Just like most industries nowadays, healthcare is rapidly undergoing a digital transformation. At the heart of this shift are mobile healthcare apps, or “mHealth.”
While general “wellness management” apps have been popular for quite some time, we’re now seeing a trend towards mHealth development for disease and treatment management. Currently, these apps represent 27% of the healthcare app sector. Their growing popularity means these apps are now reshaping our relationship with medical care.
In 2024, 40% of American adults now use smartphones to interact with healthcare services, and 35% are sporting wearables providing real-time data on aspects of health from exercise stats to heart rate.
Healthcare and mHealth require a lot of adherence to laws and compliance with privacy standards, so what is the best way to develop one?
In this guide, we’re taking you through the process of healthcare app development done right.
Types of Most Popular Healthcare Apps
From managing your fitness goals to monitoring blood glucose levels, healthcare apps are bringing some burdensome health-related tasks into the home, promising more convenience and breaking down barriers.
Healthcare is a diverse sector and the apps that cater to it are typically broken down into two types:
- Professional Healthcare Apps
- Medical Apps for Patients
While there is some overlap between the two, a few significant differences are outlined below.
Professional Healthcare Apps
Healthcare apps for professionals are used primarily by healthcare providers themselves. These apps and software offer important features for the continuation and operation of medical services, including hospitals, doctors’ clinics, and integrated medicine.
Typically, these apps include tools such as electronic health records (EHRs), telemedicine platforms, and clinical reference portals.
By 2027, it’s predicted that the majority of the market sector share will be occupied by professional healthcare apps that service booking, online consultations, patient portals, and online/dark pharmacies.
Healthcare apps for professionals improve the experience of both the patient and healthcare providers by automating and digitizing the aspects of medical care that up until now have meant that such an important sector has suffered from efficiency and management issues.
A specialized health mobile app development company plays a crucial role in the creation of these sophisticated and complex tools. They ensure that the software meets the high standards and compliance required for the medical field.
Medical Apps for Patients
For patients and health-conscious people, healthcare apps provide empowerment and convenience. These apps typically include symptom checkers, appointment schedulers, fitness trackers, and nutrition guides.
Fitness products and training apps continue to dominate usage. Still, as healthcare providers continue to embrace these technologies, it’s expected that more critical services such as cardiac monitoring, diabetes management, and mental healthcare applications will soon reduce the necessity for in-clinic visits.
As the popularity of patient-centric medical apps begins to gain more traction, health and fitness mobile app development will soon be integrated with these more critical and life-saving functionalities.
These mHealth apps are making healthcare more accessible, especially for remote users, and are helping patients make informed decisions about their health and well-being.
Ideas for Healthcare Apps
Digital healthcare is a truly diverse sector and there’s no shortage of both needs from patients and opportunities to address some of the gaps in healthcare left behind by traditional systems.
From managing chronic disease to providing mental health support, healthcare apps have moved from a niche and novel idea to something as essential in everyday life as your online banking or ride-share applications.
Here we’ll take a look at seven app ideas that push the boundaries of what’s possible in mobile health app development.
1. Chronic Disease Management Apps
Chronic disease affects over 129 million people in the United States alone, and living with a chronic illness often means juggling numerous doctor's appointments, medications, and daily health monitoring – tasks that can quickly become daunting.
This is where chronic disease management apps offer a helping hand. They are designed to make life easier for those dealing with conditions like diabetes, asthma, or heart issues.
These digital companions serve as personalized healthcare assistants right in your pocket. They remind you when it's time to take medicine, allow you to keep track of symptoms and even enable a direct line of communication with your medical team.
By doing so, these apps play an instrumental role in placing the reins of health back into patients' hands – potentially minimizing trips to the hospital and enhancing overall well-being.
2. Mental Health Apps
The spotlight on mental health is shining brighter than ever before. As a society, we’ve all become far more aware of the importance of our emotional health. We now see a natural gravitation towards mHealth tools that can help us deal with challenges like anxiety, depression, and stress.
