App development is pretty big these days and more and more people are getting into it. Almost every industry is dependent on technological advancements for their progression and those who are not are heavily investing in new technologies. One such industry is the healthcare industry.
If you are thinking about making a healthcare app then you must first learn about the healthcare industry in general. You need to learn about all the tips and stats of the industry if you want to involve in the development of best healthcare app.
Many things go into the process of developing a new app. And in this article, we are going to discuss the tips and tricks in healthcare app development.
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The Healthcare Industry
The healthcare industry has been investing heavily in developing digital apps which will help the industry develop and achieve new heights.
Among all the other industries, the healthcare industry is utilizing smartphones for app development and they are incorporating more and more digital technology to further their business.
The term health is often used in the medical and healthcare industry to describe the application of mobile phones and other devices in the industry. Healthcare apps are really useful, and they have a lot of benefits.
Healthcare apps are dominating the market as of now and they have become quite popular. There are more than 97,000 apps available on Android and iOS. With these, patients can check their status and order meds online.
Most doctors these days rely on these apps to help them keep a proper record of their patients. Currently, North America is dominating the global health market.
But countries like India and China aren’t far behind either. Europe is also developing rapidly in this regard and the UK and Germany are among the best options for digital healthcare solutions.
Benefits of Healthcare apps
Healthcare apps have immense benefits. The apps are easy to use and as mentioned above almost all doctors and their patients use these apps.
These apps give the user access to many services and features. Earlier if you wanted to book an appointment with the doctor then you either had to physically go to the clinic/hospital and book an appointment or you can call the hospital/ or clinic.
But now you can do that with an app and it’s a lot easier and saves a lot of time. You can even interact with doctors or check your medical reports without physically visiting the hospital. But apart from this, there are any other services provided by these apps.
The apps help the doctors and nurses to collect data with ease and they ensure easy and immediate access in the remote areas. By keeping a record of everything, these apps minimize the risk of incorrect data.
Patients can gain access to their medical record anytime etc. This also provides scope for new business opportunities.
Types of healthcare apps
If you or your company wants to create amazing healthcare apps then you should learn about the types of healthcare apps that are out there. Healthcare apps are used by doctors and patients and this is how the apps can be differentiated.
The apps used by the doctors are best when it concerns medical records. But the apps that the patients use have a wide range of features and services which they can use at their discretion.
But there are many apps which can be used by both doctors and patients. Apps that help you track your weight, lifestyle, mental health are a few such apps. Some apps will let you keep track of your schedule or let you book appointments with doctors.
The apps that let you track your weight is probably the one that’s the most used by the two parties i.e. the doctors and the patients.
These apps also offer many other services and also monitor your heartbeat which is very essential these days. Healthcare apps do not take up much space which is why almost everyone can download and use them.
Read Also: 10 Best Health and Fitness Apps 2019
Tips for facing Problems That Arise in the Development of a Healthcare App
Making an app for the healthcare industry can be quite difficult. You have to consider many factors before you start developing such apps.
1) HIPAA Guidelines
The first thing you will have to do is follow the HIPAA guidelines. For those of you who don’t know what HIPPA stands for, it’s Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
This protects all the information related to health which can be identified individually. And if you’re wondering why this is important then you should know that this is the only law that checks how is being stored and how it is being shared over an application.
Before you or your company starts developing apps, go through this guideline thoroughly and if you decide to hire a developer then make sure that they know all the laws, and constraints.
But some apps do not have to follow these guidelines, but those apps usually offer general information about health and nothing more.
But this isn’t the only constraint, modern healthcare apps have a tough time integrating with the outdated systems that the hospitals and clinics use.
As a developer, you will have to make an app which can be accessed by both the parties and only then will you be able to develop the best healthcare app.
2) Good UI/UX
Making a good UI/UX is very important. Most of the apps have a complicated user interface which makes it difficult to use and they also tend to have complex user navigation. After a while, this can get quite annoying hence you should spend a considerable amount of time on the app’s UI.
You will have to make sure that your app’s UI is user-friendly and that it doesn’t consume a lot of battery while running in the background. If you make your UI unique the chances of people downloading your app will increase significantly.
The app developers usually have direct access to the patient’s health records. Therefore, it’s important to maintain a certain level of transparency. Your app needs to have good privacy settings and the terms and conditions should be mentioned.
Otherwise, people might complain, and they can even file a lawsuit against the app if they please. So be careful while creating the app’s privacy settings.
3) Test Your App
Finally, the most important thing that you have to do is test your app. You need to make sure that your app is functioning properly before releasing it because if the app malfunctions then it can give out false or negative information to its users which can have some serious consequences.
The things that you should give priority while checking are the privacy settings, whether it’s following the HIPAA guidelines or not and the authenticity for PII and PHI regulations.
If your app is a fitness tracker and uses location services, then you should also check whether the services are working properly or not. Make sure to test your app in low connectivity.
If your app uses a scanner then make sure that the scanner works properly. And lastly, your app should be compatible with both Android and IOS. Also, make sure that the app doesn’t take up too much space.
4) Marketing and Monetizing the App
Now that you know how to make the app of your dreams, it’s time for you to focus on how to monetize your app once you are finished developing the app. You can start by creating paid accounts and adding ads to your app.
This way it will be easier for you to earn money. And there are many other options besides this which you can look for on the internet. You will have to promote your app all over social media to get the best response.
Your app needs to reach everyone and as you know the competition is fierce, there are thousands of healthcare apps out there. Therefore, you will have to make sure that your app gets exposure.
If you can then try to make your app unique (as mentioned earlier) or at least add a unique feature to your app that will make people want to download your app.
Consult other developers on how to promote your app and how to sell it to a healthcare company. The more you talk to other developers the more you will be able to understand the industry and make your dream app a success.
The health industry is flourishing as of now and you won’t have to struggle too much to find success. Everyday people are downloading healthcare apps and using them.
New developers and companies are launching apps almost daily. More than 84000 health app developers have launched their apps recently and the numbers just keep growing.
Read Also: Effective Post Launch App Strategies That can Drive Success
Final Thoughts
If you’re a young and budding app developer and have decided to make it big in the healthcare industry, then you have made a good choice. The need for technology is ever-growing and soon all of the hospitals will rely on digital tech to get their work done.
And make sure to sell your app to a legit company otherwise your app could be misused by a lot of people. And if you manage to sell it, then be sure to promote it as much as you can and of course, the company will help you with this.
So do not worry too much, and start developing your app. If you follow the above development tips and stats, then you will surely make the best healthcare app.