The majority of Americans – 96% own some kind of mobile device. This has allowed healthcare services and apps to expand in ways we would not have imagined just a decade ago. As medical apps evolve and diversify exponentially, app developers need to pay ever more attention to what users want and why. There seems to be no limit as to how many healthcare apps can succeed in the current market, but in reality, only the best ones will be adopted.
Developing a healthcare app is quite a big deal. In a sense, it means putting the health of your users in their hands (literally). That’s why in this post we analyze some of the most important non-technical aspects of healthcare apps that need to be considered and discuss some app ideas. If you are thinking about building one, reading this article might help you think out of the box.
Healthcare Providers Need Help Too
The first thing that probably comes to mind when thinking about a healthcare app is users, and to most people this means patients. However, there is another important target audience that needs to be considered. Doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants have a tremendous amount on their plate and are premium candidates for solution-driven mobile healthcare apps. The right app can solve all the pain points they might encounter throughout their practices.
All these life-or-death pressure and duty can result in various negative consequences for health professionals and patients:
- Burnout, as a result of demanding schedules and workloads.
- Inefficient processes due to excessive bureaucracy.
- Reduced patient satisfaction, a consequence of poor service levels.
Consider a few ways helpful apps can make healthcare professionals more effective in their day to day chores.
Patient History
Healthcare organizations’ administrative chores and tasks like pulling up medical records put a lot on doctors’ and nurses’ plates. Any health app that eases the burdens on administrative or medical information so they can turn all their attention to help patients is sure to be popular.
Of course, any healthcare mobile app that stores or transmits protected health information (PHI) needs to be aware of all the various regulations that comply with HIPAA, so be sure to be well aware of what that entails when developing a health app.
Pharmaceutical Interactions
Any doctor or nurse that needs to administer or monitor medical prescriptions should have an easy reference guide available, as doses and contraindications can have grave consequences. There are volumes of paper books that serve this purpose, yet they need to be updated constantly, so apps that are made and approved by doctors and pharmacists together can be universally adopted, and save time for patients and physicians.
Real-Time Communication
Things happen quickly in healthcare. Providing a secure and instant video chat and other tools that connect patients with healthcare providers, doctors, and specialists with each other is truly helpful. Some of these solutions are digital therapeutics and telemedicine. As with the categories above, a medical app developer has to take the utmost care to keep these health data secure, encrypted, and compliant with any relevant regulations.
Monitored Personal Health Information
This differs from the above text-based question and answer system in that there are now various wearable sensors that can read and interpret vital signs in a precise and timely manner. Some, like blood glucose or pressure sensors, are designed specifically to let patients (and possibly their doctors) know if there is a potential danger zone.
Solutions like a Fitbit wearable health and fitness tracker may detect something irregular and possibly unsafe in heart rates and steps. Other devices like the most recent Apple Watch have taken a healthcare approach, adding new health-tracking features that can be easily added to your MedTech app through iOS development. This device-based healthcare approach increases the value of an existing device and adds value to medical software.
Chronic conditions like diabetes, Parkinson’s, and atrial fibrillation can be identified, monitored, and synchronized with lab results thanks to this strategy. A healthcare app that considers how and when to identify these diseases can be highly sought after.
Think Outside the Box for Your Healthcare Apps
It is important to recognize that there are more health issues than an app can possibly tackle. Finding a specific niche to address might be the best alternative. Instead of trying to build a super healthcare app that has a wide scope, it is best to focus on a particular topic. Everything from meditation to menstrual cycles is a relevant topic to address, so try to think through several topics as you’re ideating your app and niche. Here are a few hot issues to consider.
Mental Health Care
Unfortunately, mental and psychological health issues in modern society have been hidden and stigmatized for years. Now that these health conditions are finally out in the open and able to be freely discussed, opportunities to enter the marketplace abound.
Simple things like basic real-time screening for certain common health conditions like depression or anxiety can be a good start, as are generally informational and guidance platforms to give users possible solutions and resources. Be sure to be fully aware of health industry guidelines and don’t make any claims of actual diagnoses or cures.
Use the App to Track Sleep
Due to a number of possible factors, most people are not getting enough sleep. These results in various problems. MedTech apps that track sleep patterns and cycles have become very popular, both as part of a wearable sensor or as a self-reported feature. Additionally, apps that address insomnia with sleep hygiene tips, white noise, or somnambulistic readings or sounds can make the difference in a user getting the eight hours they need.
Again, the Apple Watch and iOS 14 stand out to help solve these problems. Thanks to some of Apple’s features like app portability across their devices, it is now possible to create a powerful health ecosystem for users that spans across their mobile phones, smartwatch, and desktop computer. An experienced iOS development company can surely take on a project like this.
Menstrual Cycle
Women make around half of the world’s population, and like mental health, this regular occurrence for billions has been marginalized and even taboo to address. Healthcare apps that help women sync up their monthly cycle so they can prepare are helpful. Additionally, a cycle monitoring app can help detect various conditions through self-reported data. A great example of this is the Flo app; Apple devices also have a menstrual cycle feature.
An App to Measure Temperature
This may seem like a minor issue, but millions of parents fret over their infant’s temperature while living in fear of waking them out of their much-needed sleep. Wearable sensor patches can reassure parents that their baby is out of fever range and sleeping soundly.
Through devices like this, the Internet of Things (IoT) has had a considerable positive impact on the mobile MedTech app industry.
Healthcare Apps: Summing It All Up
There’s clearly a lot of room for both improvement and innovation in the mobile healthcare marketplace today, but it takes lots of research and combing through reviews to really zero in on what’s working.
It’s a good idea to bring your ideas to a business analyst at a trusted healthcare app development partner. Before moving forward, it is necessary to discuss the viability and opportunity that your MedTech app may present. Through ideation workshops, you will surely refine your ideas before you start developing your digital product.
If you are interested in bringing your medical app idea to fruition, check out our work, and convince yourself why Koombea is the right fit for your healthcare idea. Our team of business analysts is ready to help your ideas come to life.
