Building a Successful Healthcare App: An In-Depth Guide

In today’s world, mobile applications have become an integral part of the healthcare industry. With the rise of telemedicine and the need for convenient healthcare services, the demand for healthcare apps has skyrocketed. However, building a healthcare app can be daunting, especially if you don’t have the right knowledge and resources. That’s why we’ve put together this in-depth guide to help you understand the crucial steps involved in developing a healthcare app that is both functional and successful.

Healthcare Applications Overview

A healthcare application is a software for mobile devices that helps users manage their health and wellness in real-time. These apps can track a user’s vital signs, monitor their medication, schedule appointments with doctors, and provide access to medical records, among other features. 

In the modern world, healthcare applications are increasingly relevant due to the widespread adoption of mobile devices and the growing demand for personalized healthcare solutions. These apps provide a convenient way for patients to manage their health, communicate with their doctors, and access medical information anytime, anywhere. Healthcare applications can potentially improve patient outcomes and increase efficiency in the healthcare industry. Here you can check all the required information about healthcare app development and customization.

What is the difference Between a Health App and a Medical App?

Health and medical apps may seem similar, but they have important differences. Here are some key distinctions:

Health apps:

– Designed for the general public

– Focus on providing health-related services and information

– Can be used without a claim on medical evidence

– Often cost less to develop

– Provide access to apps that track daily health data, such as fitness and wellness apps

Medical apps:

– Designed for medical professionals

– Focus on diagnosis and treatment based on analytical data

– Must comply with medical evidence and meet testing and adherence regulations

– The development process can be costly

– Provide access to electronic health records and patient information

3 Main Types of Healthcare Apps

Various types of healthcare apps are designed to meet the diverse needs of patients, medical professionals, and healthcare organizations. Here are three broad categories of healthcare apps:

1. Professional Healthcare Apps

These apps are designed for use by medical professionals, such as doctors, nurses, and medical students. They provide tools and resources to help medical professionals improve patient outcomes and increase efficiency in the healthcare industry. Examples of professional healthcare apps include Medical reference apps, Electronic health record (EHR) apps, and Medical calculator apps. 

2. Healthcare Apps for Patients

These apps are designed to help patients manage their health and wellness. They provide a range of tools and resources to help patients track their symptoms, monitor their medication, and communicate with their doctors. Examples of healthcare apps for patients include Medication reminder apps, Fitness and wellness apps, and Telemedicine apps. 

3. Health Apps for Medical Administration Staff

These apps are designed to help healthcare organizations manage their operations more efficiently. They provide tools and resources to help medical administrators manage staff, schedules, and patient data. Examples of health apps for medical administration staff include Medical billing and coding apps, Staff scheduling apps, and Patient management apps.

Benefits of Healthcare App for Doctors and Patients

—->Benefits for Doctors:

– Faster decision making

– More accurate diagnosing

– Less stress and burnout

– Improved communication between professionals

– Better hospital and equipment management

– Reduced cost of healthcare provision

—-> Benefits for Patients:

– Higher quality care

– On-demand accessible care

– Better control over health data

– Secure payments

– Engagement

Use Cases for a Healthcare App 

Healthcare apps have become essential for managing and improving medical care. Here are some of the most popular use cases for healthcare applications.

1. Telehealth & Telemedicine 

Allows medical specialists to deliver remote medical services, communicate online and get efficient medical care faster.

2. Electronic Health Records (EHR/EMR)

EHR/EMR Software tracks, stores, updates, and collects all medical information about a patient on a single platform.

3. Health Informational Exchange (HIE)

Measures a patient’s vital parameters easily and quickly using only a smartphone’s authentication transfers data faster, and allows doctors to monitor and analyze the necessary information.

4. Built-in Diagnostic Systems

Collects and processes data from embedded and IoT devices integrated with EHR platforms, allowing doctors to visualize, analyze and diagnose remote patients.

5. E-prescribing (eRx)

Creates, stores, and sends out prescriptions using the medical information system in the electronic health ecosystem, minimizing errors during check-out and saving time.

6. RCM & Medical Billing

A medical billing system that covers EHR and Practices Management services, accessible on the go, saving users from investing in expensive hardware or worrying about IT, data encryption, and security compliance.

