Tag: Healthcare App Development

Medical-Care-Can-Be-Valuable

Medical Care Can Be Valuable: Why Healthcare Needs Telemedicine Technology?

Posted on | by Ami Kothari

Technology has enabled medical care to easily find a niche online. With platforms like the Telemedicine app, there is ease in conducting medical services that were not available before. Thanks to COVID, the masses have opened up to the possibility of digital healthcare services exponentially, thus making apparent its benefits. Let us take a detailed look at telemedicine and how it reshapes how we perceive medical care.

What is Telemedicine App Development?

Telemedicine, simply put, is the platform where a medical health care provider is connected to their patient via technology. It has been around since there were advanced means of communication. What started as medical advice via the radio evolved in time to become the full-fledged service portals we now know as telemedicine. Today’s technology has enabled a holistic approach to providing medical services. Its benefits are immense, and it is enjoyed by both the patient and the healthcare provider.

Despite its benefits, telemedicine did not enjoy the acceptance it has today as it did before the COVID pandemic. According to McKinsey.com, the onset of COVID saw a spike in telemedicine usage as high as 32%, which quickly stabilized to be at a rate that is 38 times higher than the pre-COVID period.

How is Telemedicine Used?

The telemedicine app offers a plethora of opportunities for medical staff as well as patients. For patients, the obvious advantage of telemedicine is medical help would be available even if it is remote. This allows a patient to save the resources used to reach the medical facility, and it gives the patient the option of discretion. Medicines could be prescribed online, and medicines can reach one’s home even by simply opting for delivery.

For medical care providers, telemedicine provides access to chronically ill or critically ill patients from their homes, access to more patients from remote areas, lower exposure to pathogens, consultation from home, etc.
Hospitals and clinics are increasingly adopting telemedicine technology and strategies to include virtual medical care in their services. The immense benefits it provides to the medical care facility regarding business cannot be ignored.

Let us now look at the benefits of telemedicine and what makes it an indispensable aspect of modern medicine.

The Benefits of Telemedicine

benefits-telemedicine

Low Cost

One of the biggest advantages of telemedicine is that it allows the patient to consult the doctor without spending the money and time to travel to the healthcare center. The patient will only have to remit the consultation charges.

Data Management Tools

Telemedicine app allows medical care providers and patients to update their data on a single platform. Medical facilities can store this data to maintain a comprehensive medical history of the patient. This will help provide treatment strategies and analytical insights from large amounts of data.

Remote Access

This is a matter of both access and comfort. Patients who do not have easy access to medical facilities as they live in remote areas can avail of telemedicine to meet their medical consultations. In other cases, patients might prefer the comfort of their homes to meeting the doctor online. This would give them the privacy a public place might not offer.

Access to Specialist Doctors

A patient seeking a specialist doctor may have to travel great distances to meet them. Since specialist doctors, especially those specializing in rare fields, are hard to come by. It can also be difficult to get appointments with them. With a doctor appointment booking app, all of it gets easier. Be it the distance, scheduling an appointment, or the cost of travel.

No More Queues

Another outstanding advantage of telemedicine is the dreaded wait in the waiting room. It is daunting enough to drag oneself out to meet a doctor but to wait in line till one’s turn can prove a little too much for a patient. With telemedicine, there is no need to wait in line and bear the discomfort. With telemedicine, one has to meet the doctor at the appointed time online, without the wait and queue.

Safety from Infectious Pathogens

This is another obvious benefit for both the doctor and the patient. Patients can save themselves from being in crowded rooms with many other sick patients, and the doctor need not meet every infected patient. This way, a lot of unnecessary exposure and risk can be minimized.

Scheduling Appointments and Follow Ups.

With telemedicine apps, making an appointment with a doctor is easy. One simply has to find the doctor, check their availability and make a booking. Telemedicine also enables easy follow-up for patients as they can talk to their doctor via video or call to give updates.

Flexibility

Working individuals and students need not take days off to consult a doctor. With telehealth facilities, they can simply schedule an appointment according to their convenience. This flexibility benefits the doctor too. Scheduling appointments via telemedicine allows the doctor to easily book and cancel appointments and even provide extended service hours.

Emergency Services

A significant benefit of telehealth is access to quality healthcare in cases of emergency. If a patient can access emergency doctors in the middle of the night or from a remote area for an emergency, they can provide valuable medical help to avoid bigger problems.

