Healthcare Mobile App Development Guide: Types, Trends & Cost

Healthcare mobile app development is booming in the online mobile app industry after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Statista, reports say the revenue of the global healthcare market is expected to reach $57 billion by the end of 2023. In 2023-2027, the market volume will be $85 billion. Now. that is a huge market cap, isn’t it? 

In today’s digital era, healthcare mobile apps have revolutionized how healthcare services are accessed and delivered. Mobile application in healthcare has bridged the gap between patients and healthcare providers, offering convenience, efficiency, and improved patient outcomes. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the types of healthcare apps, the latest trends in healthcare mobile app development, factors affecting the cost of development, and a step-by-step guide to developing healthcare mobile apps.

Importance of Healthcare Mobile Apps

Healthcare mobile apps have become indispensable tools for both patients and healthcare professionals. These apps give patients instant access to medical information, remote consultations, appointment scheduling, medication reminders, and fitness tracking. 

For healthcare providers, mobile apps streamline administrative tasks, enable remote monitoring, facilitate telemedicine, and enhance patient engagement and adherence to treatment plans.

Before moving to all the details of Healthcare mobile app development, let’s briefly understand how cost can be a deciding factor in developing healthcare mobile apps. 

What’s The Cost of Developing a Healthcare Mobile App?

The minimum cost for developing a healthcare mobile app starts at USD 15,000 with basic features and functionalities. The Healthcare App Development Cost heavily depends on the app’s complexity, resources available, features implementation, level of services & technologies to be used, and the client’s requirements. Once these aspects are finalized, a fixed budget for the healthcare mobile app can be decided for the entire development phase. 

Read More: How Mobile Technology is Revolutionizing the Healthcare Industry

Types of Healthcare Mobile Apps

1) Telemedicine Apps

Telemedicine apps allow patients to consult with healthcare professionals remotely through video calls, voice calls, or chat. These apps eliminate the need for in-person visits, especially for non-emergency medical conditions, saving time and reducing healthcare app development costs.

2) Appointment Booking Apps

Appointment booking apps simplify scheduling appointments with doctors, specialists, or diagnostic centers. Users can view the availability of healthcare providers, choose a suitable time slot, and book appointments effortlessly.

3) Fitness and Wellness Apps

Fitness and wellness apps encourage users to maintain a healthy lifestyle by tracking their physical activities, providing personalized workout plans, monitoring nutrition, and offering mental health support.

4) Electronic Health Record (EHR) Apps

EHR apps enable healthcare providers to access and manage patient health records electronically. These apps improve the efficiency of healthcare delivery, reduce errors, and enhance patient safety.

5) Medication Management Apps

Medication management apps help users keep track of their medications, set reminders for dosage, and provide information about potential drug interactions or side effects. These apps ensure medication adherence and promote better health outcomes.

6) Diagnostic Apps

Diagnostic apps assist users in self-diagnosing certain medical conditions by providing symptom checkers, medical advice, and recommendations for further medical consultation if required. These apps empower users to make informed decisions about their health.

Understand The Trends in Healthcare Mobile App Development

Mobile app development in the healthcare industry is constantly evolving to meet the growing technological demands and advancements. Here are some prominent trends shaping the landscape of healthcare mobile app development:

1) Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning 

AI and ML algorithms are being integrated into healthcare mobile apps to analyze large volumes of medical data, provide personalized treatment suggestions, predict disease outcomes, and improve diagnostic accuracy.

2) Internet of Things (IoT)

Integrating IoT devices with healthcare mobile apps enables remote patient monitoring, real-time data collection, and seamless communication between patients and healthcare providers.

3) Wearable Devices Integration

Healthcare mobile apps are now compatible with wearable devices such as fitness trackers, smartwatches, and medical sensors. This integration allows continuous health monitoring and tracking of vital signs, physical activities, and sleep patterns.

4) Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology ensures secure data exchange, privacy, and transparency in healthcare mobile apps. It enables secure storage of patient records, facilitates interoperability between healthcare systems, and enhances data security.

5) Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality 

AR and VR technologies are being leveraged in healthcare mobile apps to train healthcare professionals, provide immersive patient education, and assist in surgical planning and simulations. 

Read More: The Rising Adoption of mHealth Apps in the Healthcare Industry

Benefits of Healthcare Mobile App Development 

One of the biggest reasons mobile application in the healthcare sector has become so successful is its countless benefits to medical professionals and patients. The benefits of healthcare mobile apps for medical professionals and patients/general users follow. 

Benefits of Healthcare Mobile Apps for Medical Professionals

• Accurate Diagnosis: Medical applications empower healthcare providers by enabling them to make early and precise disease diagnoses. These precise diagnostic systems lead to improved treatment strategies, timely healthcare delivery, and more effective results. 
• Built-in Diagnostic System: Healthcare applications facilitate the gathering and processing of data derived from integrated embedded and IoT devices within Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems. This capability empowers physicians to efficiently evaluate and diagnose the status of patients at a distance, monitor their progress, and establish appropriate treatment protocols.
• Telehealth & Telemedicine: Telehealth stands as one of the swiftest expanding facets within the healthcare sector, poised for a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.0%. It has grown after COVID-19, which empowers healthcare professionals to provide remote medical services, fostering virtual communication and expediting the delivery of exemplary medical care. 
• Electronic Health Record (EHR): By incorporating Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems, healthcare applications can efficiently record, centralize, and manage all patient-related data in one unified platform. This enhances efficiency and accuracy and facilitates seamless data exchange among various healthcare facilities. 
• E-Prescribing: Electronic prescribing applications enable physicians to precisely prescribe medications for patients, tailor dosages to mitigate potential side effects, and withdraw prescriptions as necessary. These platforms play a pivotal role in reducing pharmacy errors while optimizing the efficiency of both medical practitioners and patients.

