Achieve Your Best Health
Health Coaching Asthma
Focus on life. Focus on health. Stay focused.
What Is Health Coaching?
Health coaching is a voluntary program for members diagnosed with certain
health conditions. We take a personalized and tailored approach that helps you
manage your condition and cope with everyday issues so you can meet your
health goals.
You’ll have a personal coach to support, guide and help you learn what motivates
you to make healthy lifestyle changes at your own pace. Your coach can:
• Help identify barriers to reaching and maintaining your health goals.
• Personalize your plan for better health.
• Help you nd a physician if you don’t have one.
• Help you get the most out of your health benets.
Is health coaching for me?
Health coaching is especially helpful to members who:
• Experience frequent hospitalizations.
• Want to know more about managing their health condition(s).
• Make frequent emergency room visits.
Your personal health coach
Your coach will work with you to establish goals for your health, then help you work
toward achieving your goals. Each health coach is a health care professional with
extensive training and knowledge. Your personal coach is a partner who can guide
and support you to make positive lifestyle changes to better manage your health.
We are here for you
We know it’s not always easy to make a lifestyle change and stick to it. Our health
coaches will ensure you have the information and tools to make the transition to
a healthier lifestyle. We also understand that managing a health condition can be
complicated. You can feel condent knowing your coach is there to support you
each step of the way. Also, your personal information is safe. Your health coach is
a professional who respects your privacy and will keep the details of your action
plan condential.
Our health coaches care about you and want to help you reach your health goals.
Your coach can provide the encouragement, support and education you need.
He or she can help you identify the barriers that keep you from reaching your
health goals, adopt healthy habits that t your lifestyle and connect you with
other helpful resources.
As you take steps to manage your health, you may face challenges. But you
can overcome them with the help of your friends, family and our health
coaching team!
What do you need to know
about asthma?
Asthma is a lifelong condition that affects your airways, making it difcult to
breathe. It causes the airways to become swollen, tighten up and produce too
much mucus. Researchers believe a combination of genetic factors and environ-
mental triggers cause it. With proper treatment and lifestyle changes, however,
you can live a long, fullling life.
Symptoms vary from person to person, but the most common symptoms include:
• Coughing, especially at night
• Wheezing
• Shortness of breath
• Chest tightness, pain or pressure
Your doctor will diagnose asthma and evaluate its progression by:
• Conducting a thorough physical exam
• Asking questions about your medical history and specic symptoms
• Ordering a lung function test called spirometry
What can you do to help manage your symptoms?
Take medications as prescribed. This may include taking long-term controllers to
prevent symptoms and taking quick-relief medications when you have symptoms.
Use a peak ow meter daily. This inexpensive hand-held device measures
how fast air comes out of your lungs when you exhale forcefully. By using your
peak ow meter daily, you can track whether your symptoms are under control
or worsening.
Know your triggers. There are common things in the environment that can set
off your symptoms — and each person’s triggers are unique. When you know
your triggers, you can take steps to avoid them.
Common triggers include:
• Smoking or secondhand smoke
• Infections, such as colds or u
• Strong fumes, like perfume or
car exhaust
• Air pollution and smog
• Weather changes
• Very cold or humid air
• Stress and anxiety
Once you identify your triggers, you can take steps to avoid them. Remember to
have your rescue medicine with you at all times for the triggers you can’t avoid.
Lifestyle choices. When living with asthma, it’s especially important to maintain
a healthy weight. Eat a heart-healthy diet that’s rich in fresh fruits, vegetables,
whole grains and lean protein. You should also aim for at least 30 minutes of
physical activity each day. And don’t neglect your emotional health — identify
ways to minimize your stress, and talk to your doctor if you have feelings of de-
pression or anxiety.
Don’t smoke. And if you do, get the support you need to quit. Smoking irritates
the lungs and can trigger an asthma attack. It also robs your body of oxygen and
damages your heart and lungs. Quitting may not be easy. But it’s an important
step to help you better manage your asthma. Your health coach can help you
customize a plan to make quitting easier.
Follow an asthma action plan. This is a written plan that you develop with your
doctor to help you control your asthma. Your action plan should describe your
daily treatment, including which medicines you take and when to take them. This
plan also helps you understand when to call your doctor or go to the emergency
room. Your health coach can provide a sample action plan.
Don’t Neglect Your Emotional Health
Manage stress
Individuals with certain health conditions may be more likely to feel down or
depressed, and stress can make any of us feel worse. Take time for yourself,
identify ways to minimize your stress and talk to your doctor if you have feelings
of depression or anxiety. Here are some tips:
Exercise. Even moderate exercise can help reduce stress and relieve depression.
Relaxation and breathing exercises. Relaxation exercises, such as yoga, are
proven to help relieve stress.
