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In the cover story of the October, 2016 edition of "The Journal of Healthcare Financial Management Association" Tim Barry and Clive Fields MD addressed the health insurance industry's move to value-based care and billing reimbursement. The journal article begins with the following statement "The tipping point. The point of no return. A critical juncture." This refers to the healthcare industry's current standard of care and reimbursement based on a value-care, pay-for-performance model. The article continues: "This means healthcare providers need to revamp their current patient care model to include patient health education for disease prevention as a cornerstone of patient-centered care. By 2018, 50% of all Medicare payments will be tied to value-based alternative payment models, recognizing not only the volume of care delivered, but also the clinical outcomes such care generates. Commercial carriers have followed suit." The impact on nurses, is especially significant. For the first time, the U.S. insurance industry has endorsed a holistic approach to healthcare and disease prevention as the preferred model of medical care delivery. This is forcing healthcare providers to move beyond the current acute care, symptom-based approach to including disease prevention and patient education for self-care. Now that the healthcare industry is embracing how to deliver patient-driven health care for reducing costs, the demand and utilization of modalities which support this model are rapidly growing. Patient health education is at the heart of the patient-centered care model and no other health professional is better poised to fill this role than the nurse. This is important because (1) Patient health education is contained within the nursing scope of practice, (2) Physicians have limited time with their patients, and (3) Nurses spend more time with patients often being the first or last to have contact with patients during a medical office visit. The HFMA journal article goes on to clarify this evolving model of healthcare: "Delivering care within a value-based model involves much more than changing contracts and compensation. It requires a pro-active clinical focus in which patients at high risk for disease progression are identified for early intervention and patient education services expanded...with three key objectives: making patients healthier, providing high-quality care, and reducing the cost of care." Since 1980, the National Institute of Whole Health has been conducting hospital-based research on a holistic patient-health education model which includes Behavioral Engagement with Pure Presence, a health behavior change model. The most recent studies on the NIWH model include a Central Michigan University (CMU) group of patients and four physician practices and a Blue Cross Blue Shield-funded Michigan State University (MSU) physician practice study, utilizing the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) Measure Survey with pre- and post-intervention. The study demonstrated a 27.5 - 35% improvement in both patient satisfaction and physician satisfaction using the NIWH Whole Health Education Behavioral Engagement model. The study was conducted by two medical researchers from Central Michigan University and Michigan State University respectively. Table 1. Participant Pre-Intervention and Post-Intervention Survey Excellent Response Scores Excellent Responses (%)VariablePre-InterventionPost-InterventionValued72.5100.0Present80.0100.0Listen65.0100.0Whole70.0100.0Understand80.097.5Eye Contact70.095.0Positive80.095.0Explain75.097.5Take Control72.597.5Develop Plan75.097.5For nurses who want to work with patients as health and wellness educators and advocates, now is the perfect time to get the necessary training to enter this exciting specialty which provides licensed nurses the qualification for professional liability, an NPI number and expertly prepared billing manual to have patient health education services billed and paid for.

You're welcome Christina and good luck on following your passion to serve others through nursing and in a manner true for you as a nurse and person!

Expanding our education for focusing more on what we are most passionate about is a wise move as we move along our life and a career. While traditional degree programs are required for most educational and institutional positions, there are other options as well for helping people learn to be healthier. I am not talking about coaching programs, for these are unregulated and credentialed at this time. I am referring to programs which have done the work of becoming nationally credentialed educational programs for delivering patient and health education. Reading the testimonials of esteemed professionals in the healthcare field about the National Institute of Whole Health students and programs (Testimonials | National Institute of Whole Health) reflects how patient education is not only desirable, but essential in today's world of healthcare. What gives an advanced educational degree validity and value in the professional world is that the degree program is accredited by a recognized nationally credentialing body. I chose to signup for the National Institute of Whole Health patient health education and advocacy program as it is the only such program nationally accredited by a recognized nationally credentialing body-the Institute of Credentialing Excellence (ICE). Such accreditation matters to me having been raised by parents who were both teachers and deeply believed in both education as well as certified standards of practice. The world of healthcare may be changing but standards still matter! Good luck in your quest to evolve your service as a healthcare professional.

