Press Releases: Georgia

December 14, 2005

Health Coaches Cheer Members on to Better Health

Donna Mowrey was skeptical when she called a Kaiser Permanente health coach about her degenerative joint disease. A nurse herself, Mowrey couldn't imagine that a health coach — also a nurse — could tell her anything she didn't already know.

But her knees were bothering her so much she was using a cane every day. So she took a deep breath and dialed the number.

"The health coach I talked to offered excellent advice and sent me some material to read," said Mowrey, a Kaiser Permanente employee and member since 1988. "When I went to the doctor, it was the best visit I ever had because I had the information I needed to ask the right questions."

Mowrey says she also felt more receptive to what her doctor had to say. The result: Mowrey and her doctor were able to come up with a treatment plan that gives her relief. "I haven't used my cane in months," she says happily.

Janet, Mowrey's health coach, keeps in touch to see how she's doing. After Mowrey's doctor recommended water aerobics, she had a hard time finding a pool with a schedule that worked for her. Janet was quick to suggest alternative exercises to do at home.

Health coaches are part of Healthy Solutions, a free service Kaiser Permanente started this year. Health coaches are available by phone to members around the clock.

"This program is a wonderful way to give members extra support, especially those of us living with chronic conditions," said Mowrey. "Health coaches are a fantastic resource if you're willing to listen."

About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is the state of Georgia's largest nonprofit health plan, serving the health care needs of Atlanta metro area residents for 22 years. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia, Inc. currently provides comprehensive health care services to approximately 275,000 members through 15 medical facilities in a 28-county service, and a network of affiliated hospitals and physicians. The Health Plan provided more than $5 million in community benefit programs and services.