Does the Modality Used in Health Coaching Matter? A Systematic Review of Health Coaching Outcomes

• Main Authors: Singh H, Kennedy GA, Stupans I
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2020-08-01
• Series: Patient Preference and Adherence
• Subjects: health; coaching; pharmacy; modalities
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/does-the-modality-used-in-health-coaching-matter-a-systematic-review-o-peer-reviewed-article-PPA

Harjit Singh,1 Gerard A Kennedy,1– 3 Ieva Stupans1 1The School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; 2School of Science, Psychology and Sport, Federation University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; 3Institute for Breathing and Sleep, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaCorrespondence: Harjit SinghThe School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Melbourne, VIC 3083, AustraliaEmail [e-mail]: The purpose of this review was to evaluate the modalities (e.g., face-to-face, telephone or electronic) of pharmacist health coaching providing the greatest improvement in patient outcomes, to enable a more comprehensive evaluation to be done and quality decision-making around health coaching modalities to be undertaken by pharmacists.Methods: This systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines. CINHAL, EMBASE, PubMed, PsychINFO and SCOPUS were searched (2000– 2019). Included articles were reviewed for the modality used to health coach, the training provided, and the outcomes.Results: Twelve papers met the eligibility criteria. A majority of studies included involved a combination of modalities of pharmacist health coaching. Four papers referred to face-to-face sessions, and one study used telephone coaching. In each paper, coaching led to an improvement in clinical and non-clinical health outcomes.Conclusion: The training provided to health coaches varied and in some cases was not reported. Inconsistencies in reports led to difficulties when comparing study outcomes. Therefore, conclusions about the modality providing the greatest improvement in patient outcomes and the most pragmatic health coaching modality are not possible. Studies that document the training, the modality, the outcomes and the cost benefits of coaching by pharmacists are warranted to enable a more comprehensive evaluation to be done and quality decision-making around health coaching modalities to be undertaken by pharmacists.Keywords: health, coaching, pharmacy, modalities