FAQs
What is the My Healthy Potential strategy and system?
It is a unique program for health coaches designed by a physician specialist in general preventive medicine. It was created as a legacy system to provide his expertise as learned over 60 years to the current large and growing numbers of independent health coaches. It was designed for those dedicated to the concept of health coaching, but who are struggling to build their own strategy and system for their coaching practice. It includes the best available strategy and the tools for small coaching businesses not ordinarily available.
Who can use the My Healthy Potential strategy and system?
We have two broad groups that our system serves. The first are folks with a health and wellness interest and background, such as physicians, nurses, physical therapists, nutritionists and dieticians, fitness and exercise trainers, laboratory technologists, and others with an abiding interest in prevention, wellness and health, who wish to add health coaching to their careers. The second group are small business owners, who sincerely want to add a health and wellness program to their employee program, but do not have the size or funds to establish a employee wellness coordinator and program for their employees. In this case we provide a Health Coach as coordinator.
Is the program available overseas?
No. Because we rely heavily on laboratory testing not available elsewhere, and since equipment shipping is an issue, we do not at this time offer the Program outside the 50 States of the US. Contact us if you are interested in partnering with our programs in your country.
What do I have to pay to get started?
We have a considerable amount of health-related information that’s available to everyone. You can also sign up to receive our free Blog-Alerts. Once you’re ready to get more involved we’re here to help. Membership, which we keep as inexpensive as possible, includes access to unique wellness tools for your clients. You can learn more about membership here.
Will health insurance pay for these assessment services ?
For years my colleague specialists in preventive medicine have said, “Everyone wants prevention but no one wants to pay for it!” Well, fortunately, this is beginning to very slowly change and some insurance companies and even Medicare are doing more to cover prevention services including health risk assessments. Some insurance plans even include group wellness programs for their members in order to reduce their overall costs. Programs such as ours should be covered by HSA card providers. Your client can contact their insurance provider for more information about coverage.
Who’s behind the MyHealthyPotential program?
The site has been developed by Thomas R. Bender, M.D., MPH, FACPM, a specialist in Preventive Medicine, and Healthy Potentials, LLC, in order to make this useful prevention strategy available to individuals, lots of them, one person at a time! You can learn more on the About page and under our Video tab showing Backstory Videos.
How does the program work?
We offer a free subscription to our Blogs. In them you’ll get links to up-to-date information and blog posts. It’s the first step in getting the support you want in order to consider your client’s personal risks and help them make real changes to better their health. You can subscribe here using the Form in the footer.
Paid membership includes access to much more than simply information. It includes access to our risk calculators. With your help, your client’s will be assessing their current health status by answering a series of questions about their health and history. Our paid memberships have numerous besides health risk assessments and risk calculators. There are features that provide important laboratory services, equipment purchases, and consultation for health coaching. It’s a one-stop site! To learn more about membership options, click here.
How do my clients or I obtain our laboratory tests?
While some elements of ordering and initial reporting are located on its own separate portal, it is easy to use. Here is a link to a “How To” article about that.
Their lab tests are gathered at a facility nearby. In 49 States we use Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp), and in Hawaii, Guam, and Saipan we use Diagnostic Services, Inc. (DLS) .Here is a link to the lab locator for LabCorp. Here is a link to lab locations for DLS. Here is a link to a “How To” article about how your clients can obtain their. If your client is working on a goal to reduce their cholesterol, other lipids, or glucose, they may repeat our lab tests frequently.
What do our cholesterol test results mean?
The results of cholesterol testing and, in fact, the entire lipid panel, are critical in evaluating current risks of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). This condition leads to things like heart attack, stroke, abdominal aortic aneurysm, peripheral artery disease, and so on. You can find much more information on interpreting results here.
Why should my clients be interested in their blood pressure, and how can they get it measured, as well as follow the results?
Your clients can have their blood pressure measured in their doctor’s office, of course, but there are also often opportunities at fire stations, health fairs, and drug stores. It’s usually best, however, for an individual to have their own equipment to use at home because this helps them see results at different times of day, plus track results over time. As a member, your clients will have this sent to them (along with other useful monitoring equipment, like a body fat analyzer) as part of their participation. Read more about interpreting blood pressure readings here. Learn about our membership options here.
Will you bill my client’s health insurance for these services?
