A new survey shows that individuals want to communicate with health insurers and physicians through electronic means for advice on improving health conditions and coordinating better health care with providers.

The Microsoft Health Engagement Survey 2009 found that of the 1,002 participants in the survey, taken in March, 66% are interested in receiving health-related advice or reminder e-mails from their health insurance company and 52% would like e-mails holding feedback on their health progress.

Wider use of technology, including calls from President Barack Obama to expand the use of electronic records, are viewed by many seeking health reform as a means of improving care and lowering health spending.

“Insurers can no longer wait for consumers to self-manage their chronic conditions through standalone Web tools,” said Dennis Schmuland, U.S. health insurance industry solutions director at Microsoft, in a statement. “Consumers want their providers and insurers to team together to help them replace bad health habits with good ones, reduce their health risks and equip them to self-manage their conditions.”

The survey revealed that 55% of individuals feel that healthcare systems are fragmented when it comes to helping people proactively manage their health. Twenty-five percent of survey participants rely on general health websites for information instead of doctors or advisory hotlines offered by insurers.

Despite the self-help tools and websites that insurers offer, 49% of individuals feel their health plans support them only when they need a doctor, instead of helping them to stay well, according to the survey.

Exactly 77% of survey participants believe that using technology to help them with healthcare sounds “inviting” instead of “intimidating.”  Sixty-six percent prefer e-mail communication and 57% approve of telephone calls as the best ways to communicate with their insurers.

“When patients and their personal physicians work together and involve technologies that empower them to improve their health habits, they can lower their health risks and self-manage chronic conditions,” said Ted Epperly, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians.  “Such collaboration would help control the runaway rate of medical costs that keeps health coverage beyond the financial means of many Americans.”

The American Academy of Family Physicians is a national association of family doctors, with more than 94,000 members in 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and the uniformed services.