We could all use a health coach–The New York Times, June 7, 2021
This article by just-retired, influential New York Times health columnist, Jane Brody, really helped put certified health and wellness coaches on the map. She argues that they’re a woefully underutilized weapon in fighting chronic disease, and that everyone really needs one, because “health happens in the 99.9% of your life when you’re not in the doctor’s office.” Brody challenges the medical world, health insurers and governments to decide where they stand on behavioral coaching, because not making these coaches more accessible represents the “penny-wise, pound-foolish” approach of most healthcare.
4 things to know about health coaches and why they’re so in demand right now– MindBodyGreen, March 23, 2022
This basic overview explains why certified health and wellness coaches are rising and in too-short supply; some basics on how they work with clients; and how health and wellness coaching requires a combination of rigorous education and hands-on practice. Read along with the companion article: “Health & Wellness Coaching: What It Is, How to Get Certified, and More.”
Diabetes support moves into the workplace (Employers are starting to offer coaching to staff in an effort to manage Type 2 diabetes)–The Financial Times, March 13, 2022
With so many employees with costly chronic diseases—and failing to make healthy changes no matter how much advice they get from doctors or how many diets they try—more employers are now turning to digital chronic disease management platforms such as Virta, that have certified coaches at the center of their model. One interviewed employee explains how his coach turned his diabetes around (and “became his best friend”), and the most recent study of Virta’s platform shows impressive outcomes. The article covers new activity in the space: for instance, the UK’s Public Health Collaboration will launch a new service, The Lifestyle Club (TLC), an eight-week health coaching service focused on behavior change, first aimed at GP practices and then rolled out to employers.
Advanced Primary Care may be the ‘next big thing–SHRM, January 7, 2022
Advanced Primary Care is a major shift in how healthcare gets delivered: employers no longer pay for each medical service, but rather contract with primary care providers for a set per-member fee (which incentivizes keeping people well)—and they revolve around a patient-support team that includes a doctor but also certified wellness coaches and mental health counselors. This article explains how this coach-centric model now has the endorsement of some of the US’ largest employers and policy experts—and how 2021 was the year that big corporate names put some big chips on the table, including JP Morgan Chase launching Morgan Health with an initial $250 million investment.
The TRENDIUM is a compendium of the latest trends impacting the
multi-trillion dollar global wellness economy.
Sign-up for bi-weekly TRENDIUM emails.