Ready, Set, Coach: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study Exploring the Impact of Implementation Coaching to Optimize the Allied Health Assistant Workforce in Public Health Settings

Background: The Victorian Allied Health Assistant Workforce Project delivered eighteen recommendations and accompanying resources supporting optimal utilization of allied health assistants (AHAs) across health, aged care, and disability sectors, in late 2022. Uptake of these evidence-based, ready-to-use resources in public health settings was yet to be evaluated. This was the impetus for an implementation coaching program, delivered to enhance application of the developed recommendations and resources. The aim of this project was to design, deliver and evaluate the impact of a pilot implementation coaching program to embed and put into practice the Victorian Allied health assistant workforce recommendations and resources in a public health setting. Methods: A non-experimental, pre- and post- mixed methods design was used to evaluate the outcomes of the tailored implementation coaching program. Measures included Organizational Readiness for Implementing Change (ORIC) scale survey, a bespoke workforce survey, the Goal Attainment Scale (GAS), post implementation interviews, and research team reflections on the process. Results: Six Victorian public health organizations participated in the pilot implementation program. Findings indicate attainment of positive change in GAS scores following the sixteen-week implementation program (p=0.001), with pre-intervention ORIC scores an unreliable indicator of potential change success. Factors pertaining to size and geography of coaching participant (CP) pair’s organization, local managerial or executive support of the change, experience and influence of the CPs and the project coaching team’s (PCT) experience and credibility, all have impact on successful implementation coaching outcomes for the optimization of the AHA workforce in a Victorian context. Conclusion: This research provides new insights into the value of coaching to support the implementation of statewide workforce recommendations and resources in public health settings. This study provides a model for other organizations to consider and to reference when embarking on the process of implementing workforce recommendations and resources, directed at workforce optimization. Keywords: allied health, allied health assistant, support workforce, implementation, coaching, optimization, healthcare