Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina has launched a mobile-optimized site to meet the needs of busy customers.

This the first mobile optimized site for the health insurance company and complements its existing mobile applications for both iPhone and Android. The new mobile site will enable users to find the closest urgent care centers based on their GPS location and shop for individual as well as family plans.

“Using a mobile enhanced Web site allows us to provide information to our customers on-the-go, such as current benefit and claims information via secure log on to their Member Services site,” said Matthew Penwell, director of the Web office for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.

“The mobile Web site also allows us to reach more of our customers, because many may not see the need to download an app from their health insurer, or even realize there is one available, until they need quick access to their health care information,” he said.

Healthcare on the go
Increasingly, consumers are using mobile to help them manage their healthcare needs.

The new mobile site from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina will enable its 3.7 million customers that to view claims, find current plan benefit information, find a doctor, get estimated treatment costs, find less expensive prescription drugs and contact customer service.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina worked with Kony to help it build a mobile site that provides easy access to its most popular Web tools and services when and wherever they need it.

The company’s HealthNav app for the iPhone launched in Oct. 2010 and for Android in March 2011. Both apps are currently being updated and will go live in the next few months.

A growing number of health-related companies are tapping mobile to provide important information to consumers and as well as to help them keep up on their healthcare needs via prescription renewals. 

Healthcare and wellness is a topic that is on consumers’ minds throughout the day so it make sense for healthcare companies to try to engage with their customers via mobile devices, which go with users wherever they are.

Mobile optimized sites are a good way to reach as wide an audience as possible when they need easy access to information because, unlike a mobile app, they do not have to be downloaded. 

Healthcare companies are also using other mobile strategies to reach customers, including SMS messaging programs.

For example, Barnes-Jewish Hospital rolled out an SMS program last fall that helps patients manage their appointments (see story).

Additionally, CVS/pharmacy launched an SMS program earlier this year to make it easier for consumers to fill prescriptions on the go (see story).

“With the mobile Web site customers can easily get to information they need including: current benefit information, claims, doctor search tool, closest urgent care center or information about prescription drugs,” Mr. Penwell said.

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York