Employers believe that the best way to rope workers into health promotion programs is to have the vendor pick up the telephone and call the worker, according to a survey by DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance.
Ninety-two percent of purchasers of wellness and disease management programs selected a telephone call as a key outreach tool to health improvement programs, while 65% preferred the Internet/e-mail. Face-to-face meetings and mailings were ranked the third most important, with 51% each.
Although face-to-face meetings were third, they have increased from 11% in 2008 to 51% in 2009 because more purchasers, including employers, are providing biometric screenings, health fairs and onsite clinics to their members.
Overall, “Population Health Improvement: A Market Survey Report” from DMAA projects that 73% of purchasers will offer population health improvement programs over the next 12 months and that 76% will do so by the end of 2011.
The research report defines purchasers as employers (67%), health plans, third party administrators and government or public entities (22%) and benefits consultants (11%). The survey reflects the responses of 69 purchasers and 66 program providers of health improvement programs.
Despite a faltering economy, employers and other purchasers of health and wellness programs remain committed to their programs, with 84% planning to purchase more population health improvement programs in the future. Only about 16% of respondents foresee a reduction toward their health improvement programs.
“This survey shows employers view workplace health promotion programs as key contributors to financial well-being, as well as to employee health and productivity,” DMAA President and CEO Tracey Moorhead says. “The continued strength of these programs in the face of a challenging economy demonstrates their value to purchasers.”
Other key findings include:
- Purchasers are adopting the population health management approach and have expanded from programs that target individuals to a spectrum of programs that cover the population, from wellness to chronic conditions.
- Results showed that 78% of purchasers view incentives as critical to program success
- Incentives most often cited were monetary incentives (42%), monthly premium reductions (38%), and gift cards and merchandise (38%).
