US developer Castlight Health is extending its healthcare platform so that is accessible from mobile devices through the launch of apps for the Apple iPhone and Android-based smartphones. The developer describes itself as being a personalised healthcare shopping platform. The addition of a mobile capability makes it easier for users to view healthcare cost and quality data. In particular the move will benefit those employees without routine access to PCs. Castlight cites the example of hairdressers in a salon. In addition, Ethan Prater, the company’s vice president of products, told Mobihealthnews that retail workers and miners are two other groups of employees who will benefit from being able to access health data via their mobile handsets.

Even though the app is initially only available to Apple and Android users, those with other smartphones including BlackBerry can access a mobile website optimised by Castlight. The app is available for free although only to employees of those companies that subscribe to the company’s healthcare platform.