HealthMine's app

Some 46 percent of people who were diagnosed with a chronic condition in the last two years discovered their chronic illness through a wellness program, according to a HealthMine survey of 750 adults who were enrolled in employer-sponsored wellness programs. The survey was conducted in April 2015 and fielded by Survey Sampling International (SSI).

HealthMine reported that 28 percent of the survey respondents had been diagnosed with a chronic condition in the past two years.

"Plan sponsors can and do utilize wellness programs to beat the numbers -- one member at a time." HealthMine CEO Bryce Williams said in a statement. "To succeed, wellness programs must enable people to learn their key health facts, and connect individuals to their personal clinical data anytime, anywhere. When consumers and plans are empowered with knowledge, wellness programs can make recommendations meaningful to individuals, and help to prevent and manage chronic disease."

A majority of respondents said they also want health plan sponsors to offer health screenings. Some 74 percent of respondents said they would participate in vision screenings, 73 percent would complete a blood pressure screening, and 69 percent would participate in a cholesterol screening. Over 50 percent of respondents would also participate in cancer screenings, hearing screenings, BMI screenings, and glucose screenings.

Last month, a HealthMine survey of 1,200 consumers with either self- or employer-sponsored health insurance found that interest in payer-led mobile health initiatives is still fairly low. Although 89 percent of respondents use a smartphone, tablet, or both, only 30 percent of those surveyed said they would participate in a wellness program offered by their insurer or employer that would require them to use a mobile app to track or monitor their health. And only 18 percent said they liked to learn health, wellness, and lifestyle information from a mobile app.