What is the Cost & Time Taken to Develop a Healthcare App?

The cost and time required to develop a healthcare app depend on the type of product, features, and team involved in healthcare app development services. It is crucial to clearly understand the requirements and target audience to build a successful app. By leveraging rapid prototyping and outsourcing to an agency in a cost-effective region, it is possible to develop a healthcare app without losing investors’ money. 

It can take anywhere between 6-8 months for development. As for the cost, no definitive number can be stated as the software’s features depend on the customer, which can greatly vary the cost. 

6 Main Steps to Build a Healthcare Mobile App

Here are the steps to follow while building a healthcare app:

Step 1: Conduct a market analysis to study your niche, understand your competitors, and identify how you can stand out.

Step 2: Study your audience through user research, such as interviews, focus groups, or surveys, to find out the pain points of your target audience. Ensure to maintain an ethical balance while conducting user research.

Step 3: Choose the healthcare app type that aligns with your app’s database, functionality, and goal. Define key points with your team, such as the kind of app you need, how it will work, and what pains it will solve.

Step 4: Create a user-friendly and consistent design that leads the user to the endpoint smoothly, with fewer interaction points and reduced cognitive load.

Step 5: Ensure your app complies with HIPAA or GDPR to protect personal healthcare information. Follow a checklist that includes limiting access, ensuring data encryption, and using HIPAA-compliant services.

Step 6: Build a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to enter the market faster, prioritize vital features that solve the problem, and iterate constantly. The MVP will give you a competitive advantage and help you gather feedback from real users sooner.

Healthcare App MVP: Features Checklist

When building a healthcare app MVP, it’s important to prioritize the essential features that solve the problem you’re trying to address. Here’s a checklist for healthcare app MVP features.

—>For Doctor App:

– Doctor profiles

– One-on-one and group chats

– Calendar

– Notifications and alerts

– Patient health card

—>For Patient App:

– Patient profiles

– Chats

– Calendar

– Notifications and alerts

– Surveys

Must-Have Features in a Health Mobile Application

1. API & Integrations: APIs and integrations allow seamless communication and data exchange between healthcare systems and platforms.

2. Technology Stack for Healthcare Mobile App Development:

—>Backend Technologies: Common backend technologies for healthcare app development include Laravel, Node.js, and more

—>Frontend Technologies: React Native, Java, and Kotlin are popular choices for developing the front end of mobile healthcare apps.

3. Patient and Doctor Profiles:

Creating patient and doctor profiles help users easily access and manage their personal information and medical history.

4. Telemedicine Options:

Telemedicine features like one-on-one and group chats, video consultations, and appointment scheduling help patients and doctors communicate effectively and remotely.

5. Reminders and Notifications:

In-app reminders and notifications help patients manage their medication schedules and appointments, while doctors can receive real-time alerts for important updates and events.

6. Data Security Requirements:

Data security requirements in the USA, Canada, the UK, and the EU are stringent and require healthcare apps to comply with regulations such as HIPAA, PIPEDA, GDPR, and others.

What’s Next After You’ve Built a Healthcare App?

After building a healthcare app, it’s essential to continue improving it and gain user adoption. Here are some steps you can take:

– Sneak up on users and ask for feedback openly

– Watch for major OS updates and make sure your app remains compatible

– Spy on the competition and look for areas where you can improve your app

– Validate your idea with healthcare professionals and patients

– Leverage mobile app analytics to measure and improve the overall user experience

– Conduct A/B testing to identify and implement the best features

– Define how you will market and gain adoption of your app

– Use social media to promote your app

– Create an attractive landing page for your app

– Utilize traditional marketing methods to reach a wider audience.

Final Words 

Choosing the right healthcare app development company is crucial for building a successful healthcare mobile app. EMed HealthTech is a leading healthcare app development company that can help you build an award-winning healthcare app. 

With a team of experienced developers and a deep understanding of the healthcare industry, EMed HealthTech can create custom healthcare apps that meet your needs. From ideation and design to development and launch, EMed HealthTech can guide you through the entire process to ensure that your app succeeds. 

Looking for reliable healthcare app development services? Our team will be happy to discuss your next healthcare app development project. Get in touch with us today!  

Posted by

Ami Kothari