No. Unfortunately, we are unable to file health insurance claims. While our services may be covered by your client’s policy, they will need to discuss the details and how to file for reimbursement with their insurance administrator. We attempt to keep costs so low that most people without health insurance find them affordable, and those with insurance feel it’s not worth the bother to seek reimbursement.
Can my clients use their tax exempt health account to pay for these services?
Section 105 of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations allows for reimbursement of medical expenses under an employer-sponsored health plan. There are various types of Section 105 plans including: Health Reimbursement Arrangements, Medical Expense Reimbursement Plans, Accident and Health Plans, and more. As a general rule, medical care includes amounts paid for diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of a disease. Costs in the areas of prevention of disease, laboratory fees, and medical information storage seem to be eligible to be paid from these accounts. If your client is interested in this option, they should discuss this with their plan administrator or their tax professional.
How do I know this strategy and system is for me?
Are your clients are worried about what their future health issues might be? Are they interested in, first, learning about their health, and then, working to lower their health risks? Has something made them concerned about their health risks, perhaps a massive heart attack in a close relative or friend? If so, then this program and consulting opportunity is of value for your business growth potential.
We give your clients useful tools to evaluate their personal risks, and their results lead to personalized guidance. We provide your clients with information that relates to their specific risk situation. Further, we connect your clients to experts who will answer their questions, help set goals, and offer advice. If that sounds good to you please join us!
On the other hand, this isn’t for people with complicated health issues who think they might like to go it alone without the guidance of their health care provider. This doesn’t come close to eliminating the need for your clients to have access to a bricks and mortar hospital or outpatient clinic staffed with licensed health providers to direct an individual’s medical care. So please keep in mind that MyHealthyPotential. isn’t meant to replace advice from a personal physician. When a person is dealing with pre-existing disease or conditions, we insist that their focus should be to obtain appropriate medical care.
Sometimes in medical practice, we hear things like, “It’s not your job to tell me to change my lifestyle; it’s your job to make me well”. At MyHealthPotential.com, we support your clients in making positive changes to maintain wellness, but they are the ones who have to actually do the work. If your clients are not committed to that, partnership with MyHealthyPotential may not be right for your business.
How does the program work?
At the very basic level, your clients will need to know their blood pressure, weight, height, waist measurement, blood test results (triglycerides and LDL/HDL cholesterol), cardiac (highly-sensitive) CRP level, fasting blood glucose, HgbA1c, and family medical history. They may still complete risk calculator questions without this information, but the calculation for their risk for disease may be a lot less powerful or even inaccurate. Most of our paid membership plans include the equipment bonuses and laboratory tests described on our site: Jumpstart coaching and training members, Rapid Laser-focused coaching members and of course Concierge members all receive precisely what’s needed. It is included in member plans. It’s nice to collect your client’s biometric data for use in you risk calculators immediately upon joining, so that is usually our first step..
Is my client’s personal information kept private?
Yes, your client’s clinical information will be kept private and secure using industry HIPAA standards. It is encrypted and maintained by the Coaching Portal, from an industry leader in personalized, consumer directed health management tools, and the laboratory testing site. Your clients may ask to read the Privacy Policy. The servers involved in gathering and maintaining their health data at the Coaching Portal and Laboratory Corporation of America meet the same privacy requirements hospitals, doctors, and other medical professionals are required to adhere too. At MyHealthyPotential.com their privacy is our top priority. We never sell email addresses.
What do glucose test results mean?
You already know that diabetes is a significant illness and is increasing in prevalence in developed countries. You may not know that it is a strong independent risk factor for arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), renal disease, and blindness. Be sure to find more information on this condition and what leads up to full-blown diabetes here.
What do my Hgb A1c test results mean?
This test, available only fairly recently, is very useful in learning about diabetes risks, and is quite an interesting test. You can find much more information on interpreting your results here.
How my clients schedule a session with me as health coach?
As a Health Coach, new and existing clients will be able to schedule time with you via your calendar. As you set up any special programs you can include various communications options for you to contact clients or for clients to contact you via email message or chat, not just telephone. You will have access to HIPAA-compliant Zoom sessions for individual and group sessions. We have another How To presentation that covers some of what your clients need in order to move forward with you as a health coach. Our health coaching strategy and systems adds enormous value to coaches and their clients who participate!
How my clients schedule a session with me as health coach?
You can reach Dr. Bender or the support staff by email at [email protected].