Healthcare Application Development Guide

Developing a medical industry demands a thorough examination of concepts, market dynamics, and development stages to sustain in the vast healthcare industry. 

In this article you’ll find out  a complete step by step Healthcare software  development process in this article where we’ll discuss what a healthcare app is, explain the intricacies, and offer some advice on developing a minimum viable product for digital healthcare app 

Estimated size of the mobile medical apps market worldwide in 2017, and a forecast for 2025. In 2017, the total global market was valued at around 2.4 billion U.S. dollars. It is estimated that the market will grow to over 11 billion dollars by 2025. -from Statista 

According to recent Statista In 2019, the global digital health market was worth an estimated 175 billion U.S. dollars. With an expected CAGR of almost 25 percent from 2019 to 2025, the digital health market should reach nearly 660 billion dollars by 2025.

Therefore, make yourself at ease and enjoy the reading!

1. What Is Healthcare App Development?

Healthcare application development is the practice of creating a mobile healthcare app with a primary focus on healthcare and wellbeing. These may aid in the management of an illness or perhaps lead individuals towards their fitness objectives. 

Additionally, such mobile apps may be aimed toward healthcare professionals in the same way that they can be targeted at patients. Patient monitoring, telemedicine, medical categorization, and billing software all assist healthcare professionals in running their operations more effectively.

Mobile medical applications must not just be functional; they must also be user-friendly. This is because the application’s intended users come from a diverse range of backgrounds, and not everyone possesses the technical ability necessary to traverse the mobile application’s features. A well-designed interface is a crucial necessity that has a substantial influence on an app’s performance.

Healthcare application development for mobile phones is a multibillion-dollar worldwide market that is developing at a steady clip. There are almost 40,000 mobile healthcare applications available on different app stores.

Additionally, the healthcare industry is expected to reach $18 billion in the coming years. As if that weren’t enough, the development of mobile medical apps has received over $10 billion in financing over the previous few years. To summarize, health app development has evolved into a critical component of the greater healthcare information mobile technologies business.

2. Types of Healthcare Mobile App Development

With the advancement of technology, the goal of healthcare mobile app development varies. mHealth apps ease our lives by tracking our health data, providing remote support, providing 24/7 access to healthcare providers, and sharing health suggestions. In general, the goal is determined by the mobile apps genre you select.

It’s critical to keep the categories in mind when searching for healthcare app developers, since you’ll be providing them with input data. Take into account the following classifications of mobile healthcare apps.

2.1 Mobile Apps For Medical Professionals

The name is self-explanatory. Doctors are involved in professional healthcare app development. All medical apps that act as a mediator among the providers and the patients during communication and treatment procedures are referred to as professional. Professional mHealth apps such as DrChrono, Medscape, and Locus Clinician are excellent examples. The following is a list of further professional application types:

• Medical app for scheduling doctor appointments
• Medical apps for electronic medical/health records
• Mhealth Apps for medical reference
• Database medical application
• health app for tracking your health
• Mhealth apps for networking (for care providers)
• Telemedicine apps

2.2 Mobile Healthcare Apps For Patients

While this sort of mobile healthcare app does not often require the intervention of medical professionals, they do give a wealth of important information for patient data. Consider the following examples: BetterMe, NTC, and Lifesum. Healthcare mobile apps for patients can incorporate a variety of functions, and the following are some examples of mobile health apps for patients:

• Medical app for medical education
• Health apps for reminders
• Medical app that promote a healthy lifestyle
• health app for dieting
• Medical app for diagnostic purposes
• Fitness apps

As a result, you have a plethora of options for your company concept. I’ve compiled several instances of healthcare mobile app layouts that you may use as a guide prior to developing a healthcare app.

3. Essential Features that Should be Included in Healthcare Apps

While there are several healthcare apps, physicians and programmers have agreed on key qualities to consider during healthcare mobile app development. That is because it is ultimately up to the users to decide whether or not to keep utilizing the software. This section will discuss several of the characteristics that set the popular ones apart.

3.1 Profile Registration

Patient data registration is a lengthy and involved process that includes documentation and procedures. When a person has their initial consultation, they must provide detailed personal information, health records, sensitivities, drug history, and any prior substance misuse (if any).

Medical applications for patients that include a registration feature simplify the process for both patients and healthcare providers. Individuals can use the healthcare apps to complete all required information prior to arriving at the hospital. Clinical staff get these facts relatively soon after patients complete them. This workflow minimizes patient wait times and enables health facilities to see more patients.

3.2 Tracking

The most critical feature of any patient app is its ability to supervise the patient ‘s vital indications, which include blood pressure, respiratory rate, blood glucose levels, pulse, and calorie consumption.

