Employee Benefits
4 min read

How Health Coaching Complements Primary Care

Updated on June 3, 2025

Virtual health coaching appointment with board certified health coach

In today's fragmented healthcare landscape, providing access to care is only half the equation. The other half? Helping people follow through. 

At First Stop Health, we’ve built our virtual care model around this principle — combining convenient access to physicians with personalized support from board certified health coaches, certified diabetes educators, and registered dietitians. The result is a cohesive care experience that not only treats symptoms but drives long-term health behavior change. 

Here’s why that matters more than ever — and how our approach is changing the game. 

Health Coaching: The Missing Link in Primary Care 

Studies show that patients forget up to 80% of what their doctor tells them during a visit1. Even when they remember, life gets in the way of following through. That’s where health coaching comes in. 

Health coaches help individuals: 

  • Set realistic health goals 
  • Navigate behavior change with accountability 
  • Stay motivated between medical appointments 
  • Provide support in a convenient, virtual setting (app, phone, or website) 

According to the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, coaching can lead to: 

  • Improved chronic condition management 
  • Increased medication adherence 
  • Better patient engagement with primary care2 

First Stop Health’s Coaching Model: Integrated, Personal, Effective 

At First Stop Health, we don't treat coaching as an afterthought — it's embedded in our virtual Primary Care experience. 

Our health coaching programs include: 

  • 1:1 personalized coaching sessions, tailored to individual goals 
  • Board-certified health coaches, registered dietitians, and certified diabetes educators 
  • Focus areas such as weight management, nutrition, stress reduction, tobacco cessation, and chronic disease support 

We meet members where they are — virtually — and build trust through regular, judgment-free conversations. 

Why Integration Matters 

When coaching is integrated with primary care, the benefits multiply. First Stop Health care teams collaborate across services, allowing for: 

  • Seamless referral from physician to coach 
  • Consistent messaging around health priorities 
  • Better follow-through on care plans 

This continuity of care results in improved outcomes, fewer ER visits, and lower overall healthcare spend — especially in populations with high chronic disease burden. 

What Employers Can Expect 

Organizations that partner with FSH benefit from: 

  • Holistic employee support, addressing physical and mental health 
  • Proven engagement, thanks to our member-first approach 
  • Healthier, more productive teams — and measurable ROI over time 

Health coaching isn’t a luxury. It’s a strategic investment in outcomes, culture, and care quality. 

Coaching That Works — Because It’s Human 

Technology can’t replace trust. That’s why our health coaches focus on the human side of healthcare — empowering members to make lasting change through empathy, insight, and evidence-based techniques. 

Whether your team is dealing with rising diabetes rates, burnout, or lifestyle-related risk factors, First Stop Health can help you move the needle — not just in health, but in life. 

Ready to explore how health coaching can fit into your organization’s care strategy? 
Request a Demo or email us at marketing@fshealth.com.

First Stop Health Coaching & Specialist Care
First Stop Health Coaching & Specialist Care

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Sources

  1. Kessels, R. P. C. (2003). Patients' memory for medical information. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 96(5), 219–222. https://doi.org/10.1177/014107680309600504
  2. American College of Lifestyle Medicine. Health Coaching: The science and art of behavior change. https://lifestylemedicine.org/articles/science-and-art-of-behavior-change/ 

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