This post gave me some helpful insight to delineate the practice I am trying to build but at the same time I find it very hard not to overlap health coaching with being a physician. I understand your point of view medical legally but as you perform preventive care medicine aren't you coaching? I dont see how they are completely exclusive from one another?
Fortunately, any physician can also do health coaching with their own patients. It's just that if you are only doing health coaching, you cannot also practice medicine. That's the tough thing about it.
I am a physician, interested in doing some health coaching. A few questions.... 1) Would keeping track of a patient's measurements (eg. waist circumference) be considered part of the "objective" and thus considered to be practicing medicine? It's such a blurry, fine line! 2) How about not disclosing to the client that I am also a practicing physician to avoid the confusion? 3) What are the circumstances that would lead to the State Board coming after a physician who does health coaching?
1. Depends on how you are keeping track. My rebuttal would be why should you keep track of the coaching clients information? 2. You have the right to keep your identify hidden in any way shape or form you like. 3. Too many to list here but if you get on the board's radar they may choose to investigate. If they don't have anything to hang on you then you're golden. Remember that the state medical board is not on your side, their job is to discipline physicians. And they would be generally quite perturbed of a physician doesn't fall under their jurisdiction.
Super helpful! Thank you. I shared your link in a facebook page I'm on to share your thoughts on this as well.
Thank you for sharing it. Hope it's helpful content for docs interested in this.
This post gave me some helpful insight to delineate the practice I am trying to build but at the same time I find it very hard not to overlap health coaching with being a physician. I understand your point of view medical legally but as you perform preventive care medicine aren't you coaching? I dont see how they are completely exclusive from one another?
Fortunately, any physician can also do health coaching with their own patients. It's just that if you are only doing health coaching, you cannot also practice medicine. That's the tough thing about it.
Thank you for clarifying.
Your insight is very helpful
I am a physician, interested in doing some health coaching. A few questions....
1) Would keeping track of a patient's measurements (eg. waist circumference) be considered part of the "objective" and thus considered to be practicing medicine? It's such a blurry, fine line!
2) How about not disclosing to the client that I am also a practicing physician to avoid the confusion?
3) What are the circumstances that would lead to the State Board coming after a physician who does health coaching?
1. Depends on how you are keeping track. My rebuttal would be why should you keep track of the coaching clients information?
2. You have the right to keep your identify hidden in any way shape or form you like.
3. Too many to list here but if you get on the board's radar they may choose to investigate. If they don't have anything to hang on you then you're golden. Remember that the state medical board is not on your side, their job is to discipline physicians. And they would be generally quite perturbed of a physician doesn't fall under their jurisdiction.
@@DigitalNomadPhysicians Thanks for your response. If you could do a video about #3, I think that would be extremely helpful to us!