Health coach—The description of an upcoming profession

Abstract

Health coaching becomes more important in the German health-care system. Unanswered up to now are concepts, tasks and qualification requirements regarding the job description of a health coach. The current situation in Germany will be presented. In a review [McLelland et al., J Am Med Assoc 2000;284(13):1689–95] the compliance regarding change of lifestyle and intake of drugs had been found low in patients with diabetes mellitus, asthma and hypertension. Average time for interviews between patients and clinicians or general practitioners [Kempf, Dissertation, 2007; Kamps, Deutsches Ärzteblatt 2008;105(23):1276–80] of four 8 min gives almost no room to encourage the patients’ personal responsibility and to initiate and support long-term lifestyle change. Exemplarily those results show fields of a health coach. The term health coach has not been patent. That means there are different job titles regarding the same tasks and no standardized topics for vocational training. The majority of health coaches works in the health-care system with a focus on prevention. This includes to impart health knowledge and to promote the well-being of the patient and his achievement of health-related goals. The process of coaching is based on theories like the Sense of Coherence, the Transtheoretical Model and the adherence, and uses techniques like the Motivational Interviewing and Problem-solving. Job specializations are oriented on goals of the lifestyle change as relaxation or nutrition. Health coaching can promote the patients’ personal responsibility regarding physical and psychological well-being. This can only be successful, if both professionals and patients know the availability of health coaches and iif they are aware of the techniques health coaches offer to change lifestyle. Of importance for the quality assurance are standardized vocational training and approval of certificates as well as the evaluation of techniques and manuals.