Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield search tool available in 13 states

By Giselle Tsirulnik

February 11, 2009

Find the right doctor

WellPoint's Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is letting members in 13 states search for local, in-network doctors and hospitals through any Web-enabled handset.

Members are increasingly more engaged when it comes to the decisions that affect their health and healthcare options.

The mobile site at http://www.anthem.com/mobile enhances transparency by providing a way for consumers to access information about the person who plays a primary role in their life -- their doctor.

The site helps consumers quickly locate a general practitioner, and understand their options in terms of specialists.

The mboile site was initially available to members in Virginia, Maine and New Hampshire. As of Feb. 9 it is available to members in Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin.

When member visit http://www.anthem.com/mobile they can browse in-network providers by address, city, ZIP code or name.

Members can further target physician specialties, languages spoken and gender.

The tool also includes physicians' phone numbers and addresses, including step-by-step driving directions specifically designed for small screens.

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield is a subsidiary of Anthem Life Insurance Company. The company sells life and disability coverage.

The insurance company help protect its customers' financial security if health problems disrupt the income they depend on.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield members receive the same results whether they search on a computer or a Web-enabled mobile device because the mobile tool takes advantage of the company's current provider data integration capabilities.

The Anthem Mobile Provider Finder is one of an expanding line of online transparency tools, including Anthem Care Comparison, Zagat Health Survey tool, Mobile Prescription Drug tool and WellPoint's Surgical Procedures tool.

Other examples of WellPoint's healthcare IT tools include personal health records, e-prescribing, health and online communities, and electronic health records.

According to a study done by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 38 percent of Internet users in the United States have a Web-enabled mobile phone or handheld device. Of these, 7 percent regularly use these devices to search for people, contact information or directions.

Comments on "Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield search tool available in 13 states"

1. John Doe says:

   March 26, 2009 at 12:28pm

   It's dissappointing that this search tool gets positive press.
   Although I applaud Anthem's desire to provide better tools for its end consumers, this tool is hardly of use.
   The user interface & user experience is poorly designed. The selection process is lengthy (at least 6 selections and numerous inputs) to get to any specific results, and it provides no real benefit over just searching their website via a mobile phone's regular web browser.
   My hope would be that in the future the application developers & user interface designers will actually solicit feedback from end consumers, test iterations of the application, and then launch it. This seems like it was 1 person over 1 week just to get it done.

2. Clinton Gallagher says:

   February 11, 2009 at 3:13pm

   I tried using this mobile service and it is gfs; clumsy and inefficient on mobile devices requiring half a dozen or more screens until such time the person trying to do something useful comes to no other conclusion that nothing useful --from a customers perspective-- is being provided that cannot be found in a typical telephone book listing.
   
   I do not consider wasting my time and money paying for airtime trying to navigate my way through yet more ambiguous babble and confusing terminology.