The Role of Technology in Health Coaching

A paintbrush in the hand of an completed artist will render a chunk of artwork, whereas that very same paintbrush in my hand will seemingly render a multitude. The paintbrush is a device—it neither paints the image nor transforms its consumer into an artist. Technology, just like the paintbrush, relies on who’s utilizing it and to what finish. The impression of know-how on health teaching is much less concerning the know-how and extra concerning the health coach, their training and expertise. 

Seventy p.c of all deaths globally—40 million annually—are as a result of continual illness (World Health Organization, 2005). But not like communicable illnesses, which have traditionally represented the best menace to mankind, continual illnesses are about way of life alternative. In reality, a research printed in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that the overwhelming majority of untimely dying and continual sickness in America was the end result of three way of life decisions: dietary sample, bodily exercise and tobacco use (McGinnis and Foege, 1993). Therefore, serving to folks make self-directed way of life adjustments in these three domains is the vaccination towards, and response to, the continual illness pandemic. Interventions based mostly on conduct change and health-coaching expertise, like these supported by the ACE Health Coach Certification and the ACE Behavior Change Specialist Program, have been proven to facilitate change (Wolever and Dreusicke, 2016).

Technology in the fingers of a skilled and skilled health coach can render significant outcomes, serving to folks mobilize their inner strengths and exterior assets to realize the wellness and sustainable change they search. Interventions utilizing cell phone applied sciences equivalent to text-messaging has proven to yield very constructive outcomes in HbA1c ranges in folks with kind 2 diabetes versus management teams in a year-long random managed trial (Park, Kim and Kim, 2009). Similarly, cell phone textual content messaging was reported to considerably enhance adherence to appointments and antiretroviral remedy, short-term smoking give up charges, and chosen scientific and behavioral outcomes (Jones, Lekhak and Kaewluang, 2014). Arguably, essentially the most helpful know-how in health teaching is the smartphone, which proof reveals is a distinction maker in enhancing measurable scientific outcomes associated to continual illnesses, particularly when paired with a talented and skilled health coach.

Why is the smartphone so essential? In addition to offering fast and straightforward communication, it additionally acts as a platform for a number of different wellness applied sciences that may be related to a person’s health-based objectives. Furthermore, it’s particularly efficient for these fighting lifestyle-based continual illnesses equivalent to diabetes, weight problems and hypertension. I’ve constructed my health teaching observe by leveraging the know-how of the smartphone and related apps, and serving to folks everywhere in the U.S. which might be grappling with the results of weight problems and different related continual illnesses obtain the adjustments they search.

As a coach who resides in the pocket of my purchasers and is obtainable in the second of their want, folks falsely assume that I’ve made accountability the precedence of my program, however I’ve not. It’s about engagement and connection, however not connection like a canine on a leash, as accountability-driven applications do. Rather, this connection is extra like a kite, hovering in the sky, but additionally grounded. The smartphone know-how facilitates a technique to develop relationship and belief, that are wanted to assist folks look at their mindset, values and beliefs, which is crucial for sustainable conduct change.

We should remind ourselves that being a profitable health coach is all about relationship, which is invariably tied to our capability to hear, and whereas know-how is a famous person at recording information, it could actually by no means actually hear. An incredible deal of know-how exists past the smartphone that may both overwhelm or elevate up your health-coaching observe. Understanding which know-how is propelled by proof and the way it could also be used and customized to propel your health-coaching observe can prevent each money and time. Meet me right here over the following few months as I unpack particular applied sciences which will show helpful to scaling your observe, growing your capability to serve your purchasers, keep inside your scope of observe and develop into extra worthwhile.           

References:

Jones, Ok.R., Lekhak, N. and Kaewluang, N. (2014). Using cellphones and brief message service to ship self-management interventions for continual circumstances: A meta-review. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 11, 2, 81-88.

McGinnis, J.M. and Foege, W.H. (1993). Actual causes of dying in the United States. Journal of the American Medical Association, 270, 18, 2207-2212.

Park, M.J., Kim, H.S. and Kim, Ok.S. (2009). Cellular cellphone and Internet-based particular person intervention on blood strain and weight problems in overweight sufferers with hypertension. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 78, 10, 704-710.

Wolever, R.Q. and Dreusicke, M.H. (2016). Integrative health teaching: A conduct expertise strategy that improves HbA1c and pharmacy claims-derived medicine adherence. British Medical Journal Open Diabetes Research and Care, 4, 1, e000201.

World Health Organization. Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion (2005). Preventing Chronic Diseases: A Vital Investment: WHO Global Report. Geneva: World Health Organization.