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One of the many ways UVA Health and UVA prioritize the well-being of our team members is through UVA-WorkMed’s Chronic Care Coaching, led by Elizabeth (Beth) Frackleton, M.Ed., BSN, RN, NBC-HWC, ACSM-CPT.

Frackleton joined UVA Health in 2014 and immediately put her master’s degree in counseling and her personal trainer certification to good use to help improve the physical health of her clients living with chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, or pain.

All UVA Health and UVA team members are eligible for this free coaching — whether or not they’re on the Aetna health plan — as are any family members over age 18 who live with a team member.

Motivating the Individual

“People were losing weight; their blood sugar was coming down; their blood pressure was coming down,” Frackleton found, and she wanted to make an even more profound impact — so she became a national, board-certified health and wellness coach in 2017. “A lot of my clients are coming to me with work/life balance concerns, feeling overwhelmed, feeling like they don't have time to take care of themselves, or maybe they want to make a career change or manage stress. I wanted the coaching to help me understand how to change behavior."

Partnership with Frackleton's clients is paramount to that process. “People often know what to do, but they don't know how to do it,” she says. “A coach tries to find out what motivates the individual.”

Together, Frackleton and a client create a vision of the client’s best self — including aspects of physical, mental, emotional, professional, and financial well-being — and work toward those goals over an average of seven to nine visits.

Lasting Effects

Over time, Frackleton grew curious about whether that physical, mental and emotional growth would last after she stopped meeting with a client. “I wanted to show that health coaching is not only effective at making positive lifestyle changes. I believe people feel more empowered and more self-confident because they now believe they have what it takes to get where they want to be."

Frackleton met with Claiborne Miller-Davis, MS, BA, BSN, RN, and Lisa Letzkus, PhD, AC-PNP, RN, Office of Nursing Research. Together, they landed on an assessment of physical, emotional, and social well-being, and Frackleton began recruiting participants in September 2019. 

Research administrators emailed the survey to clients before their first session with Frackleton, after their last session, and then three months later to check in on their progress. Fifteen clients completed all three assessments by the end of the study period in September 2021. The statistically significant results suggest nurse health coaching is effective in all three of the areas of well-being studied for those navigating chronic health concerns, Frackleton says.

Impactful Results

"Beth's dedication to this research shone through her rigorous methodology and the impactful results,” says Pam DeGuzman, PhD, MBA, RN, CNL, nurse scientist, who analyzed Frackleton’s data. “It has been inspiring to witness her passion for demonstrating the power of nurse coaching for both patient care and personal well-being. Her research resonates widely, and we're confident it will have a lasting impact across the field.”

In 2023, Frackleton presented the findings of her Chronic Care Coaching study to the Nursing Shared Governance Cabinet, as well as to the Virginia Magnet Consortium. She'll also present her findings to Hoos Well staff this year.

Ongoing Commitment to Care

Since joining UVA Health, Frackleton’s client base has grown from 67 individuals in 2015 — to 126 in 2022 — and she hopes to connect with even more team members in the future. “This is truly the best job in the whole world,” she says. “As nurses, we get to serve and help people. But I get to serve our UVA family. I am so passionate about UVA and what we stand for, so it’s an honor to be able to serve our team here and help them achieve their highest level of well-being.” 

She’s personally invested in every client. “All referrals come directly to me, via my email or my office number,” she says. “I get back to everybody in 24 hours.” 

'Best Versions of Themselves'

That dedication has paid off for many team members. “Beth’s coaching services have been invaluable on my journey toward improved health and stronger connections,” one client wrote in a testimonial. “With unwavering encouragement — she meets me exactly where I am, offering insightful ideas for fostering connections while empowering me to persevere in addressing chronic pain stemming from an auto accident.”

Frackleton encourages any UVA Health or UVA team members living with chronic health conditions who are looking for help managing stress or feelings of overwhelm to reach out. “I just want people to know I am here,” she says. “I want to help people become the best versions of themselves.”

For more information or to make an appointment, call 434-243-8199 or email EDW2Z@uvahealth.org.