3.3 Scheduling & Reminders for Appointments

The traditional method of contacting a clinic or hospital to inquire about open slots while being temporarily suspended is long gone. One of the most desired aspects of healthcare software is the opportunity for users to schedule appointments at their convenience. This implies that a person may access a medical app at 2 a.m. and make a next-day booking.

This feature simplifies appointment scheduling and lowers workforce necessities at healthcare facilities. Patients may select whatever time slot they desire, regardless of their location, and it benefits both patients and physicians.

Missed visits are one of the leading causes of health decline in adults with heart disease and elders with geriatric disorders. Individuals may miss their appointments as a result of individual stress, professional obligations, or just because it slips their heads.

A hospital patient app that includes a function that reminds patients of upcoming visits assists patients in managing their health more effectively. Reminders can take the form of push alerts, timers, or programmed texts, and this is one feature that every user of a medical app wishes they had.

3.4 Live Chatting with Doctors

Patients may communicate with their specialists in real-time and receive prompt support with this feature. This functionality has the potential to improve accessibility to healthcare and foster confidence among doctors and patients.

3.5 Electronic Prescriptions

Providers can use electronic prescription software to create medications on their gadgets and transmit them immediately to a drugstore. This procedure is substantially more effective than the old way of providing a patient with a handwritten prescription, which they must then deliver to the pharmaceutical personnel.

Utilizing an e-prescription streamlines the procedure of dispensing and renewing medicines. It eliminates errors caused by readability issues with scribbled prescriptions, medication fraud, or patient accidental loss.

3.6 Easy Payment Option

Mobile payment integration with cutting-edge online payment capabilities (wallets, credit/debit cards, and net banking, for example) allows patients to pay for healthcare services and/or premiums in a secure and easy manner. Additionally, patients can obtain records of invoices for future reference.

4. Modern Features to Implement in Your Healthcare Apps

4.1 Telemedicine Services

Experts in the medical field estimate that 75% of all hospital visits are for routine matters that may be handled over the phone or by video conferencing. Telemedicine is the solution. The feature enables people to communicate with their physicians from the convenience of their own homes.

Since bridging the boundary between patients and doctors, telemedicine and telehealth have already had a profound effect on the healthcare system. Yet, telehealth’s popularity is only expected to grow, making it an integral aspect of healthcare’s growing trends in 2022 and a significant factor in at-home medical treatment.

4.2 Blockchain

Blockchain is a cutting-edge innovation that will revolutionize the healthcare industry. The interoperability problem is one of the most pressing problems in the industry, and blockchain technology offers a promising solution. Solutions like Medblock, for instance, let healthcare companies to communicate patient data securely on a permissioned ledger, guaranteeing the immutability of all patient information.

Othe benefits are:

• Integration across several EHR platforms.
• Tracing pharmaceuticals across the supply chain.
• Free and independent patient portals where each individual has complete authority over her own medical records.

4.3 Cloud Based Healthcare Solutions

Advantages, such as health data analytics, are an additional perk of cloud-based healthcare apps, in addition to giving patients the freedom to access their records whenever they need them.

Including cloud computing technologies into your healthcare mobile app development can improve communication and data management.

4.4 Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality (AR/VR)

Despite AR/common VR’s dismissal as gimmicky tech best suited for games like Pokemon, it really has many serious medical uses. The use of a virtual environment in treatment, especially when it’s done remotely, is the first thing that springs to mind. Using augmented reality (AR) for interior navigation in clinics is another useful application of AR for surgical training and education.

4.5 IOT

It’s been a movement for some time now to connect medical devices and equipment to the internet. New technological developments, however, are revealing many more scenarios that might benefit from this innovative approach. The capabilities of today’s healthcare IoT systems extend far beyond the simple monitoring of vital signs. In addition to improving remote patient monitoring, IoT has also been shown to aid in the administration of medical supplies, surgical support, and pharmaceuticals.

It works on other objectives like,

• Medical equipment that is both smart and effective.
• Devices that can monitor your heart and brain activity, such as the ECG and EDA, that you wear.
• Meds that can be tracked down in case of an emergency.

5. Step by Step Healthcare Application Development Process

5.1 Brainstorm and Understand the Requirement

There are several mobile healthcare applications available on the internet. How would yours add worth to target users and make them think you’re different from others? You must undertake extensive marketplace and competitor analysis in order to uncover shortfalls that your solution might effectively answer.

Consultations with doctors, caregivers, clinical key personnel, patients, and other decision-makers can shed light on ways to develop a truly beneficial, realistic outcome.

