Participant Feedback

Evaluation Statistics

The following statistics are from two-day introductory workshops run by HCA for organisations, and workshops that were open to individual registrations by health professionals.

Average participant ratings on a 5 point scale from 1 (Poor) to 5 (Excellent):

• Average Overall Rating for the workshops = 4.56
• 59.67% of participants gave a rating of 5 out of 5 (an additional 36.82% gave a rating of 4 out of 5)
• Average rating for presentation and facilitation = 4.59
• Average rating for usefulness of content in relation to application to current roles the workplace = 4.42

Participant Experience Using Health Coaching Techniques in Practice, after a Workshop 

“Hi Beth, I just wanted to share with you and the rest of the team how this 2 day course has made a change to my life in 2 days! .....

Wednesday - I returned to work.  My practice manager said ‘so now explain to me how this health coaching works…’ ...

    ‘better still why don’t I show you?’

We did a short session about increasing her fitness, one of the options for exercise that she had tried in the past was running ‘but that is out of the question now’ …. why?  Í have a baby … but I suppose I could ….’.  By the end of the session, she had chosen running as the thing she wanted to do and had a plan.  

‘This is pretty good isn’t it?’ she said with a grin on her face as she left my office clutching her paper with her notes on it!

Thursday – practice manager came into my office, we would like to offer you a 20% pay rise – yeah! (I haven’t asked for one)." 

After this fantastic news, Susan came back to us again with this:

"I am currently planning to invite all our current patients to book for phone session – hoping to ask 100 and get 50 – plenty of consolidation there!  If I get more than 50% response, that will confirm that patients are looking for something more.

Had a patient come to pay a bill yesterday – no consulting sessions happening.  Asked to see me.  She had freaked over her elevated cholesterol.  Decided to slip into coaching mode.  Asked why it was so important at this time – she burst into tears (oops, forgot to have the tissues in front of her!).  Went on to encourage her to list some ideas.  She listed NO chocolate, NO cheese, etc.  I asked how she would feel when she inevitably would eat one or the other … currently eats about 8 – 12 small chockie bars a night.  Left with a plan to eat 2 bars – 4 times a week and her contingency plan is to have some dark chocolate on hand for those times when it gets too hard!  She left smiling and said that success was not a word she was used to … you’re right, it does feel better to empower rather than dictate.  I’m lovin’ this!

Thanks, Susan Fry, Practice Nurse, Victoria"  13 November 2009

More Testimonials:

• Dianne Sfiligoi, Physiotherapist, 9 September 2009

• Julieanne Crow, Building Practice Capacity Team Leader, Otway Division of General Practice

  The Otway Division nurses working in general practice have benefited greatly in undergoing health coaching training in caring and working with patients/clients who have a chronic disease.

  Many have implemented the processes and strategies in their daily work practice. One nurse rang me and was so excited that the model really works . In requesting a patient to write down his goals for self management of his disease, the patient broke down and cried. It was only at this point that his illiteracy became evident and then she realized that all the paper resources etc that she had given to him in the past was not working to manage his disease.

Typical Comments on Workshop Evaluation Forms

“The Health Coaching skills will equip individual for assisting client in Chronic condition self-management. It will enhance trainer ability in Group programs, such as Chronic Disease Self Management Program, Stanford Uni, USA. (Physiotherapist, Ergonomist, Master Trainer CDSMP)”

“My role is to implement a chronic disease management program in community health, with a strong focus on self managements interventions. Health Coaching will be an invaluable component in this program, and I hope to have all program staff trained so we can embed it in our model.”

“Yes. It would be helpful (to others in my profession). I thoroughly enjoyed the course & with some practice I will try to implement in the surgery. Perhaps the GP's having some knowledge of HC would be beneficial in supporting as to implement it. There will be some challenges & it will take time & practice. Thank You”

“All Dietitians who work with patients need to be trained in this method. It is only after working for a few years with our traditional counselling model do we realise how ineffective it is.”

“Health coaching is an approach that is a complementary (if not critical) component of chronic condition self-management programs such as Flinders & Better Health Self-Management. I am looking forward to learning more and developing my skills to enable my clients to obtain better health outcomes.”

“A proactive approach to empowering individuals to take responsibility for their general health and wellbeing.”

“As a diabetes educator of some years duration I have learnt that there is no point in telling people to do anything without assessing if they want to do so and often having to assist people along the journey of change. These skills shared with us are wonderful tools for health care professional, helping us to assess readiness to change, helping with goal setting with the client. Everything was great as can put into practice immediately all the new skills and also confirmed that I already had and was using quite a few already. Great mix of new stuff and confidence boost that I was on the right track.”

“Very revealing experience to go through HC training. It was an eye opener to how much we can improve in client care and empowering them.”

“This workshop will change the way nurses practise. HC will make a difference to outcomes in chronic health with behaviour change. Would be great for all nurses to be trained in this model at university. “

“This workshop opened my eyes to other ways of dealing with patients who I may have labelled (unconsciously or consciously) as difficult/unmotivated etc. In reality they probably aren't - I just never realised the cues they were giving me and the questions I could have asked (or not asked) to help them achieve their goals (or even as basic as prioritising their goals or readiness to make them!) The art of allowing silence in a consult is one that all Dietitians need to learn. Thanks”

“As a dietitian, I can see how HC can reduce perceived barriers, ease resistance and get clients to change with greater long-term success.”

“As a physio, I am always frustrated by patients not adhering to exercise programs. This gives me a lot of insight into patients reasons for not complying and reasons for resistance. This course also then provides tools to assist patients to identify and motivate clients to achieve desired outcomes.”

“As a podiatrist, I find that most clients expect me to provide treatment & advice. This course has given me ideas to open up the dialogue with clients and explore better strategies by empowering them to make their own choices. I'm really looking forward to applying these new ideas. Thanks.”