Some 84% of health plans and employers offer wellness programs to workers and members, and patient engagement is seen as the primary component to success, according to a survey of 114 companies by DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance, a disease-management advocacy group.

The survey indicated that some 91% of employers and health plans will have a wellness program component within the next year, showing the great interest in such consumer engagement programs to control healthcare costs.

“Employers understand that preventing chronic conditions in their employees is far less costly than managing disease after it occurs,” Elaine Mischler, co-chair of the DMAA market analysis workgroup, said in a written statement.

Diabetes, coronary artery disease and asthma represented the top three conditions for disease management program enrollment. Health-risk assessments—questionnaires filled out by individuals—are the most popular wellness initiatives among employers, while health plans favor cholesterol screening and counseling.

Mailings, telephone and the Internet were the most popular ways to reach individuals, according to the survey. - by Rebecca Vesely, Crain Publications - Modern Healthcare Daily Dose 9-8-08