Wellness programs, preventative health, chronic condition management and other types ofheath management programs within health careplans are falling well short, and so employers areincreasingly looking to third-party vendors for more effectiveprograms, according to the Accenture report, “Do employee health &wellness programs need a shot in the arm?”

“Clearly, health plans are failing to reach and have impact onpeople through their current health and wellness products, and theymust rethink how they design, market, and operate these products orrisk being carved out of this business,” the authors write.

Accenture surveyed 3,001 employees across the country, and foundthat utilization and awareness of health and wellness programsoffered by health plans was extremely low -- 62 percent ofemployees were unaware of basic services, such as a providerfinder. In addition, less than 10 percent were aware of any otherprograms offered.

Other factors play into low utilization. When asked why they arenot using health and wellness programs, 40 percent of employeesreport it is because “one or more components of my wellness programoffered by my employer are not relevant to me” or “has no apparent value”and 26 percent of employees report the program is “too difficult”or “takes too much time.”

“Such insights are causing employers to look toward thirdparties that can deliver on rising expectations,” the authorswrite.

Among employers surveyed, 79 percent selected third-partysolutions over health plans. Nearly 44 percent of employers chose aprogram from a third party instead of a health plan because theyfelt one or more components was considered more valuable than thecarrier offering.

Another problem is that most plan-sponsored health and wellnessprograms lack relevant digital access. Less than 50 percent ofemployees report having access to these programs via theircomputers and less than 25 percent report access via their mobiledevice.

“Health plans are missing the boat on engagement,” the authorswrite. “Many of today’s employees want to interact digitally, asthey do in their everyday lives.”

Employees engage more with health and wellness programs whenthere is a digital engagement channel, according to earlierAccenture research. For instance, people who engage digitallyrespond they access the program weekly -- 70 percent from a mobiledevice and 40 percent from a computer.

Health and wellness programs are so important to employees somerespond that they will pay for them, survey respondents say.Top programs where employees responded they would be willing to payinclude: biometric (34 percent); fitness devices (31 percent);behavioral tracking (26 percent); maternity coaching (25 percent);and mental health (24 percent).

Other business-to-consumer and third-party models in themarketplace are meeting these digital demands, according to thereport. Digital behavior change program Omada helps users loseweight and reduce their risk of chronic disease through programsthat seamlessly integrate with users’ everyday lives acrossinteraction channels.

On-demand healthcare concierge Accolade, which offers mobile,web and telephonic solutions, touts 70 percent engagement and 98percent consumer satisfaction. Ovia Health, which offers mobilefertility, pregnancy and maternity programs, states 95 percent ofenrolled employees engage in benefits content via the company’sapp.

“If health plans fail to develop digitally accessible productsand services that engage consumers and deliver value, they are atrisk of losing market share,” the authors write.

The report outlines three tips to help health plans modify theirhealth and wellness products to be designed to better appeal toemployees’ desires for relevant, multi-channel services that aredigitally enabled:

1. Know your customer’s customer. Employers arelistening to what employees want, and health plans should listen,too. Understand what key features are most important, what programsare most desired and how employees would want to access programs.For employers measuring success based on employee engagement, theseprograms must be digitally enabled and user-friendly to promoteuse.

2. Be future ready. Emerging digital trends areinfluencing the way services are delivered—and the landscapechanges every day. Look to the developing trend of artificialintelligence as the new user interface through which voiceinterfaces and chatbots help solve engagement issues. Also, thereis a rising need to manage for individuals, not populations.Artificial intelligence for the enterprise can provide insightsinto how to modify or expand services, and it can yieldopportunities for better personalization through a continuouslearning loop. The key is to continually iterate to keep pace withchanging demands.

3. Tap into the “ecosystem.” Creating leading-edgedigital solutions isn’t a core capability for all health plans, sodetermine the best path forward. Does it make sense to develop asolution, partner with others and white label, or have an opensystem where the health plan can collaborate with a number of otherproviders for services ranging from analytics to security todigital marketing?