A mental health app typically includes features like mood tracking, journaling, and meditation guides that help users monitor their emotional state.
When help is needed, patients can use the app to connect with licensed therapists without having to leave the comfort of their homes. It’s an absolutely vital service for those who require immediate care.
There's tangible excitement around these resources, and data indicates a substantial future rise in demand. By collaborating with a specialized mental health mobile app development agency that honors the delicate nature of mental wellness, you can respect user confidentiality and deliver rich functionality.
3. Telemedicine Apps
For those who live in under-serviced areas such as remote and rural locations, telehealth allows patients to consult with a doctor through a video call and receive medical documents.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, 43% of doctors consulted with over half of their patients via telemedicine, and research has shown that this trend is likely to continue even post-pandemic.
With more and more under-serviced users getting access to better quality internet through innovative technology such as Starlink, these apps will play an increasingly vital role in providing healthcare to remote areas.
A health mobile app development team can integrate secure video conferencing, EHR systems, and other essential features to create high-quality telemedicine experiences.
4. Medication Management Apps
Managing prescriptions can be quite a task for patients who have to handle medications daily. Medication management apps are like assistants tailored to help you keep track of your medication schedule.
These apps send reminders to ensure you don't miss a dose and also watch out for any interactions between drugs that could harm your health, which is critical when managing multiple medications.
Additionally, they simplify the process of getting prescription refills, saving you trips to the doctor or pharmacy. By embracing technology with these apps we can effectively and safely support individuals of all ages in maintaining their health.
5. Fitness and Activity Tracking Apps
Fitness apps that tie in with wearables such as pedometers and smart watches are among the most downloaded in the healthcare industry, indicating proven success with the ability to innovate more.
These apps are typically integrated with wearable tech to provide real-time data on variables such as steps, heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation. They can even alert users about cardiac events.
Society is becoming more health-conscious and the demand for these types of applications is only going to grow. A health and fitness mobile app development company can develop apps that not only utilize this data, but provide motivation, challenges, personalized coaching, and social features.
6. Allergen Alert and Ingredient Scanner App
Food allergies can range from annoying discomfort to life-threatening anaphylactic shock. In the U.S. alone, there has been a 377% increase in diagnoses of severe food allergies. Anyone with a food allergy knows that sometimes ingredients can be vague, or easily missed when selecting food products from the supermarket.
An app connected to a food ingredient database with the ability to scan barcodes using a smartphone camera to immediately alert the allergy sufferer to ingredients such as seafood, peanuts, dairy, and gluten is not only convenient but can save lives.
The app could also offer alternatives to products that are known to be safe to allow users to make smarter choices when it comes to food shopping.
Using a health and fitness mobile app development agency that has experience with nutritional and dietary software would ensure that the app has access to reliable databases and scanning technology.
7. Enterprise Hospital and Clinic Management Apps
Clinical management software is a booming industry with a predicted CAGR of 9.73% forecasted for 2024-2030. These apps are designed to streamline the operations of medium to large healthcare facilities and are integral for the integration of administrative and clinical functions into a single platform.
The possibilities to create unique and innovative healthcare app solutions in the clinical space are enormous. These apps can include features like patient scheduling, EHR management, billing and invoicing, inventory management, and staff coordination.
When these responsibilities are consolidated the clinic's effectiveness improves and operations run smoothly. Most significantly, patient results are enhanced.
Furthermore, developed medical software offers analytics and reporting tools that empower administrators to make data-driven decisions to optimize the medical facilities’ performance.
Partnering with an experienced healthcare software development company is crucial for developing an app that is compliant, scalable, and secure.
Benefits of Custom Healthcare Apps for Doctors and Patients
Custom healthcare apps have certainly carved out a significant role in medicine. They provide personalized approaches that are fine-tuned for the unique requirements of doctors and their patients.
