A Complete Guide to Healthcare Mobile App Development

Healthcare mobile app development Mobile applications for healthcare professionals and patients have become a necessity because of the presence of smartphones. The increase in sales has made it possible to develop more sophisticated mobile apps, which is further spurring growth.  Developing such apps requires expertise in creating them and application security. Healthcare mobile application development has made it possible for patients to gain access to their personal health records and doctors’ recommendations.  The applications provide an avenue for people with medical conditions to monitor their health without having to constantly visit the doctor.  Patients can also subscribe to online support groups and get in touch with experts in their area.

These are just some of the operations that are made possible through healthcare apps.

 

Why Healthcare Mobile App Development is So Hot Right Now

There are several reasons why healthcare mobile app development is currently the most in-demand type of mobile app development.

The first reason is because mobile apps have been evolving from being simple design tools to platforms that provide a range of services.  It only makes sense for healthcare professionals to take advantage of mobile app development so they can facilitate communication between themselves and their patients while also giving them access to better facilities.

The second reason is because of the widespread usage of smartphones and tablets among doctors, nurses, and patients.  More people are already using these devices for personal tasks or services.  It makes sense that more healthcare providers would want their own apps which support their devices.

The third reason is the increasing number of patient monitoring devices. This is in addition to the fact that more people are using wearable devices for health and fitness purposes.

All these make providing mobile apps which can monitor patients’ vital stats or provide easy access to important medical records a necessity.

 

 

Healthcare Mobile App Development Trends

Over the years, healthcare mobile app development trends have changed, making it possible to develop more effective healthcare apps.

 

Trend #1:  Use of Artificial Intelligence

One of the ways artificial intelligence is being used in healthcare mobile app development is through chatbots.  These are essentially computer programs which can simulate a conversation or be part of one. They have been adopted by various companies to help users get answers to questions and perform other tasks without having to navigate a website.

Typically, chatbots are programmed to recognize keywords and key phrases within the question.  Based on this information, they provide the relevant answer, which is usually a link to a website with more information about the subject.

As of today, many healthcare professionals have already integrated chatbots into their apps, most specifically for answering patients’ questions about medications and medical conditions.  This may eventually be part of a larger trend where chatbots are used for routine medical tasks such as triage or even diagnosis.

 

Trend #2: The Rise of Digital Assistants

Healthcare mobile app development has also introduced another form of artificial intelligence, specifically voice assistants. This makes it possible to interact with devices using voice commands.  A simple example of this is when you ask your smartphone to give you the weather forecast in the morning or play songs in your music playlist.

The most notable digital assistants are Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Google Assistant.  These work with smart devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and even smart appliances.

Among healthcare mobile app development companies, digital assistants are usually integrated into apps to make it easier for patients to get access to medical records and other important information quickly.  This also helps minimize errors which can happen when they’re typing on tiny screens.

 

Trend #3: The Rise of Integrated Platforms

Another healthcare mobile app development trend is having more integrated platforms. This means that apps can work with other devices and technologies to provide a ​better, seamless experience for the user.

One example of this is Apple’s HealthKit which lets users store collected data in their iPhones.  This information can include fitness routines, blood glucose levels, and heart rate, among others.

The Apple Health app then makes it possible to share this data with other medical apps or even provide analysis of the collected information.

For example, a healthcare provider can use the app to look at blood glucose levels over time and determine if their patient’s condition is worsening. This helps them reach decisions faster which can have an impact on how they manage the patient’s care.

 

Trend #4: Improved Patient Engagement

Among the healthcare mobile app development trends is better engagement with patients for effective knowledge management.  This means keeping track of what information has already been shared with patients and having access to it wherever they are.  It also involves taking note of any new questions or feedback they may have.

To achieve this, healthcare providers use apps that allow patients to log in using their email address or via social media accounts such as Facebook and Twitter.  All data submitted is encrypted and stored privately on the company’s servers for security purposes.

As of today, major players in the healthcare industry have already integrated these technologies into their apps.  They recognize that the new generation of healthcare users will be more tech-savvy and expect apps that can meet their demands.

 

 

Types of Healthcare Mobile Apps

There are various kinds of healthcare apps that you could create depending on your purpose, niche, and target market. The following list will give you an idea of the main types of healthcare apps available to choose from:

 

Patient Engagement Mobile Apps

Patient engagement mobile apps let users track their health statistics so they can see how certain activities affect their wellbeing.  They are also able to monitor chronic conditions and share data with healthcare providers using the apps’ secure platform.

These are generally effective for patients who have long-term conditions such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases or asthma. After all, these provide them with better understanding of their condition so they can take the right steps in managing it.

 

Weight Loss Apps

These apps are useful for people who are trying to lose weight or keep their weight in check.  This might include overweight patients with high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and others.

 

Patient Communication Apps

Patient communication apps are great for patients who prefer to communicate with healthcare providers in an easier way.  This is especially true when they need information about their condition or medication, guidance in handling certain symptoms, or even questions related to billing.