The only nationally accredited program I've found which offers professional credentials to nurses for patient and health education is the National Institute of Whole Health (Whole Health Programs - Accredited | National Institute of Whole Health). They are credentialed by the Institute of Credentialing Excellence and the program qualifies you for an NPI number with a billing manual. One of their programs is exclusively for nurses and a great option for nurses seeking real credentials for health and wellness patient education work in either a medical practice or for your own private practice. I looked at a LOT of programs online before choosing the NIWH program for becoming a patient and health educator. The program has monthly call-ins and there is a lot of discussion in the calls about what graduates are doing and it's quite impressive! One call I listened to was focused on how Medicare is making disease prevention and health education a priority in patient care. As a nurse interested in patient and health education, you might do well to check out the NIWH training and certification options. Don't be discouraged in following what calls to you as a nurse. Patient and health education IS a viable career option/enrichment, the caveat being that credentials in such are essential.

As a graduate of the NIWH program (Whole Health Programs - Accredited | National Institute of Whole Health) I am familiar with the assignments you spoke of in your post. At the beginning of the program I too struggled to understand what I was being asked to do as it is very different than my previous experiences with learning expectations. Prior to taking the NIWH program, I was simply asked a question and only needed to copy/paste” the answer in order to satisfy my instructors and testing. What is unique and requires a bit of a learning curve is that I was being taught to learn about the whole person, not just a series of facts. The Whole Person/Whole Health model of training within the NIWH program looks at a person and their health from a 360 degree perspective. Most of us have spent our life being taught to "just answer the question" with a singular answer. This makes it challenging to grasp the circular, feminine model of wholeness and inter-relatedness. Once I understood that the NIWH program was teaching me information based on an integrated Whole Person/Whole Health curriculum model, I could SO much better understand what was expected of me and my assignments. It's a little bit like learning a new language-it can be challenging at first, and then once you get it, everything makes so much more sense! My recommendation is that you talk with your advisor and a person from program services who will be happy to help you with this leaning curve. They do talk about the model of the curriculum in the various guides and course inserts but that can be hard to grasp until you are doing the work. I can tell you from my own experience of this program it is worth the initial struggle of trying to understand this unique model of learning as it offers our patients and clients the help they are looking for when they seek our help! Hang in there - its well worth it!

Oops, forgot to put in the link to NIWH (A Whole Person Approach to Health and Healing, Whole Health Training | National Institute of Whole Health)

Understanding the difference between coaching programs vs certification programs is critical. Coaching does not give you the ability to have an NPI number. Coaching without accurate information does not produce the changes a patient is looking for. And without patient education, the changes in health and well-being a patient is looking for simply will not happen. The only nationally accredited program I have found give you the credentials for being able to bill your services through your own NPI number is the NIWH (Whole Health Training and Education - Accredited | Holistic Health Programs). They are credentialed by the Institute of Credentialing Excellence and provide training which qualifies you for an NPI number and billing manual as well as training you to work with doctors or on your own. It has a long list of credentials and recognitions from being in business 41 years and has a program exclusively for nurses. As many have mentioned in this thread, finding expanded ways to serve and include lifestyle changes is both personally satisfying and where the healthcare field is going.

Hi! I have come to understand how treating the whole person-not just the symptoms presenting themselves-offers patients better health as well as healing what is troubling them. Where I found formal training in treating the whole person was through the National Institute of WholeHealth which teaches based on a whole person approach to health and healing (A Whole Person Approach to Health and Healing, Whole Health Training | National Institute of Whole Health). Their 5 aspects of whole health include physical, emotional, nutritional, environmental, and spiritual. Even government reimbursements are moving towards focusing on disease prevention and patient education and less on only treating a patient's symptoms. Learning is wonderful, and getting paid to apply that learning to helping people feel and become healthier, even better! The NIWH program is accredited by ICE and their training qualifies you to apply for your own NPI number and billing manual. NIWH is also an approved program provider for the Department of Defense MyCAA program (NIWH Offering Educational Scholarships forMilitary Spouses | National Institute of Whole Health) and offers a Holistic Nurse Certification program as well (Holistic Nursing Model | National Institute of Whole Health). I could go on and on as I have been SO delighted with what I learned and the resources the program offered me both as a student and even after completing the program!

