The AIR and PuSHCon Health Coaching Studies
The Aides in Respiration (AIR) Health Coaching Study (2014-2017) randomized patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to receive nine months of usual care or to additionally receive support from a health coach. Patients with a health coach were more likely to use their inhalers regularly with good technique so that they could get the full benefits of the medication. Their quality of care was greater, both when measured based on patient experience and when looking at indicators of care.
The Pulmonary Specialist Health Coach Consultation (PuSHCon) Study (2019-2026) build on the AIR study to include people with asthma and to distill the intervention into a 4 month period centered around a consultation in which the health coach would gather information about the patient and review cases with a Pulmonary Specialist Nurse Practitioner, who would make recommendations to optimize care to the primary care provider managing the patient’s chronic lung conditions. The primary care provider would decide which recommendations to accept, and the health coach could help the patient implement new recommendations, such as picking up and learning how to use a new inhaler, practicing breathing exercises, make a plan to get help early for signs of a flare up, or manage other conditions that make their breathing worse.
Tools to implement health coaching for chronic lung conditions in your practice
To receive a copy of any of the resources listed below, please email us at: [email protected]
- COPD Action Plan: Start a conversation with patients about symptoms awareness and timely action
- Research Protocol: View or adapt our protocol, which includes how to we identified and recruited patients and measures used.
- Health Coach - Specialist Consultation Form: Learn more about how we used health coaching to facilitate specialist access. Available in English and Spanish.
Tools to assess health coaching for chronic lung conditions in your practice
To receive a copy of any of the resources listed below, please email us at: [email protected]
- Organizational Self Assessment: Work together with your team to assess where your practice is in regards to COPD care
- Health Coach Skills Checklist: Help practice putting those health coaching skills to use
Read more about health coaching for chronic lung diseases
Willard-Grace R, Hessler D, Huang B, DeVore D, Chirinos C, Wolf J, Low D, Garvey C, Donesky D, Tsao S, Su G. Pulmonary Specialist-Supported Health Coaching Delivered by Lay Personnel Improves Receipt of Quality Care for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Randomized Control Trial. J Patient Cent Res Rev. 2023; 10(4):201-209. PMID: 38046991; PMCID: PMC10688918.
Thom DH, Willard-Grace R, Tsao S, Hessler D, Huang B, De Vore D, Chirinos C, Wolf J, Donesky D, Garvey C, Su G. Randomized controlled trial of health coaching for vulnerable patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2018; 15:10. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201806-365OC
Huang B, Willard-Grace R, De Vore D, Wolf J, Chirinos C, Tsao S, Hessler D, Su G, Thom DH. Health coaching to improve self-management and quality of life for low income patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): protocol for a randomized controlled trial. BMC Pulmonary Medicine. 2017;17:90. doi:10.1186/s12890-017-0433-3.
Tsao S, Willard-Grace R, Wolf J, Chirinos C, De Vore D, Huang B, Su G, Thom DH. Implementation and Impact of the Pulmonary Specialist Health Coach Consultation Model to Improve Care for Patients with COPD. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2021 Nov;47(11):739-747. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2021.08.003. Epub 2021 Aug 8. PMID: 34489189.
Willard-Grace R, Masaki S, Joseph R, DeVore D, Huang B, Su G, Thom DH. "She Showed Me How to Help Myself": A Qualitative Study of Health Coaching for Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2021;32(1):449-462. doi: 10.1353/hpu.2021.0034. PMID: 33678707.
Willard-Grace R, Chirinos C, Wolf J, DeVore D, Huang B, Hessler D, Tsao S, Su G, Thom DH. Lay Health Coaching to Increase Appropriate Inhaler Use in COPD: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Ann Fam Med. 2020 Jan;18(1):5-14. doi: 10.1370/afm.2461. PMID: 31937527; PMCID: PMC7227462.
Willard-Grace R, Wolf J, Huang B, Lewis E, Su G. Pilot of Brief Health Coaching Intervention to Improve Adherence to Positive Airway Pressure Therapy. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2020 Nov;46(11):631-639. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2020.08.011. Epub 2020 Aug 29. PMID: 32972868.