Have Questions?

What exactly does a health coach do?

A health coach helps individuals create and maintain healthier lifestyles by providing education, support, and personalized guidance. They break down complex health information into simple, manageable steps, making it easier to understand and apply. Health coaches do not replace doctors or licensed professionals; instead, they work alongside them (partnership: the focus of The Pryor Perspective!) to complement prescribed care. Their role includes setting realistic goals, tracking progress, and encouraging positive behavior changes—whether it’s improving nutrition, increasing physical activity, managing stress, or enhancing sleep habits. Ultimately, a health coach empowers clients to take charge of their health with confidence, clarity, and a little bit of fun.

How are health coaches trained?

There are numerous ways of training and becoming a health coach. The most important factor is to ensure that your coach is trained in health coaching versus wellness or lifestyle coaching if you have medical conditions that impact your health and must be considered when implementing lifestyle changes. The National Academy of Sports Medicine nicely defines this unique roles or each:

• Life Coaches focus on the main factors of a person’s life including time management, productivity, professional goals and projects, relationships, life goal setting, leadership, career development, self-care, and financial goals.

• Health Coaches work with individuals who have a medical diagnosis or health condition. A health coach helps the client implement lifestyle changes related to the management or care of their health as part of the care team.

• Wellness Coaches support clients in the ongoing process of building wellness through movement, nutrition, sleep, recovery and regeneration, and stress management with a focus on their holistic lifestyle choices

Why choose a nurse as a health coach?

Although not practicing within the scope or under the nursing license while providing independent health coaching services, a registered nurse has the education, training, and experience to safely and effectively assist you in making healthier choices that align with your medical conditions. Nurses are skilled in critical thinking and problem solving within the context of a person. In other words, we aim to solve problems with solutions that will work for YOUR life, not that of the mainstream or average individuals. You are truly unique, and your health journey should be designed uniquely for your. For more information on this subject, this article by the Cleveland Clinic article may be useful.

What is Healthcare Advocacy?

Simply put, a healthcare advocate (also know as a patient advocate or health navigator) assists an individual with navigating through our complex and difficult healthcare system.

Independent Patient or Healthcare Advocates work solely for the client and are not affiliated with a hospital, insurance company, doctor’s office, or any other healthcare organization. They help with the full spectrum of the healthcare navigation process including making calls, coordinating between all your doctors, scheduling appointments, keeping track of all your healthcare records and notes for follow-up, and being there when you needs someone to listen or help out. Most importantly, they help you make personalized and well-informed decisions. Advocates make sure their client's voices and choices are heard, and they have access to the care they need and deserve.

Does insurance cover either service, coaching or advocacy?

Although some health insurance plans, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) , do cover healthcare advocacy and health coaching service, they may require those serves to be ordered, managed, and billed through either a providers office or be offered only through affiliated agencies. An Independent Healthcare Advocate or Health Coach is your best option to ensure you are the focus of your care needs and there is no conflict of interest on priorities other than you getting better. Please contact your insurance provider for more details, or feel free to check out the FAQ page of Greater National Advocates, Patient Advocate Foundation, or Medicare’s approved agency for covered advocacy, Solace Health. Although I would love for your to choose me as your Independent Healthcare Advocate or Health Coach, what’s most important is that you do get the help that you need. So take the time to educate all that is available to you and will work best for your needs.

Can I hire a Healthcare Advocate or health coach for a family or friend.

Absolutely! Knowing that someone needs help and being willing to come to the call is the best gift you could give. a person who is facing an illness or healthcare hurdle. You can obtain services on behalf of another as long as you either have their written permission to do so, or you are their legal guardian or representative under state law. Those details will be handled and verified by your advocate or health coach, and a consent for services will be provided to cover those requirements.