attention until they’re ready to pay attention… So, if we’re communicating in February [about on-site coaches], but they’re not ready until May and we don’t communicate it again, that’s a lost opportunity.” We couldn’t agree more! You almost can’t message too much or in too many ways.

An onsite coach can be a crucial component in ensuring your population is aware of all that you offer them. Coaches are a resource dedicated solely to improving your overall culture of health, and getting people to engage in the first place is typically one of the major hurdles. One of the onsite coach’s primary responsibilities during open enrollment or ongoing yearly campaigns is to be visible among your population to drum up excitement and promote the wellness program.

For more on how to effectively communicate health coaching in general, see the blog article I wrote on Top 10 Tips for Effective Health Coaching Communications.

And for more information on how to get all the benefits of onsite and telephonic health coaching, contact us at info@webmd.net! We love to talk about this winning strategy.

But health coaches offer much more than one-on-one benefits for individuals. Onsite coaches, especially, act as feet-on-the-ground wellness champions who influence the entire workplace culture. And, just like those late-night infomercials say, there’s much more where that came from.

1. Health program referrals

All of our health coaching clients have their own wellness program referrals loaded into our coaching case management system. These include other wellness program components, such as EAP, financial services, and onsite fitness centers and clinics. They could also be wellness initiatives, such as a walking challenge at a specific location and time. This means that our coaches can see all of these referrals in our system, with details and contact information, and can even transfer participants to a contact person to encourage connection and engagement. Our account teams work closely with our clients to make sure this list stays updated. This helps ensure that participants engage with other aspects of the wellness program, not just coaching.

2. Communications and point-of-contact

Our coaches are a key part of clients’ communications strategy for internal wellness initiatives such as challenges. Coaches are also the main point of contact for questions about rewards and incentives. Coaches have this information on hand and can help guide people during coaching sessions on what they need to do to earn rewards, point them to new opportunities, and keep them motivated.

3. Ongoing health assessment completions

Coaches encourage participants to continue to take health assessments after year one, so you have accurate information to guide your wellness program. Toward the end of a client’s program year, coaches will encourage people to go back online and fill out another health assessment, to see how their health has changed and also to help them enroll in the coaching program or other wellness initiatives for next year.

4. Health fair & screening support

We regularly send our coaches to health fair and screening events to help educate people about the health assessment, health coaching, and their health in general. This helps people put a face to coaches’ names and makes our telephonic coaching feel much more personal. Having a coach on hand for screenings can also be a great tool to capture the “teachable moment.” Screening participants have a trained professional to talk to as soon as they receive their results, so they can get their questions answered and immediately engage with the right programs, such as ongoing one-on-one coaching.

5. Goal Setting

Coaching sessions are built to help participants set and meet their goals. This can include helping people set goals relating to corporate initiatives such as referrals to other programs, participating in challenges, and setting reminders to participate in screenings. This helps drive engagement with these programs, as well as helping individuals meet their own goals.

6. Program feedback

Our coaches always encourage people who have feedback about the program—whether good or bad—to talk to their human resources representative or reach out to the wellness program administrator. We know how valuable feedback is for our clients, and having a coach’s encouragement can be helpful.

Lifestyle and chronic condition management

WebMD has done a great job of training me to speak with participants about diabetes, COPD, asthma, CAD, and heart failure. There were a lot of hours put into training and follow-up training on all of the conditions. But the more calls I complete, the more I understand that these participants really just want to improve their lifestyle. They may be on medications to manage their condition, but with simple lifestyle changes, the progression of the condition can slow and their quality of life can improve.

Taking medications properly is just part of the conversation. All the lifestyle factors like exercise and eating habits are also a large part of the discussion. With the condition management program, a participant gets to spend time more talking about their condition, which they may not get during a visit with their physician. With our help and this tailored program, we can move a participant to a healthier life where they have better control of their condition.

Online condition management tools support progress

One of the things that participants seem to really like about the condition management program is the online tools. They can upload their values, set goals, and find weekly activities to improve their condition all in one place. They are excited that the coach can view and follow their progress as well. Participants also like the devices that are sent to monitor their blood pressure or weight. This is just another way accountability is integrated into the program.

The first participant I spoke to who was enrolled in the condition management program had type 1 diabetes. She managed her glucose levels well and was not having any significant issues with the diabetes. She just wanted to lose some weight. She was having a hard time finding the time for exercise and her doctor was pressuring her to increase her activity. Together we worked out a plan and she was very excited that the plan was realistic and fit into her busy schedule. We discussed monitoring her glucose levels before and after her exercise routine and she seemed very confident that she could do the exercise four times a week and still have great control over the diabetes.

With the specific, personal approach of coaching and the added knowledge of chronic conditions, together we can improve the quality of life of any individual in the condition management program.

