Wellness Programs’ Popularity Grows

MANAGED CARE October 2008. ©MediMedia USA

It looks like wellness programs have arrived, according to DMAA, the disease management trade group.

A survey of 114 major health plans, employers, and companies that provide wellness and disease management services found that 84 percent of health plans and employers offer one or more wellness programs now and 91 percent will within the next year.

Results indicate that health plans and employers show a strong and growing interest in wellness programs and view participant satisfaction as an important measure of success.

The survey also found that

• Member engagement, having a strong willingness to change behavior, and physician engagement are three of the strongest determinants of disease management program success.
• Health plans and employers view participant satisfaction with wellness efforts as an important measure of success.
• The top three diseases for disease management enrollment are chronic — diabetes, coronary artery disease, and asthma.
• Health risk assessments are the most popular wellness initiatives among employers and service organizations.
• Health plans most often favor cholesterol screening and counseling.