By focusing on what individuals actually need, these apps promote better patient care, simplify routine processes, and contribute to improved health results – all fundamental components in today's medical practice.
Enhanced Patient Engagement
Custom healthcare apps have been proven to ramp up patient engagement. They provide tailored health tips, send timely reminders, and pave the way for effortless communication with healthcare providers.
This personal touch helps patients feel more in command of their wellbeing and back every step of the way—encouraging them to stick closer to their treatment paths and fostering an uplifting experience all around.
Done skillfully, health mobile app development turns these apps into vital cogs that bond patients tighter with their medical teams.
Streamlined Workflow for Healthcare Providers
Doctors often find themselves swamped with administrative work which can eat into the time they would prefer to spend with patients.
Custom apps can automate mundane tasks such as appointment scheduling, billing, and record management. A health mobile app development company focuses on crafting these solutions to be user-friendly while adhering strictly to healthcare compliance and security standards.
The outcome is a practice that operates seamlessly, allowing doctors to dedicate more energy toward patient care.
Improved Patient Outcomes
Custom healthcare apps significantly enhance patient outcomes. They provide tools such as real-time health monitoring and tailored treatment strategies, enabling more proactive, informed decisions about healthcare.
This often results in the early recognition of health concerns, improved control over chronic conditions, and generally healthier patients. When created by an experienced health mobile app development agency, these applications are designed to positively influence patients' lives by supporting their journey toward improved health and well-being.
Trends in Healthcare App Development
Healthcare technology is evolving at a rapid pace, and staying abreast of these changes is going to become a top priority for any developer in the mHealth app space.
As technologies develop and grow, they are bringing with them the potential to revolutionize our approach to patient care, making it more efficient, more personalized, and increasing accessibility.
Let’s take a look at the three main trends in healthcare app development today.
AI and Machine Learning
There aren’t many industries that haven’t been revolutionized by the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). Healthcare, with all its dependence on the ‘human touch’ is no exception.
One of the most significant trends in healthcare app development is the integration of man and machine (AI). These technologies are being employed to power predictive analysis, review and streamline diagnostics, and even provide personalized treatment recommendations.
In 2023, we saw a real Turing test moment when researchers from California San Diego, Bryn Mawr College, and Johns Hopkins University developed a chatbot that actually outperformed a human doctor when subjected to 195 randomly generated patient questions.
The market growth for AI and ML in healthcare is predicted to boom to over $600 billion in 2034, indicating that the human touch in healthcare will be working side-by-side with artificial intelligence in the near future.
Wearable Technology Integration
In the world of healthcare apps, one can't overlook how wearable devices are making their mark. Picture a wristband that not only counts your steps but also keeps an eye on your heart's rhythm. These gadgets aren't just in demand, they're soaring toward a market value predicted to hit over $3.7 billion by 2025.
What does this mean for health-conscious individuals? It means instant access to vital health metrics, tailored fitness tracking, and more – all from the convenience of a device wrapped around your wrist.
Behind these advancements is the expertise of mobile app development agencies specializing in health and fitness. Their role is to develop applications that don’t merely collect data but translate it into actionable insights - helping you take charge of your wellness journey every step of the way.
Telehealth Expansion
Telehealth's growth is a noteworthy trend, especially in recent times. These services are reshaping accessibility to healthcare with telehealth applications that enable patients to have medical consultations from afar—something that 74% of millennials favor over standard face-to-face visits.
This change is in lockstep with the huge cultural changes that began with the Covid-19 pandemic such as working from home and has become popular with patients who live far from medical facilities or in communities where healthcare is sparse.
Collaborating with agencies specializing in health mobile app development ensures these platforms are solid, secure, and intuitive, aligning with the increased need for remote healthcare solutions.
Best Practices for Healthcare Mobile Application Development
Developing a successful healthcare app requires more than just innovation. You must also be committed to the industry’s best standards that ensure the app is not only functional but secure, compliant, and based on a sustainable concept.
