Health coaching: a new and exciting technique to enhance patient self-management and improve outcomes.

Health coaching is quickly emerging as a new approach of partnering with patients to enhance self-management strategies for the purpose of preventing exacerbations of chronic illness and supporting lifestyle change. Medicare is now pilot testing this approach for patients with congestive heart failure and diabetes. With acute care hospitalization an outcome of great interest to us all, health coaching is an exciting technique worthy of consideration by home health providers.