Overall Better Health

The biggest benefit and outcome of telemedicine is that it provides access to overall better health. When a person has access to quality healthcare services at any given time, with proper follow-up, at affordable rates, the chances of being healthy are higher.

Conclusion

The benefits of telemedicine are immense. It is no wonder that healthcare IT services are increasingly being adopted by hospitals and clinics. Be it a facility of any size, there is a telemedicine application that is built to suit its needs. Telemedicine apps may be custom-made for healthcare facilities with unique features that cater to the facility’s specific needs. It may also be generic and readymade software solutions that can cater to broad categories of healthcare facilities. Choosing one according to one’s needs and budget is what matters.

Also, check out The Seven Challenges of Telemental Health and How to Overcome Them.

However, the harder part is choosing the company for your telemedicine app development when they are available a dime a dozen, it is safe to stick to the well-established names in the industry. EMed HealthTech is a leading provider of healthcare IT solutions and services to leading healthcare facilities worldwide. With almost a decade of experience, we have a team of seasoned designers and developers who create applications that are a perfect fit for you. Reach out to EMed HealthTech today to get a free estimate for Telemedicine app!

Top 5 Tips to Hire the Right Healthcare App Developers

Posted on | by Ami Kothari

Healthcare applications and healthcare software are slowly but surely becoming an essential part of the modern healthcare system. From mobile devices to wearables that track vitals, they are being fed with metrics that analyze and provide accurate feedback. These are linked to healthcare software and healthcare app development that give users information on their general well-being.

The usage of healthcare apps that are linked to the mobile phone or wearables also called health apps in the past year has seen a spike since the onset COVID pandemic in 2020. A worldwide spike of 65% was noted in the download of healthcare apps according to Statista. However, this is not a one-time event as the healthcare apps market had a massive five-fold increase from $21billion in 2016 to $100 billion in 2021. This estimate will go up to $189 billion by the year 2025.

With surging demand for healthcare applications and software, businesses are striving every day to improve on existing apps and get a foothold in the already vast market.

With the demand for healthcare apps and software rising, there comes an equal demand for healthcare software developers to create such apps. But, it can be difficult to find the right developers from a sea of candidates.

In this blog, we offer some insights on what you should keep in mind while hiring a software developer.

 

healthcare-software-development-team

 

1. Outsource to a third-party healthtech team or hire your healthcare developer team.

The matter of whether the team has to be outsourced or employed in-house has its own sets of advantages and disadvantages. Let’s look at them.

     Outsourcing – Outsourcing is advantageous as it lessens the expenditure by a large portion compared to in-house employees. There is no process like hiring, training, onboarding, or training to be part of the company. You can also pick a team from virtually anywhere. This gives a huge talent pool at your disposal.

The disadvantage of outsourcing is that there could be issues of time zone differences and language barriers. This could diminish the quality of the communication and hence affect the outcome.

     Hiring in-house healthtech employees– The advantage of an in-house team is that there is stronger communication of your ideas, expectations, and feedback on the project. The in-house team would also give you undivided attention compared to outsourced staff. It also negates the disadvantages that outsourcing has in terms of barriers of language and time.

The disadvantage of hiring in-house healthtech employees is that the costs of hiring, employing, and providing the technological infrastructure can be exorbitant. You would also have to hire from local talent which would cut down your chances of finding that perfect fit.

 

2. Where can you find healthcare software developers?

Here are a few places you can start your search for software developers for a healthcare app.

Job platforms like Upwork and Freelancer have a large pool of talent that is actively looking for job opportunities.

Software Development companies that specialize in healthcare applications. You can find them on ratings and reviews platforms. A thorough look at their previous works can help you understand their mettle and performance. Platforms like Clutch, Madeline, and GoodFirms are good places to start looking.

3. Check portfolios for healthtech projects

Another important aspect to keep in mind while hiring a development team for a healthcare app is to look for a strong portfolio with previous work experience in the healthcare app industry. Since there are a lot of compliance and regulation issues to take care of while developing healthcare apps, a prior experience in the niche is always a plus.

4. What to look for in a healthcare software developer?

The size and scale of your project would put you in a position where you cannot take many risks. It is an absolute must that you do a thorough skill check before hiring a candidate, whether they are outsourced or employed in-house.