Promising to make a significant lifestyle change in the upcoming year is a time-honored tradition, otherwise known as a New Year’s resolution. I will go to the gym and I will stick to my diet—no excuses,” someone may say. For most people, however, that promise may not last long. It’s often not a matter of whether they decide to act on their resolution so much as it is for how long they can maintain it. This is where health coaches can make all the difference.

As a health coach, I can help my clients implement small changes to their resolutions to increase their chances for success. The following are some strategies I talk to my clients about to help make their resolutions stick, no matter when they make them.

Set SMART health goals

A health coach can help people think through their goals prior to implementing them. Especially, I can help them be specific in what they want to accomplish and how they plan to do it. For example, if they want to exercise more, I can help them set a goal to walk three times per week for thirty minutes, and check in with them on their progress over a set timeline. Compare the following goals and see which one seems better to you:

“Exercise more” versus “Between January 1^st and January 31^st, walk three times per week for thirty minutes per session to promote weight loss.”

Slow and gradual progression

Most people overwhelm themselves by trying to do too much too soon. It can be hard to sustain a drastic change, and it can often lead to burnout. Slow and gradual progression can be better tolerated and can allow them time to acclimate and adjust to their resolution. A health coach can ask clients, “Are you being realistic with your goals?” We can help them think through what else is going on in their lives, how to keep their new resolution manageable, and how to set short term goals to help them reach long-term goals of six months or more.

Prepare for barriers

It’s important to plan and prepare for potential barriers or obstacles ahead of time. In conversations with clients, a health coach can ask about things like upcoming vacation plans or travel that could take clients off their normal routine. Are they expecting work to get busy? How will they handle family obligations that come up? People can’t plan for everything, but a health coach can help them develop strategies ahead of time that address foreseeable barriers to minimize their effect on a new lifestyle change.

Lapses and setbacks

In spite of their best planning, people may still stumble and fail to follow through with their goals on occasion. It happens, and it happens to almost everyone. Health coaches help clients understand that setbacks are a natural part of any lifestyle change. The question is whether they’re able to pick themselves back up and rededicate themselves back towards their goals. A health coach offers perspective, and can help make sure that failure doesn’t get the best of their clients.

Following through with resolutions to improve lifestyle and behaviors can be a difficult accomplishment, but it’s certainly a very worthwhile pursuit. With the help of a health coach, with careful planning, and with strong determination, however, this can be your population’s year to succeed.

Coach personality attributes and motivational training

Of course you want health coaches who are experienced and trained in health sciences and health promotion. But health knowledge is only part of the picture. To help someone change an ingrained behavior such as smoking takes more than a health degree. Coaches should have personality attributes that help participants feel respected, empowered, and personally responsible for their goals and actions. Training in approaches such as motivational interviewing expands on those personality traits. These health coaches help individuals place value on health, address ambivalence to change, set goals, own actions, build supportive environments and networks, overcome obstacles, and celebrate successes.

Clinical oversight

A health coaching program needs clinical oversight to make sure that coaches follow protocols defined by evidence-based guidelines, to review clinical solutions, and to ensure intervention credentialing. Look for a chief medical officer (CMO) and a clinical advisory board with recognized experts from a variety of backgrounds such as medicine, behavior change science, obesity, tobacco cessation, and health analytics.

How participants are identified as coaching-eligible

Neither behavior nor health status is determined by one factor alone. A combination of the number of risks, acuity of risks, and the impact that each risk has on overall health and healthcare costs more accurately stratifies individuals into the right intensity program. Participants may also be identified for coaching based on their stage of being ready to make a change in their health behaviors. But don’t overlook individuals who report being unready to change; most individuals are willing to work on at least one risk factor and coaching may help people become ready to change.

Whole-person health coaching

A whole-person approach to health coaching takes all of an individual’s health risks and conditions into consideration, as opposed to a siloed approach that limits health coaching efforts to one health risk. An employee who is struggling with weight, stress, and a sedentary lifestyle needs one comprehensive coaching program, not three siloed programs. A participant-centered approach uses a variety of techniques to help participants find their own motivation to make lasting changes for improved health.

Coaching is part of a broader health management program

Effective health coaching is incorporated within a broader population health management initiative. Make sure that your coaching program leverages robust online and offline capabilities that allow coaches to access and view participants’ progress.

Additional services to look for

• Health management consulting services to help you design and optimize your health management and wellness programs.
• Strategic engagement services that include communications and incentives support to encourage the highest possible participation rates.
• Onsite health promotion services such as health fair and biometric screening coordination to help launch your program.
• Outcomes reporting and analytics support to demonstrate your program’s efficacy to senior management and identify specific opportunities to optimize your programs going forward.

To learn more about best practices in health coaching, download our eBook “The Essential Guide to Health Coaching.”

*Photo Credit: Mike Johnson – TheBusyBrain.com