Relax and communicate. When you feel tired, take a break. And when you feel
stressed, talk it out. Sharing your thoughts with others can help.
Think positively. Be mindful of your “self talk” — the mental images you create
for yourself.
Don’t depend on alcohol, tobacco or other drugs to cope with stress. If you
think you may be dependent on any of these substances, contact your doctor
right away for help.
Tackle the blues
When you have a health condition, you may be more likely to feel down or
depressed. Depression is common, but treatable. To see if you may need
additional support, look over these statements and think about how you’ve felt in
the last two weeks. Check if you have:
Felt sad or down.
Not cared about things you liked before.
Been eating more or less than usual.
Felt tired.
Felt anxious.
Not been able to think or make up your mind.
Felt like you are not worth much.
Been sleeping more or less than usual.
Thought about dying or killing yourself.
If you checked ve or more, talk to your health care provider or your health coach
about whether you might be depressed. If you are, it’s important to get help so
you can get back to enjoying life.
“I am so glad we have a program available to us and
that I can call with any questions. I think I am doing
a good job, but it is nice to know that I can call when
I need to.”
– Health coaching participant
Your Relationship With Your
Health Care Team Is Important
The best thing for preventing complications with asthma is to develop a good
relationship with your health care team, which may include your primary care phy-
sician, a health coach and others. Keeping open communication with your health
care team is important and helps you play an active role in your care.
During your visit
Questions for your health care team may include:
• What are the three most important things I can do to manage my asthma?
• What changes should I make to my diet and lifestyle?
• Is medicine necessary? If so, how long should I take my medicine?
• Are there any side effects to my medicine? If so, is there anything I can do
about them?
• When should I come back for a follow-up appointment?
Your child and asthma
If your children have asthma, being with them 24/7 to ensure proper care for
their condition is nearly impossible. Luckily, you can take these simple measures
to make sure your children’s asthma is taken care of when they are at school.
• Make sure your child’s medical record is updated and easy to read.
• Meet with your child’s school nurse, teachers and coaches to discuss his or her
asthma action plan.
• Find out about your child’s school district or college medical policy.
• Talk with your child about taking medications as directed, avoiding triggers and
how to ask for help.
• Make sure your child is current on all recommended preventive screenings and
immunizations, and gets a yearly u shot.
“Thank you for being there for me. The combination
of having you and my doctor has really turned my
life around.”
– Health coaching participant
Participant’s Bill Of Rights
Health coaches respect the wishes of participants and their family members and
recognize that participants have RIGHTS and RESPONSIBILITIES, including the:
• Right to know the philosophy and characteristics of the health
coaching program.
• Right to have personally identiable health information shared by the health
coaching program only in accordance with state and federal law.
• Right to identify a staff member and his or her job title, and to speak with a
supervisor of a staff member, if requested.
• Right to receive accurate information from the health coaching program.
• Right to receive administrative information about changes in or termination of
the health coaching program.
• Right to decline participation, revoke consent or disenroll at any time.
• Responsibility to submit any forms necessary to participate in the program,
to the extent the law requires.
• Responsibility to give accurate clinical and contact information, and to notify
the health coaching program of changes in this information.
• Responsibility to notify their treating providers of their participation in
the health coaching program, if applicable.
• Understand when case management information will be disclosed to
third parties.
Health coaches inform members of these rights and uphold them at all times
during the program. All members receive a written copy of these rights and
responsibilities within 30 days of program enrollment.
You Make The Choice
Health coaching is completely voluntary and free.
Your decision to participate will not affect your health benets in any way. If you
decide that having a personal health coach is not for you, you can opt out of the
program at any time by calling 855-838-5897. If you have a problem or complaint
during your health coaching experience, you can call 855-838-5897 and ask to
speak to the program manager. In an emergency, please contact your doctor
or call 911.
Additional Resources
Here are some resources for additional information about living well with asthma.
These are independent organizations that provide educational information you
might nd helpful.
Allergy and Asthma
Foundation for America
800-727-8462
www.AANMA.org
American Association
for Respiratory Care
972-243-2272
www.YourLungHealth.org
American Lung Association
800-548-8252
www.LungUSA.org/Lung-Disease/Asthma
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention
www.CDC.gov
National Heart, Lung
and Blood Institute
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-
topics/topics/asthma/
These links lead to third party websites. Those companies are solely responsible
for the contents and privacy policies on their sites.
The information contained in this brochure is for educational purposes only. It does not represent a standard of
care. Your physician must determine the appropriateness of the information in light of all your circumstances. It is
important to discuss options with your physician when deciding on the best treatment for you.
BCHP-210328-4-2019
Focus on life. Focus on health. Stay focused.
BlueChoice HealthPlan is an independent licensee
of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
BlueChoiceSC.com
