Health Coaching Webinar Series: Hiring, Training and Behavior Change Skills

Just in time for 2009 planning, the Healthcare Intelligence Network is offering a two-part webinar series featuring best practices in health coach screening and recruitment plus intensive training on behavior change methodologies, including motivational interviewing. For more information, visit the Healthcare Intelligence Network at http://www.hin.com/cgi-local/link/news/pl.cgi?coachseriespr

Manasquan, NJ (PRWEB) November 13, 2008 -- As employers and health organizations ramp up wellness and prevention efforts to offset rising healthcare costs, there's never been a better time to be in health coaching. Health coaches with a strong background and track record in behavior change tactics -- especially motivational interviewing -- will have the greatest impact on medical costs associated with largely preventable chronic conditions. A two-part webinar series will guide organizations in the screening, recruitment and training of health coaches, with a special emphasis on motivational interviewing to elicit behavior change and a holistic approach to health coaching:

·   A Health Coach Hiring Game Plan That Yields Improved Outcomes on November 19, 2008
·   From Passive to Partner: Integrative Health Coach Training Using Motivational Interviewing for Behavior Change on December 18, 2008

Participants can attend live or access convenient on-demand, CD or DVD training formats. For more information on the Healthcare Intelligence Network webinars, which are also available individually, please visit http://www.hin.com/cgi-local/link/news/pl.cgi?coachseriespr

NEWS FACTS:

Part 1: A Health Coach Hiring Game Plan That Yields Improved Outcomes on November 19, 2008. This 90-minute webinar will explore the most advanced hiring and training practices for drafting an effective health coaching team. You'll hear from coaching industry veterans Darcy Hurlbert, health and wellness product specialist, Ceridian Lifeworks, and Sean Slovenski, CEO and president of Hummingbird Coaching, on:

·   Determining the appropriate skill sets for health coaches;
·   Analyzing the pros and cons of various certifications, education and background experience for effective coaches;
·   Accounting for hiring differences for online, in-person or telephonic health coaches;
·   Employing interviewing techniques that uncover the skill sets you need;
·   Learning from past hiring experiences what makes a good hire; and
·   The most important factors to consider in the hiring process.

This webinar is also available individually. For complete details, please visit http://www.hin.com/cgi-local/link/news/pl.cgi?coachseriespr

Part 2: From Passive to Partner: Integrative Health Coach Training Using Motivational Interviewing for Behavior Change, a 90-minute webinar on December 18, 2008, health coaching experts will examine integrative health coaching -- how health coaches can benefit from training in motivational interviewing, self-management and even spirituality and healing. Karen Lawson, program director for the health coaching track at the University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality and Healing and Dr. Ruth Wolever, clinical health psychologist and director of research at Duke Integrative Medicine, on:

·   Developing motivational interviewing (MI) skills to improve health coaching outcomes;
·   Helping coaches assess a patient's readiness to change to maximize MI's capabilities;
·   Teaching coaches to respond to the stages of change;
·   Determining when MI is an appropriate health coaching intervention;
·   Examples of MI in practice;
·   Training coaches on an ongoing basis to improve MI techniques; and
·   Examples of motivational interviewing in practice.

This webinar is also available individually. For information, please visit http://www.hin.com/cgi-local/link/news/pl.cgi?coachseriespr

Target Audience: CEOs, medical directors, disease management directors, managers and coordinators, health coach managers, health coaches, health plan executives, care management nurses, physician executives and business development and strategic planning directors.

Webinar Formats: 90-minute live webinars on November 19, 2008 and December 18, 2008 include a 30-minute Q&A. These webinars also exist in convenient training formats -- online on-demand rebroadcast or training CD-ROM or DVDs. For more information, please visit http://www.hin.com/cgi-local/link/news/pl.cgi?coachseriespr or call 1-888-446-3530.

QUOTE ATTRIBUTABLE TO MELANIE MATTHEWS, HIN EXECUTIVE VP AND COO:

"A reduction in healthcare costs tied to preventable chronic illness can only be achieved with significant behavior change. Employers and health plans should seek out health coaches with a strong background and track record in behavior change methodologies, and offer continued training and support to augment these skills. In this unhealthy economy, when many consumers skimp on medical care to cover other expenses, health coaches will be in high demand to help employers and health plans improve population health status and productivity."

Please contact Patricia Donovan to arrange an interview or to obtain additional quotes.

About the Healthcare Intelligence Network - HIN is the premier advisory service for executives seeking high-quality strategic information on the business of healthcare. For more information, contact the Healthcare Intelligence Network, PO Box 1442, Wall Township, NJ 07719-1442, (888) 446-3530, fax (732) 292-3073, e-mail info @ hin.com, or visit http://www.hin.com.

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