Some of the hard skills a candidate should have can be summed up in the given list.

  1. Interoperability in Healthcare with integration standards no less than Health level-7.2.x. It would be a plus to know standards such as ANSI X12n 5010, NCPDP SCRIPT, DICOM, and HL7 v3 CDA.
  2. Well-versed in semantic vocabularies such as ICD9/10, RxNorm, LOINC, and SNOMED-CT among others.
  3. Knowledge of Integration frameworks like HITSP or Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel and IHE or Integrated Healthcare Enterprise.

The candidate should also have technical skills such as:

  1. Knowledge of Big data AI to leverage the existing healthcare data from EHRs and insurance companies.
  2. Well-versed in cybersecurity measures, knowledge of libraries, secure coding practices, and strong encryption tools.
  3. Ability to use third-party integrations to optimize and streamline workflows. This requires knowledge of integration standards such as the HL7 FHIR, REST, and SOAP frameworks.

The next most required skill is the knowledge of domain concepts. Some of them include:

  1. Knowledge of regulatory aspects like HIPAA, FDA, ARRA HITECH, CCHIT, etc, depending on the jurisdiction under which the application is.
  2. Well-versed in operating revenue cycle workflows.

The candidate must also be screened for soft skills such as:

  1. Ability to work in teams and strategize according to the need of the healthcare project.
  2. Interpersonal skills of healthcare technologies.
  3. Knowledge of the usability and applicability of healthcare IT solutions.

 

Ready to Hire a Healthcare Software Development Team?

Before you hire healthcare app developers from a healthcare IT solutions company, it is prudent to have a thorough check on the previous projects they have worked on. This is the ultimate litmus test for an IT solutions company. The final product speaks volumes about their services. It is also necessary to check if your business needs are compatible with the services the IT company offers.

With that, we’ve rounded up some of the most critical things to consider when hiring a healthcare app development company. If you’re on the lookout for a reliable healthcare app developer, EMed HealthTech ticks off all the boxes.

When you hire EMed HealthTech as your healthcare software developer, you are investing in a strong team that is well-versed in all the relevant aspects of software development mentioned above. You also have the option to choose from remote dedicated healthcare developers, offshore healthcare development teams, or onsite healthcare app developers. Our previous healthcare IT projects are available in our portfolio, which speaks for itself.

To know more about hiring healthcare app developers, contact us today or simply fill out our online contact form and our expert team members will get in touch with you.

All-in-One-Guide

A Guide to Custom Healthcare Software Development

Posted on | by Ami Kothari

Healthcare and technology have found new grounds for collaboration with the various forms of virtual health care via Telemedicine apps. Be it for your appointment with your doctor, collecting blood reports, or even tracking your general well-being and vitals, there is a technological solution for it today.

Healthcare technology has eased the many problems we face from the conventional healthcare system. Virtual healthcare in the form of virtual doctor visits, mobile pharmaceuticals, laboratory service, and health records management has become a household name as well as a need of time. The shift to technologically advanced solutions that are convenient is inevitable.

Let us then take a look at what the numbers suggest:

  1. Although telemedicine or virtual healthcare has been around for a long time, its usage saw an all-time spike in April of 2020. The usage of virtual healthcare during April 2020 was 78x higher than in February 2020, according to McKinsey and Company.
  2. The Asia-Pacific regions reported a surge from 4% to 56% during 2021, as per a survey by Willis Towers Watson.
  3. The Indian telemedicine industry is predicted to have a CAGR of 23.89% from 2020-2025 according to biresearch.com.

Apart from the response from the patients, healthcare providers are also eagerly adopting virtual care and telemedicine software solutions. According to the survey by COVID-19 Healthcare Coalition, more than 60% of healthcare providers found telehealth applications more convenient and more than 50% found more work satisfaction.

What is Healthcare Software Development?

custom-healthcare-software

Many different software solutions are designed to help the functioning of healthcare personnel or centers. They perform a broad range of activities that optimize performance, manage data, cut down the time taken and reduce costs in the process of imparting healthcare services.

Healthcare software is used by both healthcare service providers as well as receivers. Hence it has features as well as specific user interfaces that cater to both ends. Each healthcare software is made to suit the needs of the situation, be it a large hospital or a small clinic.

