Group Health Cooperative, Seattle’s consumer-governed, nonprofit healthcare system that coordinates care and coverage, has launched a new customer-care strategy, highlighted by the development of an iPhone application, Group Health Mobile. The mobile application provides Group Health’s 650,000 members with unhindered access to their personal health information, as well as Group Health’s network of information. Group Health Mobile is available now in Apple’s App Store.
“Group Health is thrilled to offer members access to their shared medical record through the new Group Health Mobile application for the iPhone,” says Gwen O’Keefe, MD, chief medical informatics officer for Group Health.
Group Health Mobile is the first app that provides members access to not only their medical record but also to Group Health services such as a symptom checker, appointment scheduling and direct messaging with healthcare professionals. The location-based service can also find the nearest network facilities and check wait times. Future enhancements will include an Android version, the ability to refill prescriptions, and the ability to view dependents’ medical records.
This mobile approach was designed to securely deliver the information customers need the most while being easily adaptable to new platforms. It also demonstrates how mobility is driving today’s innovative customer strategies.
Presented with complex technical challenges in creating the new application, Group Health worked with Seattle’s Slalom Consulting to assist in the development process based on its capability to not only build an iPhone application but also to develop an integrated ecosystem that takes full advantage of Group Health’s existing information systems. Group Health found that it could increase its internal development bandwidth and deliver a product that would exceed expectations and be completed sooner versus its internal development team working alone. [24×7]
