Employers and health insurance companies in the U.S are using Registered Nurses as health coaches. Although this is not a new career path for RNs, it is one that is growing as trends in health care are placing an emphasis on wellness and patient responsibilities for their own health status.
Health Coaching Cuts Healthcare Costs
Employers are following this popular trend to help cut health care costs without skimping on the needs of their employees and families. A recent survey by the National Business Group on Health and the consulting firm of Watson Wyatt, showed that by 2007, 54 of the of the largest employers in the U.S. will offer some form of health coaching. Small employers are also beginning to follow suite.
Employers Hire RNs Directly
Some employers such as UPS are hiring nurses directly as health coaches for their employees.
RNs Assist to Understand Care
The nurse then contacts the employee to offer assistance in disease management through literature or through personal phone calls to instruct in care. They can also help employees find appropriate medical care and even clinical trials.
Patient Education Opportunities
In some instances with appropriate approvals, lab and other test results can be forwarded to the health coach nurse to follow up with the employee and explain the results, and help them to understand medication and treatments prescribed. This kind of follow-up has proved to be most beneficial especially directly post hospitalization.
Insurance Based Programs
Health coach nurses also work for health insurance plans such as Aetna, Cigna, Health Net and Blue Shield. In most instances, the employee calls in to the insurance company to make the initial contact. From there it can vary who follows up.
Weight-loss programs, smoking cessation, and stress management are some of the most popular topics for insurance company run health coaching. In some instances the employee will be assigned to a specific health care coach for follow-up, and in other cases, they talk to the nurse "on duty" when they call in. There are options for changing assigned nurses if needed.
Privacy and HIPAA
Privacy and HIPAA are a concern, but for the system to work there has to be a sense of trust and employers as well as insurers have a strong sense of need to protect the employee. The goals are to improve outcomes and reduce medical costs. Employers are not going to use data collected to penalize or fire employees. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners denies knowledge of any insurance company raising rates for non compliance with the health coach's advice.
Alternative to Bedside Care for Nurses
These positions offer many nurses an alternative to hands-on, bedside patient care. Patient education is an exciting field and as the nursing population ages, more alternatives to the physical and stressful demands of bedside care will be needed to continue to tap into the expertise of nurses no longer able to deal with the demands of the job
