Health coaching isn’t a cost — It’s a force multiplier

Companies invest heavily in wellbeing tools, clinical programs, and preventive services. But too often, those investments fall flat. Why? Because without the right strategy to activate engagement, even the best offerings can fail to deliver their full value. 

Health coaching is the key to unlocking that untapped potential. But not all coaching is created equal. The difference lies in whether it’s seamlessly integrated into your existing benefits ecosystem or simply layered on top as another disconnected service. 

In this article, we’ll show you what effective coaching looks like: how it can function as a force multiplier for your existing programs, the measurable outcomes it drives, and the five key questions you need to ask your coaching vendor to ensure you’re getting the results you deserve. 

What the data shows 

In our book of business coaching analysis, we see that coached members engage more deeply across our entire personalized health platform: 

• 2.3x higher overall platform engagement 

• 4.2x more Journeys completed per year 

• 3x more daily cards completed per month 

• 3.5x more likely to explore partner programs 

And it gets better. We’ve seen that sustained engagement drives even greater clinical outcomes for those coached members:  

• +6 percentage points improvement in blood pressure for moderate-risk members  

• +9 percentage points improvement in sleep for high-risk members 

• Measurable gains across cholesterol, and physical activity, and cardiovascular health 

Health improvements in moderate and high risk coached vs non-coached members

Consistency. Outcomes. Impact That's the force multiplier effect of coaching. And when evaluating coaching vendors, this is the standard you should be holding them to. 

The Integration Audit: 5 must-ask questions for your health coaching vendor 

The results above aren't an argument for coaching its own. They’re proof that success is steeped in coaching integration. Because coaching only delivers compounded value when it’s designed to amplify your existing health programs, not stand alone. 

So how do you ensure you’re choosing the kind of coaching that integrates effectively? Use these five questions in your next vendor conversation. They’ll reveal whether the coaching can truly unlock the full potential of your existing ecosystem or will merely add another disconnected service. 

1. "How does your coaching integrate with our existing benefits and programs? " This question asks vendors to break down their approach to integration.  

2. "Based on the above, can you provide  evidence that shows how coaching increases usage of our existing health programs and services?" Ask for specific data points or case studies that demonstrate coaching's ability to enhance engagement with your current offerings. It's about proof and outcomes, not claims. 

3. "Does your coaching service use data from our existing programs to personalize the coaching experience?" Integration isn't just about pointing members toward your programs. Great coaching leverages the data and insights from your existing programs to deliver personalized recommendations that elevate the entire member experience. 

4. "What happens to utilization rates and clinical outcomes when a member stops coaching?" If engagement with your existing benefits drops when coaching ends, the coaching might not have been integrated. It just added a layer.  

5. "What processes do you have in place to collaborate with us and continuously optimize coaching’s impact on our programs?" Integration is not a one-and-done exercise. This question ensures the vendor has a framework for ongoing partnership, refinement, and alignment with your goals, not just a static implementation. 

Let’s set higher standards for coaching 

Great health coaching doesn’t happen in silos.  Which means it’s not enough to measure coaching success in isolation. Ask yourself: is your coaching vendor transparent about the value they’re adding to your entire ecosystem? If the answer is no, it’s time to re-evaluate. 

Real coaching isn’t a cost. It’s an investment in stronger, healthier, and more resilient outcomes. And the right coaching partner will help you see real ROI by turning engagement into action, and action into results. 

At Personify Health, that’s our standard. Let’s raise yours. 

Want to see more evidence behind the standard? Download Health Coaching as a Risk Management Strategy — backed by Personify Health's book of business analysis and outcomes from over 80,000 coached members.