Healthcare software can thus be considered a broad name for all the different applications that cater to the healthcare industry. We will discuss more of the different types below.

Different Types of Healthcare Software

It is no secret that the prevalence of smartphones and tablets has enabled the use of healthcare software on a large scale. There are umpteen apps that provide some sort of healthcare service. Be it a platform to connect to a healthcare provider or one that promotes general wellness, the numbers keep on growing.

Healthcare apps can be divided in a broad stroke into two- for healthcare providers and patients or general users. The apps and the functionalities that cater to each are vastly different from the others.

Custom Healthcare Software for Patients

The software designed for patients and general users is designed to solve one or the other health issue, monitor health, etc. These apps allow them to seek medical attention if needed. Here are some of the different types of custom software developed for patients.

 

software-development

  1. Healthcare accessibility software: These are software that allows users who need medical consultation to seek it personally. These are designed to be multifaceted, one of which serves the patient. It allows for easy and convenient consultation which would otherwise take a lot of time and money. It may also have features that allow users to access their laboratory reports, access pharmacies to place orders, and store medical history and access it with ease.
  2. Mental Health Software: Virtual care has created greater access to mental health services. There is dedicated software that provides the platform for consultations, therapy sessions, etc.
  3. Health monitoring software: These are the most prevalent form of healthcare software. They provide a plethora of services that help manage health issues. They allow patients to keep track of their illnesses.
  4. Medication and pharmaceutical services: These apps allow patients to virtually place orders for their medicines, make subscription offers for long-term medications, and more. There are also apps designed to remind patients to take medication on time.
  5. Lifestyle apps: These are applications that guide users to lead healthy eating habits and hobbies that promote general wellness.
  6. Fitness apps: These apps cater to those who are looking for personalized solutions to their fitness problems. Solutions like exercise, yoga, activities like sports, and diet plans to help achieve fitness goals.

 

Custom Healthcare Software Development for Healthcare Professionals

When it comes to custom software development for healthcare practitioners or providers, it caters to a lot of different categories of people and services. Some of these apps have more than one functionality and some have all. Depending upon the need of the medical care facility, they are:

 

types-of-healthcare-software

  1. Telehealth: Applications that provide a platform for healthcare providers to impart their services are referred to as telehealth applications. Telemedicine apps and Doctor appointment booking apps are used by doctors for consultations and make it very convenient for both the doctor and the patient.
  2. Hospital management software: These are software that is integrated into the hospital system to enable smooth and optimized functioning of the different aspects of a hospital. It also provides data management capabilities, insurance, and payment processing, administrative work, claims management, and patient information.
  3. Health Record Software: These act as repositories of information, that provides a unified platform to easily access patient records and medical history. Knowing the health records of a patient gives the healthcare professional a better idea of providing treatment.
  4. E-Medicine order software: Share medicine orders with ease to patients using this application.
  5. Monitoring software: This software allows healthcare providers to closely monitor the health of patients. This is useful for patients who are chronically ill or are at some incapacity to take care of themselves.

 

How to Build a Custom Healthcare Software Development?

A software solution for your healthcare facility or business is a great initiative as the above-mentioned stats prove how much they are in demand. It also has other advantages like optimizing performance, improving efficiency, increasing revenue, and increasing customer satisfaction.

There are two ways to build a custom healthcare software

  1. employing an in-house team of developers
  2. Outsourcing

While employing an in-house team may seem like a feasible option due to proximity, speed, and efficiency, it has many disadvantages like higher expenditure, lack of expertise or experience, etc.
Time and again healthcare facilities chose to employ outsourced talent to build custom software for healthcare.

Before you consider picking a custom healthcare app development company like EMed HealhTech you should look for technological expertise, industry knowledge, the capacity and scalability of the company, and its developer’s skills. Another important aspect is the security measures that are incorporated into the healthcare app as it deals with very sensitive information.

Why Choose EMed HealthTech to Develop a Custom Healthcare Software?

EMed HealthTech is a leading healthcare IT company that focuses on delivering quality and innovation. We cater to healthcare facilities of all sizes and provide customized healthcare IT solutions that help improve business prospects.

Your search for hiring healthcare software developers ends with EMed HealthTech. Contact us today to get a free estimate for your custom medical software development project.