 

Nurse Communication Apps

Nurse communication apps are similar to patient communication apps.  The only difference is that they provide direct lines of communication between nurses and patients who often need healthcare advice or assistance on the go.

In some cases, these apps are used as a virtual extension of the nurses who cannot always be around to help their patients.

 

Medication Reminder Apps

Patients who regularly take medication need to track how much they have already consumed so they won’t miss out on something important.  This is where medication reminder mobile apps come in.

These apps can be programmed so they would notify patients at certain times about their scheduled dose. This way, they will not forget to take their medicine and risk further complications or even death.

 

Allergy Alert Apps

Granted that allergies are nothing more than an inconvenience, some people who suffer from them may find it difficult to manage their condition.  This is why there are apps for allergies that can provide users with updates on pollen forecast and alerts when they come into contact with allergens such as pollen, dust mites, and food items.

 

Patient-Led Research Apps

These healthcare mobile apps build a collaborative research platform between patients and health researchers.  This way, patients can contribute to the study of a certain condition or disease.

Patient education apps also fall under this category as they provide users with access to medical texts and other relevant information so they can learn about things that can help them improve their health.

 

 

Basic Important Features All Healthcare Apps Should Have

Since the inception of healthcare mobile apps, there has been an increasing number of people who engage with them.  This is because they can be helpful in certain ways such as keeping track of your health data and monitoring chronic conditions.

However, if you want to make sure that healthcare mobile apps will help others achieve better self-care for their own condition, you have to make sure that they are well-designed.  Here are some of the most important features your mobile app should have:

 

Usability

Every mobile app should be designed with the user in mind.  This means that no matter how compelling its features are, it will still fail if users would not know how to interact with it.

Your healthcare app should be simple and straightforward enough so people who use it will not have a hard time figuring out what to do and how they can get the best value from it.  It’s worth noting that even if you choose an easy-to-understand visual design, your users may still want something more.  This is why you should also make sure that they can access your app’s controls and menus.

Usability testing is important for healthcare mobile apps to help you improve user experience and increase their level of engagement with your product.  If it looks like a great idea, but people still do not use it frequently or even delete it without a trace, then you have to work on better ways to improve its usability.

 

Intuitive Design

It’s true that some users may be more tech-savvy than others, but chances are it will still be difficult for them if your app’s interface is not intuitive enough.  This means you should make sure that they can find the features they need and navigate through your app with ease.

The first thing you should do is to know what users want and their level of comfort when dealing with similar products.  This will allow you to learn more about how many clicks they spend on certain functions before getting the information they require.

You can also study how people use other healthcare mobile apps to decide whether they should keep the same features or improve them somehow.  What you need to do here is observe their interactions with the app and carefully track how many taps they use before finding what they are looking for.

 

Convenience

Regardless of how well-designed your healthcare mobile app is, you should make sure that it is convenient enough for people to use.  This means it should be easy and fast to access and provide users with relevant information in a timely manner.

You can set up push notifications to save time when informing users about new updates or changes that may affect them.  You can also let them access their personal health records right from the app so they don’t have to search for these files in an external storage.

Make sure that your healthcare mobile app is convenient enough to use by conducting user testing and reviewing how people use other apps.  Based on the results, you will be able to see the elements and features you need to change or remove to make it more convenient.

 

Mobile-Friendly Interface

Regarding its visual design, your healthcare mobile app should not only look good but also be easy on the eyes.  This is why even if you choose a simple interface, it’s important that users do not have to squint their eyes just to see the text or images. Make sure that they won’t experience discomfort especially when using it under extreme conditions such as direct sunlight.

You can check out how other popular healthcare mobile apps look like and compare them with yours.  If you find that they provide more convenience, then you should make changes to your product’s interface.

 

 

How Much Does it Cost To Build a Healthcare Mobile App in 2021?

The current statistics show that the healthcare industry will continue to grow in 2021, with experts expecting it to get even bigger.  So how much does it cost to build an innovative healthcare app that will meet all of your business needs?

Estimating the costs of developing a healthcare mobile application is more complicated than most other industries because you have to take into account the specific requirements of your target market.  You have to determine how much you are willing to spend on development, design, testing, and maintenance so you can get an accurate estimate for your budget. However, it is estimated that the cost to build a healthcare app is anywhere from $50,000-$500,000.

We understand that this is a very broad range, so it’s best if you hire an expert who has extensive knowledge about healthcare apps so they can give you a more accurate estimate.  They can also help you avoid any problems that may arise throughout the development process so that you won’t have to suffer from these issues when it’s time to launch your app.

In conclusion, healthcare mobile apps are a good way for medical practitioners and hospitals to engage with their target market in a more interactive manner. They can do this by providing convenience to their users through a mobile-friendly interface and easy navigation.

 

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development company, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

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