Findings from T. Hammonds and Co-Authors Reveals New Information on Health Promotion (Impact of Physician Referral to Health Coaching on Patient Engagement and Health Risks: An Observational Study of UPMC’s Prescription for Wellness)

2020 FEB 25 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Current study results on Health and Medicine - Health Promotion have been published. According to news reporting out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by NewsRx editors, research stated, “Evaluate impact of physician referral to health coaching on patient engagement and health risk reduction. Four-year retrospective, observational cohort study with propensity-matched pair comparisons.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research, “Integrated delivery and finance system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 10 457 adult insured members referred to health coaching by their physician; 37 864 other members identified for health coaching through insurer-initiated outreach. Practice-based, technology-supported workflow and process for physician prescribing of health coaching during regular office visit, with follow-up on patient’s progress and implementation supports. Patient engagement based on completion of pre-enrollment assessment, formal enrollment in health coaching, completion of required sessions, health risk levels, and number of health risks pre-and post-health coaching referral. Difference-in-difference analysis to assess change in health risk levels and number of health risks pre-and post-health coaching and probability weighting to control for potential confounding between groups. Members referred by a physician were significantly more likely to enroll in a health coaching program (21.0% vs 6.0%, <.001) and complete the program requirements (8.5% vs 2.7%, <.001) than when referred by insurer-initiated outreach; significant within group improvement in health risk levels from baseline (<.001) was observed for both the groups.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Patients are significantly more likely to engage in health coaching when a referral is made by a physician; engagement in health coaching significantly improves health risk levels.”

For more information on this research see: Impact of Physician Referral to Health Coaching on Patient Engagement and Health Risks: An Observational Study of UPMC’s Prescription for Wellness. American Journal of Health Promotion, 2020;():089011711990058. American Journal of Health Promotion can be contacted at: Amer J Health Promotion Inc, 1660 Cass Lake Rd, Ste 104, Keego Harbor, MI 48320, USA.

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting T. Hammonds, Health Economics, UPMC Insurance Services Division, Pittsburgh, PA, United States. Additional authors for this research include M.D. Parkinson, D.J. Keyser, J.R. Wheeler and P.B Peele.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1177/0890117119900588. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

Publisher contact information for the American Journal of Health Promotion is: Amer J Health Promotion Inc, 1660 Cass Lake Rd, Ste 104, Keego Harbor, MI 48320, USA.

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