Request for Proposal for virtual
health coaching platform for
people living with diabetes
(Type 2)
November 2015
INVITATION TO PROPONENTS:
The South Riverdale Community Health Centre (SRCHC) is a non-profit, multi-service
center that provides primary health care, social and community outreach services with
an emphasis on health promotion to residents of Riverdale and South East Toronto.
SRCHC has been asked by the Toronto Central Local Health Integrated Network (TC
LHIN) to support the implementation of a virtual health coaching pilot for people living
with Type 2 diabetes accessing services in Diabetes Education Programs (DEPs)
In response, SRCHC is issuing this request for proposal seeking applications from
vendors with an established platform for multiple modalities of virtual interaction between
clinicians and clients, an established and/or evidence-informed health coaching protocol,
and the technical expertise to support the implementation for the pilot. This virtual health
coaching (using computer / tablet / smartphone) protocol will be implemented as a mode
of service delivery within selected DEPs in TC LHIN. The virtual health coaching protocol
will provide clients and clinicians a virtual space to engage in symptom monitoring,
promotion of health behaviour change, and overall management of illness beyond inperson visits with the clinician.
Overall, with the evidence-informed virtual health coaching protocol, SRCHC will test the
expansion of service delivery in DEPs to empower people living with diabetes better
manage their illness.
PROJECT DATES:
Start Date: January – March 2016
Completion date: March 31, 2016
DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSAL:
12:00 noon on November 30, 2015
NOTIFICATION OF OUTCOME RFP PROCESS:
Interviews of selected proposals will take place on:
Wednesday, December 2nd from 2 to 3:30 PM and
Thursday, December 3rd from 9AM to 12PM.
SRCHC CONTACT:
Please submit your proposal and direct any communications to:
The Hiring Committee – RFP – Diabetes Health Coaching
South Riverdale Community Health Centre
955 Queen Street East
Toronto, ON M4M 3P3
Email: humanresources@srchc.com
Please ensure to state “RFP – Diabetes Health Coaching” in the subject line of your
email.
BACKGROUND:
With limited resources and increasing numbers of people living with chronic disease,
new ways must be found for providing effective care in more efficient ways. For the
sustainability of the health system, we need transformation in how services are provided
and modernization in how we engage patients.
This project will help align with Toronto Central LHIN strategic priorities of: 1) Designing
Health Care for the Future (supporting innovation, maximizing new and emerging
technologies); and 2) Transforming Primary and Community Care.
This project is a “test of change” to determine the viability and potential impact of virtual
health coaching for diabetes as an approach to:
a. Improve the patient experience (patient engagement; client satisfaction; client
convenience);
b. Improve productivity of health care services (each diabetes educator/coach will be
able to support an increased number clients, compared to current methods of service
delivery); and,
c. Improve long term health outcomes and reduce complications from diabetes for
people living with diabetes
SCOPE OF WORK:
Successful vendor will work with SRCHC to implement in selected DEPs an established
and/or evidence-based health coaching intervention that will be provided virtually using
technologies, including but not limited to computers, smart phones, tablets, etc. The
successful vendor will train staff identified to become health coaches within the selected
DEPs in the use of the protocol as well as platform. Further, the successful vendor will
support DEPs with client enrolment and provide support with virtual platform’s
infrastructure trouble-shooting as it relates to the tech platform to be used by health
coaches and clients. Most importantly, the health coaching protocol will be focused on
improving health outcomes for clients with Type 2 diabetes in selected DEPs. The
intervention will take place over a 3 month time frame for each client, as specified in the
project dates.
1) Tasks and Deliverables for the successful vendor include:
a. Provide access to software as well as hardware for platform and protocol that gives
clinicians and clients with diabetes opportunities to virtually participate in the pilot;
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b. Specify and provide alternative means of engagement for clients who may not own
hardware or software to receive virtual health coaching
c. Train diabetes educators in health coaching protocol and use of health coaching
platform technology;
d. Help DEPs identify processes to recruit up to 10 clients & complete intervention in
health coaching by March 31st, 2016; and,
e. Provide troubleshooting support to health coaches and clients as needs arise
f. Work with the selected DEPs to produce a final report with outcomes of the pilot
2) Potential Performance Measures
a. Number of DEPs participating in the test of change
b. Number of clients enrolled in the health coaching intervention, across all participating
DEPs
c. Number of clients completing the health coaching intervention, across all
participating DEPs
d. Yield:
i.
Proportion of clients approached who enroll;
ii.
Proportion of clients who enroll and complete the intervention
iii.
Percentage of clients with HbA1c improvement after completion of health
coaching
iv.
Percentage of clients maintaining use of virtual platform for self-monitoring,
after virtual coaching intervention
e. Productivity:
i.
Number of clinical interactions per client in intervention group (relative to
baseline / regular practice)
ii.
