Doctor-Coach Model Success
CASE STUDY
Operationalizing a Doctor-Coach Care Model to Elevate Patient Engagement
A naturopathic practice in Seattle, WA, sought to evolve its care model to better support patient outcomes, education, and long-term engagement across complex chronic health journeys. Traditional appointment structures left limited space for behavior change support, follow-through, or ongoing accountability — all of which are essential to sustained wellness outcomes in functional and integrative care. The practice needed a model that would deepen patient engagement, reinforce clinical education, and strengthen long-term adherence.
The Challenge
The Approach
The solution was the design and implementation of a Doctor-Coach care model — a collaborative framework in which clinicians and trained coaches work together to partner with patients rather than simply prescribe care. In this model, coaching is not an add-on, but a cornerstone of clinical delivery that enhances patient ownership, supports behavior change, and extends care beyond the visit.
Key components of the approach included:
Co-designing workflows that integrated coaching into clinical care, not as a referral, but as an embedded care pathway
Training practitioners and coaches in conversational strategies that reinforce patient self-efficacy and shared decision-making
Building patient education frameworks that translated clinical plans into actionable behavior and lifestyle goals
Creating feedback loops so coaching insights informed clinical decision-making and care planning
This shift positioned care not as episodic diagnosis and treatment, but as a continuous, co-ownership experience between clinician, coach, and patient — a foundational element of person-centered and whole-health care.
The operationalization of the Doctor-Coach model yielded measurable improvements in patient engagement, clinical education uptake, and care continuity. Patients reported higher engagement with care plans and a clearer understanding of therapeutic goals, while clinicians experienced enhanced alignment across visits and more strategic use of their time.
Within the first implementation phase:
Patient engagement across longitudinal care increased
Adherence to care plans and education modules improved
Outcomes tracking demonstrated improved sustainability of lifestyle changes
Internal care teams reported stronger coordination and shared clinical insights
The Outcome
This model succeeded because it shifted the therapeutic relationship from directive to collaborative. By embedding coaching at the point of care — not as an ancillary support but as an integrated clinical partner — the practice was able to reinforce education, activate patient agency, and drive better outcomes through sustained engagement rather than episodic contact. The approach reflects emerging evidence that integrated coaching improves self-efficacy, adherence, and long-term health behaviors.