Did you know that almost 75% of US clinics have attempted to sell a health app without doing a tentative market assessment? As a consequence, they were utilized by just roughly 2% of patients. Through research, you may establish your intended group’s particular potential pitfalls and needs from your product that you might use to create an effective bespoke medical solution.

As obvious as it sounds, if your healthcare app is not beneficial, it will be a pointless exercise. Market research is required while developing healthcare apps. You must research your area, and have a better understanding of your competition, the value they provide, their negative and positive points, and how you may differentiate yourself.

The user research step is very much necessary in such a scenario. While healthcare mobile  application development, you should always be prepared to deal with people’s sensitive issues. A structured questionnaire, group discussions, or polls is difficult because you must strike a balance between getting to the base of the customer’s issue and maintaining a moral approach.

5.2 Framework, Design & Coding

It’s also critical to understand your target audience while building your mobile medical application development. In essence,  aged demographic groups prefer simple browsing and bigger graphics, whilst a youthful population want a vivid graphical layout with greater performance.

Additionally, the design will be determined by whether your audience is composed of patients or medical practitioners. Perform a SWOT examination of your competitors’ products to identify how to improve your own. Consider that the design process would possibly help or hinder the product, so invest enough time and cost to do it right.

5.3 Make It HIPAA Compliant

There are specific rules that must be followed if you want to release a healthcare app.

The United States market, for instance, will demand that your software must adhere to all HIPAA rules. All apps in Europe that handle personal data must follow the General Data Protection Regulation.

The goal of HIPAA is to provide both patients and doctors peace of mind by safeguarding their private medical records. The best way to check if your app is HIPAA compliant. It’s a valid inquiry, therefore I’ve provided a brief list of items to consider.

5.4 Build MVP

After ensuring that you’re using secure medical services and selecting a healthcare app category, the following stage should be MVP development. While developing the MVP for a healthcare apps, it is critical to adhere to the core MVP construction rules: create it quickly and make it feasible.

Prior to developing the MVP for healthcare apps, you must pick the most critical features, confirm they answer the issue, and test regularly. An MVP provides you with a competitive edge since it allows you to reach the marketplace quicker and collect input from real consumers than if you immediately construct a compact solution.

5.5 Testing

Testing a medical app must adhere to a number of standards. It is a component of the software’s post-development phase. Performance, response speed, usability, and designs are all checked, and if determined to fulfill specifications, the healthcare mobile app is prepared for release. 

However, any issues discovered are reported, corrected, and the screening process is restarted. A functioning healthcare mobile app is projected to cost roughly $500,000 to produce from design through post-development.

5.6  Launch and Track Performance

When your app has been thoroughly vetted, you may finally open it to the public. After releasing your app, it’s important to monitor its success with the help of the analytics tools you built into it during development, respond to user feedback, and provide regular updates.

Even though this was the standard procedure for creating a healthcare app, your app can differentiate itself from the competition by virtue of its unique idea and set of features.

6. Monetization Models of a Healthcare Application

It’s up to the specifics of your healthcare product to determine how you may turn a profit. Is it going to be a medical practitioner’s mobile application, a patient’s mobile app, or a companion app for an Internet of Things-enabled smart device? Several ways that these variations can be profited from are listed below.

1. Subscription

Timely subscription payments are the greatest joy for your products. Effective not only for web-based solutions but also for regularly used mobile apps. In the business-to-business sphere, this model is known as a SaaS monetization, and it functions in much the same way.

2. Selling a service

One-time payments for a selection of your business’s services.

3. No ads at all

Don’t even consider incorporating adverts and trying to sell out to disable them. There is a high probability that you will either anger your clients or spend too much time checking the advertising to make sure they are relevant and effective.

4. Sponsorship 

Useful if your software recommends a certain brand of medical supplies or other items.

5. Licensing 

Comparable to the business-to-business subscription service model, here you profit from the sale of software licenses instead of subscription fees.

6. Pay per download

Since you need to have a free version with restricted capabilities or users won’t be able to check out your product, this model is the earliest in the mobile business and the least successful today.

7. Device sales

The cost of the app’s software is typically included in the total price of the hardware bundle when marketing smart medical sensors that connect to an IoT mobile platform.

8. Patient data

In the end, the medical data and patient records that your solution collects will be sold to pharmaceutical and other medical research corporations for a price.

If you analyze the sources of income, you can find that they originate from:

Patients, doctors, hospitals, businesses (corporate wellness initiatives), universities doing medical studies, insurance companies, and the government (if you’re fortunate) all have a stake in the healthcare system.