Time invested per client and per clinical interaction (relative to baseline /
regular practice)
DEPs within the TCLHIN will select Diabetes Educators to be trained as virtual health
coaches who will support clients with this electronic health coaching platform. DEPs will
also manage selection and client enrolment in the pilot.
SRCHC will oversee the coordination of the pilot project. At the end of the three month
period, SRCHC may engage an independent consultant to objectively evaluate the
outcomes of this pilot.
INFORMATION REQUESTED FROM PROPONENTS:
A brief proposal no more than six (6) pages including the following:
1) Profile and resumes of the consultant(s): qualifications, description of relevant
experience and style of those who will be doing the actual work, health coaching
implementation, data collection, data analysis, writing, etc.;
2) Description of approach and general plan with key milestones and timelines;
3) A firm cost indicating per diem for each member of the team and the number of days
necessary to complete the work as per expectations;
4) Out of the pocket expenses, if any expected;
5) References [minimum of two (2) for similar work];
6) Samples of health coaching platform from previous engagements.
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TIME, COST, and VIRTUAL COACHING PROTOCOL DETAILS REQUIRED IN THE
PROPOSAL:
Proposals should provide a breakdown of the virtual coaching protocol, costs, and time
(and other resources) needed for the following components:
1) Determination of outcome measures;
2) Process Evaluation (including the elements listed in point 2);
3) Outcome Evaluation (including the elements listed in Scope of Work); and,
4) Generation of all reports and presentations including the final evaluation document
and any appendices.
EVALUATION CRITERIA AND SELECTION PROCESS:
Proposals will be evaluated based on criteria listed below.
Mandatory Requirements (please see page 4)
Consultant profiles
References
Sample health coaching plan(s) for clients living with diabetes
A snapshot of the health coaching platform as well as protocol
Knowledge areas
Knowledge of delivering virtual health coaching in community
settings with health equity lens
Weight
30 points
Virtual Health Coaching Protocol
Protocol for virtual health coaching
Offers multiple tech-based modalities for providing health
coaching, Is evidence-informed based on current CDA guidelines,
Educates patient on their condition, Patient friendly care plans,
Provides patient assessments, Provided coaches and clients the
ability to create wellness plans, Patient biometrics, Validate
clinically, Patient-Coach ability to interact
Weight
10 points
30 points
Skill Sets
Experience delivering virtual health coaching
Quantitative and qualitative analysis of outcomes
Weight
20 points
10 points
Interviews of short listed candidates based on criteria above
100 points
CONDITIONS:
Cost of preparation
SRCHC will not be liable for any costs incurred by the applicants in the preparation of
their response to this proposal.
Maximum Value of Proposals:
SRCHC will not consider proposals exceeding $35,000
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Submission of Proposals
Four (4) copies of the proposal must be submitted to the SRCHC Contact in hard copy
plus one in electronic format and be received by SRCHC by: Nov. 30, 2015.
Respondents are encouraged to request confirmation of receipt of their proposal by
email to the SRCHC Contact (listed above).
Communications
Proponents may direct questions in writing or by email to the SRCHC Contact. SRCHC
is under no obligation to provide additional information but may do so at its sole
discretion SRCHC reserves the right to distribute the questions and responses to all
Proponents.
Intellectual Property
If selected, the proponent agrees that SRCHC will have exclusive right to the unique
intellectual property of the outcomes of this project and the proponent will waive in
favour of SRCHC their Copyright Act rights to all concepts, techniques, ideas,
information and materials, however recorded, (including images and data) of such
intellectual property.
Confidentiality
If selected, the proponent will keep all information received to complete this project in
strict confidence and use solely to perform the obligations for the purpose of the project.
Upon completion of the project all information collected from SRCHC and partner CHCs
will be returned to SRCHC or destroyed in a manner designated by SRCHC.
Privacy
If selected, the proponent will not have any contact with patients or patient health
information for any purpose whatsoever unless expressly authorized by SRCHC.
No Incorporation by Reference by Proponent
The entire content of the proponent’s proposal should be submitted in a fixed form and
not be dependent on any external links or documents. The content of web sites or other
external documents referred to in the proponent’s proposal will not be considered to form
part of its proposal.
Proposal to be Retained by SRCHC
SRCHC will not return the Proposal or any accompanying documentation submitted by
the Proponent.
Reserved Rights of SRCHC
SRCHC may, at its sole and absolute discretion, carry out the RFP process as it
determines to be in the best interest of SRCHC and to be the most beneficial to SRCHC.
Without prejudice to any other right or remedy available to SRCHC, SRCHC may, make
public the names of any or all proponents, do nothing, cancel the RFP, reject any or all
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proposals, accept any proposal in whole or in part and under no circumstances shall
SRCHC be liable for any indirect or consequential damages.
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