Pocono Medical Center - Student Health Coaches

What is it?

An innovative partnership with East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania and Wilkes University trains a select group of volunteer students to act as health coaches for patients with chronic illness. The students – who visit patients at home – are trained to recognize signs that a patient might need medical help, what to look for in patients’ environments that might hamper recovery and how to coach them on following doctors’ recommendations. For more information, please visit the website.

Who is it for?

Patients with chronic conditions such as heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, as well as university students who want to learn how to work with patients

Why do they do it?

Studies show that half of all patients leave hospitals without understanding the advice they were given. Patients with chronic illnesses who don’t follow that advice often end up back in the hospital.

Impact

In 2013, 12 students entered the program to be volunteer health coaches. In 2014, 40 students entered the program. To date, 90 patients have been helped.

Contact: Geoffrey Roche
Director, Community & Government Relations
Telephone: 570-476-3767
Email: groche@poconomc.org