Does health coaching change patients' trust in their primary care provider?
OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of health coaching on patients' in their primary care provider.


METHODS
Randomized controlled trial comparing health coaching with usual care.


METHODS
Low-income English or Spanish speaking patients age 18-75 with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, hypertension and/or hyperlipidemia.


METHODS
Patient trust in their primary care provider measured by the 11-item Trust in Physician Scale, converted to a 0-100 scale.


METHODS
Linear mixed modeling.


RESULTS
A total of 441 patients were randomized to receive 12 months of health coaching (n=224) vs. usual care (n=217). At baseline, the two groups were similar to those in the usual care group with respect to demographic characteristics and levels of trust in their provider. After 12 months, the mean trust level had increased more in patients receiving health coaching (3.9 vs. 1.5, p=0.47), this difference remained significant after adjustment for number of visits to primary care providers (adjusted p=.03).


CONCLUSIONS
Health coaching appears to increase patients trust in their primary care providers.


CONCLUSIONS
Primary care providers should consider adding health coaches to their team as a way to enhance their relationship with their patients.
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, San Francisco, USA. Electronic address: dthom@fcm.ucsf.edu.
David H
DH
Thom
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, San Francisco, USA.
Danielle
D
Hessler
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, San Francisco, USA.
Rachel
R
Willard-Grace
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, San Francisco, USA.
Thomas
T
Bodenheimer
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, San Francisco, USA.
Adriana
A
Najmabadi
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, San Francisco, USA.
Christina
C
Araujo
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, San Francisco, USA.
Ellen H
EH
Chen
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D037001:Directive Counseling; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011203:Poverty; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D012495:San Francisco; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods; D035502:Trust; D055815:Young Adult
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin
Health coaching; Patient trust; Patient–physician relationship; Self-management support