Here are the most important best practices when it comes to developing applications used in healthcare.
User Experience Focus
When developing a healthcare app, the user experience (UX) sits right at the heart of its success. It's all about creating something that feels natural and easy to use for patients and healthcare professionals alike.
Whether it’s scheduling an appointment with just a few taps or quickly checking health stats on the go, every interaction should be smooth sailing.
Ensure Data Security and Compliance
Navigating the complex world of healthcare data demands a strong focus on security and compliance.
For mobile health apps, abiding by rules such as HIPAA in the U.S. is not just mandatory, it's absolutely central to protecting patient privacy and maintaining trust.
Security breaches can have serious consequences, both financially and for your reputation. Working with a mobile app development company versed in these regulations is crucial.
Regular Updates and Maintenance
Regular security and vendor software updates are vital for any industry, but in healthcare, they are non-negotiable.
Updates should also include software changes to comply with the latest medical guidelines, advancements in technology, and security and privacy protocols.
Continuous support ensures that your app remains functional, secure, and safe. Using a dedicated health mobile app development company means you won’t be going it alone, they’ll provide ongoing updates, address application bugs, and add new features that enhance the experience over time.
The Healthcare App Development Process
Getting healthcare app development right means adhering to a well-structured process that ensures that your app meets the needs of both patients and healthcare professionals.
Here’s an outline of the key steps involved in taking your healthcare app from concept to production:
Step 1 – Discovery and Requirement Analysis:
The initial phase in creating a healthcare application is to get to know the specific needs of doctors and patients.
It's important to dig deep into what they require, pinpoint their challenges, and figure out what they hope to achieve with this app.
Typically, companies specializing in health mobile app development take charge here. They do their homework so the features of the app meet both the users' wishes and the healthcare provider's objectives effectively.
Step 2 – Design and Prototyping:
With a solid understanding of the requirements, you move to sketch out wireframes and build prototypes that bring the app's functions to life.
This phase is key in charting the path users will take through the app, with an eye on making everything feel instinctive and smooth.
When you’ve got a health and fitness mobile app development agency on board, they apply their specialized skills to craft designs that look great while performing effortlessly. Here, you will be laying down those crucial first bricks for an engaging user experience.
Step 3 – Development and Testing:
Now that you have laid out the design, you move on to developing the app itself. This is where developers roll up their sleeves and bring the design to life through coding and incorporating key components like secure data storage, real-time monitoring, and ensuring users are who they say they are— we call it user authentication.
But creating an app isn't just about putting together lines of code. You will be putting it through its paces with thorough QA testing.
This step is to make sure everything runs smoothly when you use the app, no matter what device your users are on.
Step 4 – Deployment and Post-launch Support:
Once the development phase is wrapped up and testing confirms the app's performance, it’s time for launch.
The app makes its grand entrance on platforms such as the App Store or Google Play. But your journey doesn't stop at takeoff. To keep the app in prime condition, it requires regular updates along with continuous support to iron out any kinks, enhance features, and secure its place in a competitive market.
A dedicated health mobile app development team stands by post-launch to ensure seamless operation and ongoing application refinement.
Final words
The landscape of healthcare is undergoing a transformative shift, thanks to the advent of app development that's tailoring patient care into something more accessible, personalized, and streamlined than ever before.
As we look ahead, it’s clear that the trajectory for well-crafted healthcare apps is set on an upward climb, destined to redefine how health services are delivered and experienced.
For those ready to take their concept from idea to impact, teaming up with a specialized health mobile app development company becomes pivotal. That’s where Intellectsoft steps in. We champion the fusion of high-quality care with cutting-edge technology.
Our IT and development solutions in healthcare don’t just simplify operations, they empower informed decision-making and pave new paths for forward-thinking growth.
Embarking on this journey toward an insight-rich, patient-focused model could be your next milestone in healthcare innovation. Discover what partnering with Intellectsoft's Healthcare Development Solutions can unlock for you today.
