The healthcare app development industry has to constantly fight against inflation and resource shortages. McKinsey estimates that healthcare spending will reach $600 billion in 2027.
All stakeholders must come together to make healthcare more affordable and accessible. It can also reduce risk and expenditure while increasing profits. Digital healthcare is a response to the demand for immediate and easily accessible care.
Global digital health market to be valued at $430.52 Billion by 2028. (Globe Newswire). mHealth or mobile healthcare app development solutions are a crucial part of the digital sector. They are more appealing and solve issues relating to care delivery, administration, or even access to doctors.
Now is the perfect time to develop your app. This guide will walk you through the steps, trends, and benefits of developing healthcare apps.
Healthcare App Development Demystified: 6 Key Steps
Mobile apps for healthcare restore faith in the industry through their affordable and accessible solutions. There are many different facets of mHealth including fitness apps and telemedicine applications. The path to creating a successful mobile healthcare app is the same. Let’s go over the steps.
Step#1: Find the Purpose of the Mobile App
Understanding why you are building the app, and what your ultimate goal is with the mobile application. You want to make it easy for people to connect with doctors of all kinds and have a real-time chat.
You should:
- Understanding the gaps in healthcare, and the specific niche that you are interested in, is important.
- Check out the competitors that dominate the niche. What makes them unique?
- Validate the idea of an app or concept. You have to make sure that it is in line with the user’s goals.
Step#2: Know the Users of the mHealth Solution
Next, you need to identify the users. Who will use the mobile health solution that you offer?
Telemedicine apps, for example, are used by those who have issues that can be resolved via phone calls with care providers. Someone living in a remote location without access to doctors could be the person using telemedicine apps.
The following guidelines can help you segregate users:
- Look at their demographics to find the best match for your needs
- Find people who are accepting and need telemedicine solutions
- Users looking for instant access to doctors and healthcare delivery
Here are a few examples of how to find the app user. You will have several different use cases.
Step#3: List all the features of the app
You can build an application that is solid and easy to use based on the gaps you have identified and your understanding of users.
Must-have features include filters, login/registration, and creating a profile (if you want to allow users to pay in-app).
Depending on the application type, you will have different must-have features. A fitness app, for example, will include features to record and log data.
Step#4: Determine the approach and tech stack
You can select the technology stack based on your approach. If you are planning to develop a native iOS mobile app, then you can choose between Swift and Objective-C. If you plan to develop a cross-platform application, you can also use React Native and Flutter.
Step#5: Selecting a Development Team or Company
Mobile app development may not be your specialty if you’re a healthcare app solutions provider. Outsource the work to a healthcare app development company that has experience and expertise in developing mHealth apps.
Here are some things to think about when selecting an app development partner:
Ask if the company has experience in developing healthcare apps
You can also ask them if they are aware of the most recent trends and developments in their niche.
Search for companies with a license and credentials
Customers should be able to rate and review the company positively
Step#6: Get started with app development
You will then need to create the mobile application.
Prototype the mobile solution. Create the screens, plan navigation, and design user experience using your previous experiences.
You can begin coding your mobile app once you have determined the usability of the app. You can deploy your mobile app after thorough testing in staging mode.
Why your healthcare business needs an app solution?
Answering this question will help you understand how a mobile health app can benefit doctors and users. This will allow you to see if your app idea is useful for them.
1. Reduces Healthcare Costs
Affordable healthcare is a necessity, particularly for the industry. You can achieve this with mobile app solutions. The majority of overhead costs come from mismanagement, inaccurate billing, and inefficient processes.
The mobile app, however, can improve billing, reduce the wait time for patients, and increase your business’ efficiency.
2. Accessibility of Reports
The app can be used to manage a patient who is connected with two doctors. Both doctors can view the records stored in this app. The diagnosis is more efficient and the care overall is improved.
3. Better Patient Care
Many aspects of patient care can undermine your efforts. If the appointment is poorly managed, for example, this can negatively impact their experience. The care plan could be inadequate if the diagnosis was incorrect.
Apps for mobile devices can manage patient care from diagnosis to record logs, making it easier to take care of patients.
4. Better Management
The stress that comes with managing a clinic or hospital can be reduced when a doctor makes use of healthcare apps. These apps allow doctors to focus on other tasks, such as keeping their clients and sending reminders.
It gives them the time they need to innovate the clinic and offer better solutions to patients. This also relieves them of their stress.
5. Better Healthcare Quality
Mobile apps have improved the quality of healthcare. Doctors are better able to assist patients, diagnose conditions more effectively, and offer quality solutions.
6. Increased Patient Engagement
The positive effects of mobile apps increase the engagement between patients and doctors. The hospital or clinic will be able to retain more patients.
Healthcare App Development Cost
The average cost to develop a basic mobile healthcare app is $425000. It may be necessary to spend a little more on the features and technologies you want to include.
Hourly charges for developers
- USA: $80-$250
- Eastern Europe: 70-$150
- India: $15-$100
Several factors influence the costs of healthcare app development. Let’s go through them one by one.
App Complexity: Your cost will increase if your app has too many features, or if it requires advanced functionality.
The Development Team: If you are developing a mobile health app, then it is important to have a team that includes
- Backend and frontend developers
- DevOps team and BA team
- Expert in Compliance
- Designers of UI/UX
- Project Manager
- Testing Team
Hourly charges will increase if your app team grows in any way. The cost of development will rise if you select an experienced team. The experience of the development team is crucial to app development costs.
Services: The services that you include as part of your contract may increase or decrease costs. If you include maintenance and support in your package, for example, costs may be slightly higher.
Health Mobile App Regulations: What to consider when building one?
You must adhere to the data and information security regulations when building a mobile healthcare app. Compliances vary by country, but the overall theme remains the same: patient data security.
You should follow the local regulations if you want to store the user’s data in your app and share it with doctors.
The USA
HIPAA: This ensures a secure transfer of information through Big Data Technology to prevent hackers from gaining access.
Protected Health Information (PHI): This is used to protect information about healthcare plans, payments, and other related data.
The EU
GDPR: The standard is designed to protect information.
Data Protection Law Enforcement Directive: This directive was laid down to ensure that personal data is processed safely and securely.
Conclusion:
Healthcare app solutions have been shown to improve the patient experience and increase the profitability of the industry. mHealth solutions improve affordability and accessibility for end users.
You should also have a partner who can help you implement the solution that you are looking to provide for your niche. Expert mobile App Developers have created exceptional healthcare mobile apps for diverse client requirements. Learn more about our Healthcare app development by checking out our website.