SEATTLE — People are looking for ways to balance all of the different areas of their lives and achieve better health and more happiness. That's the mission of MOBE, a one-on-one health guidance program available to people through their existing insurance plans.
"We try to help people understand how to be responsible for their own health care," says Co-founder and Chief Customer Officer Eric Hamborg.
To do that, MOBE helps people gain an understanding of how health is interconnected. Body and mind, doctors and medicines, diet and sleep habits, happiness and unhappiness, all work together to form an individual's "picture of health."
Understanding this picture enables people suffering from chronic conditions to self-manage their own care.
An important aspect of self-management for people is having knowledge of the different medications that they are taking and how they might interact. Over-the-counter medications, even topicals and supplements may have different interactions with prescribed medications. MOBE's pharmacists help to manage patient's medications and have better conversations with their health-care providers.
Premera Blue Cross partners with MOBE and values the type of skills that the service enables for their patients. Patients that self-manage become "activated patients," says Dr. David Buchholz, "They start to really own their health, and we really have learned that they have much better outcomes. They're happier, they have your symptoms, they live longer, they have better outcomes after surgery, It's all good."
If you don't have access to a service like MOBE, Dr. Buchholz suggests checking with your doctor, as a lot of physician's offices are starting to add health coaches.
Mobe is available to Premera Blue Cross members. To schedule your first session with a MOBE Guide, call 844-841-9725, visit the mobeforlife.com, or send an email to info@mobeforlife.com.
This story is sponsored by Premera Blue Cross. Watch New Day Northwest 11:00 weekdays on KING-TV Ch.5 or streaming live on KING5.com. Connect with New Day via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.