NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – After 17 years working in hospital emergency rooms, physician Jill Griffin tuned up her bicycle and launched a new venture she's calling PedalMed.

Griffin, 53, started cycling around the area earlier this month offering "health coaching" house calls to people with chronic diseases and other health issues. With realistic goals and encouragement, she thinks she can get them healthy at home, and keep them out of the ER.

She has been health coaching for two years, both by phone and at an office at 41 Locust St., ever since she realized that the health care system in the United States is "broken" because it does not support preventive care.