What an interesting thread about where a passion for healing and service can take one! The older I get, the more I want to learn how to help my patients become healthier, not just medicated. And, I have a healthy respect for scientific research and credentials as I want to be responsible to my patients in my suggestions as well. I no longer work in an institutional practice, but have my own practice now using the additional learning and credentials I earned through the National Institute of Whole Health (Whole Health Training and Education - Accredited | Holistic Health Programs). They are credentialed by the Institute of Credentialing Excellence and offer 400 hours of training on specific topics relevant to today's health concerns. Their program has a long list of credentials and recognitions as well as a program exclusively for nurses. The program qualifies you to apply for an NPI number and a insurance billing manual and provides training for working with doctors or on your own. With all the experience I had from working as a nurse for years, it made sense to expand my professional options without sacrificing my years of experience as a nurse. I love being able to help people take more ownership of their health, integrating what I learned through the NIWH program and my years of experience as a nurse!

I can understand burnout in working a traditional nursing jobs, for while helping others may have inspired us into the nursing profession, so much of medicine now is run by "the numbers". Understanding the difference between coaching programs vs certification programs is critical in considering your options for your future. The only nationally accredited program I have found which deliver credentials which allow you to bill your services through your own NPI number is the NIWH (Whole Health Training and Education - Accredited | Holistic Health Programs). Their program provides you an NPI number and billing manual and trains you to work with either doctors or on your own. It's even got a program exclusively for nurses (Holistic Nurse Certification | National Institute of Whole Health). I think it's worth your time for checking out and perhaps talking to someone there (Whole Health Training and Education - Accredited | Holistic Health Programs). I'll be curious to hear what you think of the program and hope you don't settle for "burning out" but take up your passion for helping people in a new and more successful way!

Hi, good for you for wanting to do more with all the experience and expertise you have acquired over the years! Becoming certified gives you not only credibility but also gives you options for advancing your expertise as well as your income. If you are interested in increasing your income through helping others with health and wellness, understanding the difference between coaching programs vs certification programs is critical. The only program I know of which is nationally accredited to deliver credentials is the NIWH (Whole Health Training and Education - Accredited | Holistic Health Programs). They are credentialed by the Institute of Credentialing Excellence and give ANCC nurse CE contact hours. Their program provides you with the training to obtain your own NPI number and training for working with doctors or on your own. This program has a long list of credentials from being in business 41 years, so a solid resource to at least check out. Good luck!

Well spoken as to the quality of the NIWH 3-1 Whole Health Education program you are a graduate of! (Whole Health Programs - Accredited | National Institute of Whole Health). And there are other programs NIWH offers, depending on what you are seeking for further education, credentials, and skills. NIWH also offers the "Patient Health Advocacy Certificate Program"(Patient Health Advocacy Certificate Whole Health Training Program, Become Patient Advocate | National Institute of Whole Health) and the "Holistic Nurse Certification" (Holistic Nurse Certification | National Institute of Whole Health). NIWH graduates are qualified to apply for further credentials (see Nationally Recognized Credentials | National Institute of Whole Health) for advancing your professional career choices in the healthcare field.

Hi Proverbs, sorry for the delay in seeing your post! I've answered a question Kathy posted below and the link Prerequisites | National Institute of Whole Health gives the requirements for the various programs NIWH offers. Hope this helps!

Hi Kathy, It depends on which of the National Institute of Whole Health programs you are interested in. To learn more about the requirements for the various programs offered, use this link Prerequisites | National Institute of Whole Health for looking at what your current education qualifies you for taking from the NIWH. Hope this was helpful!

OOps! I mis-spoke in my post above. It's Whole Health Training and Education - Accredited | Holistic Health Programs, NOT niwh.com domain name may be for sale. My bad!!