Reduction in hospitalization through a whole patient health coaching program

PURPOSE: The effect of whole patient health coaching on the hospitalization rate was examined in a prospective control study. METHODS: The Likelihood of Hospitalization (LOH) prediction model was used to select patients at high risk of hospitalization. Six chronic conditions were identified as criteria for inclusion in the program. Selected patients were randomized and allocated to a study group or control group. An assessment interview was held on the phone at the outset of the Telecoaching program to assess patients' current healthcare situation. Patients were subsequently contacted by phone with a view to effecting an improvement in health in the short-term and thus preventing stays in hospital, e.g. via appointments with specialists, provision of a nurse, training on correct medication intake and regular self-control. Each patient was supervised for six months. RESULTS: The LOH model was used to select a total of 9176 patients. One thousand and eighty of these were allocated to a control group. Eighteen months later, the hospitalization rate for the six chronic indications was 25.3% in the study group and 28.3% in the control group. This corresponds to a relative reduction of 10.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Whole patient health coaching is a suitable means of preventing hospitalization in comorbid patients.