• Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is partnering with the North Carolina Museum of History to transform a former exhibit into an interactive online resource
  • Timeline chronicles history of health and healing of Tar Heels over five centuries
  • Guests to the site can select from a variety of health topics, view photos and videos, and listen to personal historical accounts of North Carolinians
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Five hundred years worth of North Carolina’s health care history is now just a click away.
 
Today Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) is announcing the launch of a new website. The site has digitally captured one of the North Carolina Museum of History’s longest-running and most popular exhibits, “Health and Healing Experiences in North Carolina,” which ran from 1998 to 2007.
 
The exhibit is now a dynamic and interactive timeline accessible at nchealthandhealing.com. The site chronicles the health issues and practices of North Carolinians, ranging from the use of herbal remedies to high-tech breakthroughs in modern medicine. Guests to the site can choose from a wide array of health topics, view photos of historical events, watch informative videos and listen to personal accounts of North Carolinians.
 
“For 75 years, we have been here for the people of North Carolina, and we are celebrating this milestone by preserving a piece of the state’s history for everyone to enjoy,” said Bob Greczyn, president and CEO of BCBSNC. “Our roots run deep into the fabric of this state, and we are committed to the future health and well-being of North Carolinians.”
 
Through the Internet, the exhibit can now reach more people than ever. BCBSNC partnered with the North Carolina Museum of History to archive an important aspect of the state’s history and to educate North Carolinians young and old about the evolution of health care in their home state. By transferring this exhibit to an online multimedia site, BCBSNC and the North Carolina Museum of History demonstrate how collaborative efforts to save the past provide knowledge and information that can be used now and in the future.
 
“Thousands of visitors saw the exhibit during its 9 ½-year run, and now many more people will be able to experience it,” said Ken Howard, executive director of the North Carolina Museum of History. “Our partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina has enabled us to extend the life and impact of the exhibit. The site is an informative resource that all North Carolinians can access and use in order to learn how health care and medicine have changed.”
 
The site will also include downloadable teacher’s lesson plans developed by the North Carolina Museum of History. Health, science and social studies teachers can incorporate these resources and educational activities into classroom lessons. By accessing the website, students across the state can research or learn about the vast public health challenges overcome through innovation and modernization.
 
 
 
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina:
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is a leader in delivering innovative health care products, services and information to nearly 3.6 million members, including approximately 825,000 served on behalf of other Blue Plans. For 75 years, the company has served its customers by offering health insurance at a competitive price and has served the people of North Carolina through support of community organizations, programs and events that promote good health. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Access BCBSNC online at bcbsnc.com.
 
About N.C. Museum of History:
Explore our state's rich heritage at the North Carolina Museum of History in downtown Raleigh. Admission is free. The museum's hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 12 to 5 p.m. The Museum Shop is open daily. For more information, call 919-807-7900 or go to ncmuseumofhistory.org. The museum is part of the Office of Archives and History, N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, ncculture.com.
 
###