Benefits of Healthcare Apps for Patients

• On-demand Accessible Care: The development of mobile applications for healthcare ensures that on-demand medical services become readily available to the general public. This translates to quicker delivery of medical services, including medication distribution, sample collection, and prescription fulfillment, right to the patient’s homes. 
• Accessible Healthcare Data: A mobile application platform facilitates convenient access to healthcare information and medical data, improving patient monitoring. This technology empowers patients to access healthcare-related information and updates from the comfort of their homes or while on the move. Additionally, it enables patients to securely share their health data and symptom reports with their healthcare providers. 
• High-Quality Patient Care: Through cutting-edge healthcare applications encompassing fitness and nutrition, individuals can monitor their disease symptoms, chronic ailments, sleep patterns, heart rate, and general well-being. These apps leverage IoT-connected wearable devices and smartphone sensors to enable ongoing tracking, facilitating early identification of health concerns and timely intervention, ultimately enhancing the overall standard of patient care. 
• Improved Communication: Medical applications empower patients to establish real-time communication channels with their caregivers. Certain healthcare mobile apps enable in-hospital patients to contact nurses for assistance with their basic requirements. These applications utilize head gestures, voice commands, and advanced features to keep medical staff well-informed about their patient’s conditions and needs. 

Factors Affecting the Cost of Healthcare Mobile App Development

The cost of healthcare mobile app development varies depending on several factors. Understanding these factors can help you estimate the budget required for your project. Here are some key factors that influence the cost of healthcare mobile app development:

1) App Complexity and Features

The complexity and number of features desired in the app significantly impact the development cost. Advanced features like real-time video consultations, integration with wearables, or AI-driven functionalities may require more resources and expertise, thus increasing the cost.

2) Platform Compatibility

Developing a healthcare app for multiple platforms (iOS, Android, web) increases the development effort and cost. Each platform requires separate coding, testing, and maintenance, which adds to the overall expenses.

3) User Interface and User Experience

Creating an intuitive and visually appealing user interface (UI) and ensuring a seamless user experience (UX) are essential for healthcare mobile apps. Investing in UI/UX design and development may impact the overall cost.

4) Integration with Third-Party Systems

If your healthcare app needs to integrate with existing healthcare systems or third-party APIs (Electronic Health Records, payment gateways, diagnostic tools), the complexity of integration can affect the development cost.

5) Security and Compliance

Healthcare apps must comply with strict security and privacy regulations to protect patient data. Implementing robust security measures and ensuring compliance with standards like HIPAA can impact the development cost.

Read More: Top 10 Healthcare App Development Trends To Watch Out in 2023

Step-by-Step Guide to Develop Healthcare App

Developing a healthcare mobile app involves a systematic approach to ensure a successful outcome. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you navigate through the development process:

1) Define the Purpose and Target Audience

Clearly define the purpose of your healthcare app and identify the target audience it aims to serve. Understanding user needs and pain points will help you design a more focused and effective app.

2) Effective Market Research

Research the market to identify potential competitors, app features that users expect, and gaps in the existing healthcare app landscape. This research will help you validate your app idea and make informed decisions during development.

3) Design the App UI and UX

Create wireframes and interactive prototypes to visualize the app’s UI/UX. Focus on creating an intuitive, user-friendly interface that promotes easy navigation, accessibility, and engagement.

4) Develop the App Backend and Frontend

Develop the backend infrastructure that enables data storage, processing, and integration with external systems. Simultaneously, develop the frontend components for both iOS and Android platforms, ensuring platform-specific design guidelines and usability.

5) Test and Debug the App

Thoroughly test the app for functionality, performance, security, and compatibility across different devices and operating systems. Identify and fix any bugs or issues to ensure a smooth user experience.

6) Launch and Market the App

Prepare for the app launch by creating a marketing strategy, optimizing the app store listing, and generating buzz through social media and other promotional channels. Monitor user feedback and continuously improve the app based on user reviews and analytics.

Final Words! 

Healthcare mobile apps have transformed the healthcare industry, offering convenient access to healthcare services, better patient engagement, and improved health outcomes. From telemedicine to fitness tracking, these apps cater to various healthcare needs. By understanding the types of healthcare mobile apps, staying updated with the latest trends, and considering factors like cost and development process, you can successfully navigate the journey of developing a healthcare mobile app. 

Take your healthcare mobile app development to new heights with Artoon’s best-in-class healthcare app development services. Artoon Solutions is a Custom Healthcare App Development Company known for result-oriented healthcare app solutions with expert Healthcare Mobile App Developers. 

Contact Us Now!! 

FAQs

1) What are the essential features to include in a healthcare mobile app?

Essential features for a healthcare mobile app include appointment scheduling, telemedicine functionality, secure messaging, EHR integration, medication reminders, health trackers, and personalized user profiles.

2) Can I integrate my healthcare mobile app with existing systems?

Yes, healthcare mobile apps can be integrated with existing systems such as Electronic Health Records (EHR), hospital management systems, laboratory systems, and payment gateways. Integration allows seamless data exchange and enhances the functionality of the app.

3) Are healthcare mobile apps secure and compliant with regulations?

To ensure data security and compliance, healthcare mobile apps must adhere to regulations like HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Implementing robust security measures, encrypting sensitive data, and following best practices are essential for maintaining patient privacy and complying with regulations.

4) How much does healthcare app development cost?

The Cost of Developing a Healthcare Mobile App averages USD 15,000 with basic features & functionalities. Depending on the app’s complexity, resources available, features implementation, level of services & technologies to be used, and the client’s requirements, cost may vary.