The Healthcare industry has experienced a great transformation over the past few years. The pandemic made the world healthcare system adapt to the new realities. Thus, one of the outcomes is the global move to digital engagement and the growing demand for telemedicine.
There were up to 53K mHealth apps available in the App Store in 2021 and the same number in the Play Market. These numbers are growing every day. Healthcare mobile apps become an integral part of our daily lives, whether it’s fitness trackers, wellness apps, or symptoms trackers. More and more patients prefer to visit doctors virtually, order prescription drugs online, manage appointments and use technology to monitor health. Numbers show that the digital health market is going to reach nearly $660 billion by 2025, compared to $175 billion in 2019.
What Is Telemedicine?
The practice when medical professionals use information technologies to provide care with remote assistance is called telemedicine or telehealth. Healthcare mobile applications, web platforms, wearables, etc ensure health tracking and reporting, medical reminders, and communication with doctors, and some serve as the platform for virtual appointments.
This method of diagnosing and treating patients remotely became popular in a number of countries, especially in rural areas. Almost 40% of patients would like to continue to use telemedicine services in the future.
There are the following categories of telemedicine:
- Remote patient control via wearables that transmit medical records to healthcare institutions 24/7.
- Synchronous communication between doctors and patients through devices.
- Asynchronous means communication when a patient submits health data (symptoms, pictures) and the doctor replies whenever he or she can.
Benefits of Telemedicine Solutions
Healthcare software empowers patients to be more proactive about their health condition and sometimes prevent risks. Also, the value here includes better self-management of health-related issues and communication with your medical providers.
Telemedicine as an alternative to in-person appointments benefits ether, institutions, providers, and patients as it
- Saves waiting time
- Reduces the cost of healthcare
- Decreases cancellations and missed appointments
- Offers more accessibility
- Raises awareness of medical topics
- Effects on distant health management
- Reduce the pressure on medical staff
- Minimize the spread of infection (especially during the pandemic)
- Reduce emergency visits and death rate
A telemedicine mobile apps let patients to avoid hospitals visits and clinics for follow-ups, missing appointments having medications,or long lines. Also telehealth solutions make these services cheaper by cutting down the costs for hospital admissions and ER trips.
Telehealth Application Ideas
Let’s go through the list of health applications ideas you can implement with a software development partner.
Telemedicine Mobile Apps & Web platforms
Healthcare mobile apps or cloud-based telemedicine software are useful tools for healthcare providers in their daily operations and for patients who want to track their health.
The feature-rich platform can include:
- Consultation Services (via real-time video calls)
- Chat integration for virtual diagnosis and treatment plans
- Medication alerts
- Appointment booking
- Secure medical record storage.
With a web-based services healthcare is becoming more accessible. Video-conferencing, remote patient checkups, and prescription management help doctors work remotely.
Also, all the medical information is being gathered and stored. And caregiving is accessible as possible, while also empowering the patient to take charge of their own health.
Medical Records App
A medical record mobile app can solve a need to collect all of medical data, checkups, and doctor visits in one place. In this case, healthcare organizations will become paperless (what is convenient for every stakeholder) And patients can add their health record to share them with the doctors to compare the results over time.
Health awareness app for kids
The world knows a variety of wellness management apps and, let’s be honest, these are among popular app categories. why not create an app that would teach kids good habits, especially since modern children spend much of their free time on screen.This time can be useful with a quality content.
To engage more young users Include to your app gamification elements and immersive experience. Here are couple of ideas:
- The game that offer kids a range of activities to help break unhealthy habits
- An app that let kid imitate and learn yoga poses
- AR app that teaches kids of different systems in the human body
- App with interactive activities that teach kids about healthy eating habits.
Chronic Disease Monitoring
The chronic disease rate is increasing, thus creating a challenge for the whole healthcare system. This type of applications is created to monitor chronic conditions like blood pressure, diabetes, sugar levels, cancer.
Now, moninoring health conditions can be time-saving and more convenient. Apps allow healthcare providers to track the health conditions of each patient and provide proper treatment or prescription.
On-demand Doctors App
On-demand doctor’s applications have changed the landscape of the healthcare industry. Thus, doctors and medical organizations invest in doctor on-demand app development and patients install them on smartphones. They allow patients to get in touch with doctors in real- time through chat and video calls. As for patients, they can book a consultation on-demand and get assistance in a short time.
Recovery from addiction
Alcohol, drug, caffeine, nicotine, and sugar, are in the list of things that cause addiction. We fully understand that software solution can’t be enough to get addicts out of this endless chain, and its critically important to include an expert to the recovery process. But what if an app can help too? Here are couple of ideas:
- Create a community of people who can help or who are addicted too. Mutual support matters.
- Add educational content. Share videos, articles with pieces of advise on how to recover.
- Include psychological support.
- Integrate chat so that users can contact with experts and each other.
Mental health apps
Taking care of your mental health and well-being became our new normal and tele-psychotherapy is also a new trend. Howewer, it is still not accessible for everyone. This category of apps offer variety of services and make this process more inclusive. We’re talking about meditation, breathing exercises, relaxation apps, complex anxiety and depression programs as well as platforms that connect with psychotherapists.
ePrescriptions Apps
These apps simplify the process of medicine distribution on both ends. These platforms will be easily integrated within the hospital and doctors’ systems, connect patients with pharmacists by integrating pharmacy software into the telemedicine app. What benefits does it bring? For instance, now it’s possible to add invoices to the application, so the authorities and insurance companies can monitor prescriptions.
Wellness Apps
A healthy lifestyle is a trend. People deny smoking and start doing sports on a regular basis. So, most likely, they are potential users of nutrition and recreation applications the market can offer them. The fitness application development market is projected to achieve $14.7 billion by 2026, so don’t miss a chance to join a great community of app owners.
Telemedicine for Pets
Every pet owner knows that’s it is expensive and extremely stressful to book an appointment with a vet. But sometimes it’s enough to make it online not to stress an animal. Veterinary telemedicine is a great option to deal with problems that don’t require an emergency visit. So, here is an idea to launch a platform that can provide online veterinary services. It’s a convenient way for for vets and pet owners, as all you need is a device with an internet connection and an application
Other options these apps can offer you:
- Prescription medications for pet
- Searching and connect with vets
- Keeping track of pet’s medications, appointments, and other needs
- Answers to general questions
- Pet Nutrition Advices
- Pet behavior management
Final Thoughts
After 2020 telemedicine became necessary and popular solution. It proved its value to the healthcare industry by expanding the number of people who now can receive regular medical care.
The ctitical part of creating a healthcare apps is to include research and base it on evidence solutions.
We believe, innovation will continue to develop, so don’t miss a chance to offer patients a convenient video visit.
Guest article written by: Nazar Kvartalnyi has a Master’s Degree in Computer Science and Mathematics. He is a Microsoft certified professional and .Net specialist with experience in project management and mentorship. Since 2015, he has also been a co-founder and COO at Inoxoft.