7. HIPAA Regulations For Healthcare App Development

HIPAA is a federal rule that all healthcare organizations that manage patient records must follow. It is broad legislation that every health technology must follow or risk serious legal repercussions. This section concerns HIPAA compliance.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) provides a baseline for safeguarding critical patient medical records and is applicable to all companies that collect health documentation. Businesses that disobey this legislation suffer harsh legal repercussions and hefty fines. According to the seriousness of the cyberattack caused by non, certain individuals may also risk prosecution.

Healthcare app development procedures must adhere to HIPAA regulation policy to fit the criteria. According to the privacy regulation, the legislation mandates adequate safeguards to protect individuals’ health data and restricts the use and dissemination of such details without previous agreement from patients. 

Additionally, the privacy and security regulations provide patients with access to their health information, as well as the ability to seek a copy of their records and, if necessary, to have them corrected. The rule primarily affects health insurers and intermediaries.

The HIPAA security regulation establishes national requirements for safeguarding individuals’ electronic health records when they are accessed, modified, or accessed by a healthcare provider. Various electronic, organizational, and regulatory protections for critical health data are included in the guidelines.

In consideration of both cybersecurity and confidentiality restrictions, makers of mobile medical apps must guarantee that their products adhere to the standards. It is vital to secure patients’ medical wellbeing and prevent legal ramifications, and programmers are responsible for ensuring that all technological precautions are appropriate.

8. How Much Does It Cost To Develop A Healthcare App?

Creating software is a complex procedure that encompasses its own lifetime. As with any sort of app development, there are expenses associated with developing a healthcare application. This part will describe the aspects that contribute to the development expense.

Each program has its specific set of different issues that are specific to the sector it addresses. The pre-production, production, and post-production phases comprise the approach for producing a mobile healthcare application. Every phase has its own set of budget numbers, which add together to provide a reasonably accurate estimation. Several of the variables influencing the price of healthcare apps

8.1 Application Design

This is certain to have an effect on the cost of developing the complete healthcare apps. The less functionality an app has, the simplified its design and the less expensive it is. On the other hand, software with a large number of features is almost certain to have a highly complicated design, which increases expenses.

8.2 Features

As previously said, software with complex features incorporating artificial intelligence algorithms, machine learning, computing, and so on would always charge beyond software with basic functions.

Capturing bio-vitals, assessing them over time, and sharing them with clinicians requires a team with the necessary skill sets. Additionally, the computer data volume required to store and analyze such data for a large number of users will eventually raise the entire development budget. On the contrary, a basic app, such as one that tracks the number of kilometers run or calories consumed, may operate on a shoestring cost.

8.3 Platform

The architecture on which the software will be created heavily influences the budget. Costs associated with producing for the Android OS are greater than those associated with creating for the iOS. However, the positive is that Android has a larger customer base, which means it may have a greater competitive reach.

However, the majority of healthcare mobile app  developers nowadays want to design programs for both operating systems, which necessitates the creation of separate groups to develop the corresponding front ends for the two prominent systems. Having multiple teams work on software for Android, and iOS greatly increases the expenses.

App Features	Apx. Hourly Development Time	Apx. Estimation (USD)
A sign-up and log-in procedure	70-76	2,000- 2,600
Control Center	250-280	9,000-10,000
Telephone and videoconferencing	100-140	4,000-5,000
Two profiles (the doctor and the patient) are displayed on the screen	80-85	2,000-2,800
Powerful indexing and sorting tools	100-120	2,000-2,800
Backend architecture	1,000-1,200	35,000-40,000
Setting up an appointment	180-190	5,000-6,500
Verbal interaction over the Internet	110-120	4,000-5,000
Documentation of source code	10-20	500-800
Payment choices	30-40	1,000-1,500

9. Wrap Up

Lastly, I’d want to make some generalizations about this essay. In essence, healthcare apps may be classified into two categories: professional healthcare apps that require the participation of clinicians and patient applications that do not require the presence of practitioners.

If you’re considering developing a healthcare application, be prepared to face some issues with user data analysis and data privacy. Conducting an interview with a prospective customer can be exhausting at times specifically with sensitive subjects. 

Follow my advice of inquiring about methods rather than personal matters; this will help the investigation phase run more smoothly. Additionally, keep in mind that your software has to be HIPAA-compliant and adhere to all applicable standards to prevent your company from risking the penalty.

We at TatvaSoft have vast experience in healthcare app development and more and hence understand personally how to take your HIPAA-compliant solution from concept to ready-to-launch product. 

Whether you’re seeking a healthcare application development firm or want expert advice for your business, you’ve come to the right place. Reach out — It’d be our pleasure.