Mercy Clinics Inc. announced this morning that it has formed an exclusive collaboration with The Advisory Board Co., a leading international health-care research and technology services firm, to develop a physician office-based health coach (POHC) and medical home training program that the two organizations will market to health systems nationwide.
 
Mercy Clinics developed its first POHC certification course in 2008 with Des Moines University, and has since certified more than 100 health coaches, many from out-of-state clinics. Mercy officials say the program, which has been recognized by the American Medical Group Association for excellence, has resulted in a 400 percent return on investment within its own clinic system by increasing the efficiency of visits to physicians’ offices.
 
The POHC initiative is aimed at reducing hospital readmissions by better tracking patients’ care after they are discharged, which will be a key element of health-care reform, said Richard Schwartz, executive vice president of The Advisory Board. Based in Washington, D.C., The Advisory Board partners with more than 2,900 healthcare organizations worldwide.
 
“New payment methodologies ushered in by the Affordable Care Act include models requiring accountability for providers on the care delivered to an entire population,” Schwartz said in a press release. “As a result, chronic disease management driven by health coaches in primary care medical homes will play a key role in the coming evolution of health care. The Mercy Clinics POHC certification curriculum provides an unsurpassed foundation for this role.”