By looking at the global healthcare landscape, it is pretty much predictable that the doctor-to-patient ratio is very daunting, often leaving many without timely access to medical facilities. However, the rise of telemedicine applications is bringing the most demanding change in this scenario by bridging the gap between the patients and the healthcare providers. These innovative and well-functioning virtual clinics offer virtual consultations, instant messaging, and remote health monitoring, effectively bringing healthcare services right into people’s homes.
Here are we with a small writeup to help you understand and explore the transformative effects of telemedicine applications in the healthcare sector. Let’s quickly discuss all the essential features and benefits by taking a look at real-world examples where telemedicine and healthcare software development have significantly improved care delivery and patient outcomes.
The Rise of Virtual Healthcare Services
The introduction of virtual clinics and healthcare services has been constantly gaining significant traction. Moreover, the demand for accessible and efficient healthcare services is increasing.
Looking back at the time, the COVID-19 pandemic increased the surge for easily available healthcare services. But who knew this pandemic would act as the catalyst, forcing healthcare providers to pivot quickly from in-person consultations to remote care options?
The global telehealth market is projected to reach approximately $508.8 billion by the year 2027. These stats reflect a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 38.5% from 2020 to 2027.
Accessibility and Convenience of Using Virtual Healthcare Services
Undoubtedly, virtually available things are easily accessible. Similarly, telemedicine apps hold the compelling advantage of enhancing the accessibility of healthcare services.
Using such applications, patients find it easy to connect with healthcare individuals anytime and anywhere, effectively breaking down geographical barriers. These high-functioning healthcare apps allow users to schedule appointments, connect with doctors via video calls, and receive prescriptions, all from the comfort of their homes.
With this, the patients not only save time but also reduce the stress associated with traditional doctor visits. Healthcare businesses looking to create a telemedicine app without breaking the bank can opt to hire mobile app developers in India.
Benefits of Mobile Apps in the Healthcare Sector
In your day-to-day life, you surely witness how virtual healthcare services are turning out to be the ideal choice for patients to connect with the medical professional of their own choice. It helps them manage and take control of their health from the comfort of their houses.
1. Enhanced Patient Engagement
The virtual healthcare services ensure enhanced patience engagement and management by focusing on several core areas:
- Better Patient Management: Every time running to a doctor or clinic is not favorable for the patients. However, using mobile apps with certain features like symptom checkers, health trackers, and medication reminders enables the patient to actively participate and take control of their health.
- Improved Satisfaction and Chronic Condition Management: A study in the journal of Medica; Internet Research showed that patients who are using telehealth services report higher satisfaction and better management of chronic conditions when compared to those relying solely on in-person or traditional clinic visits.
- Access to Educational Resources: Apart from providing healthcare services, these healthcare apps also offer educational materials about conditions and their related treatments. With a clear understanding, it becomes easier for the patients to make informed decisions and achieve better health outcomes.
2. Cost Effectiveness
When opting for healthcare applications, one million dollar question that strikes your head is, “How much does it cost to build a healthcare app?”
However, it’s more than important for you to understand that the initial cost to develop an app might be higher but comes with long-lasting future-proof cost-saving benefits. To understand this take a look at the points jotted down below:
- Cost Efficiency for Healthcare Providers: The increasing number of virtual clinics reduces the need for physical infrastructure and associated overhead costs, allowing healthcare providers to operate more efficiently.
- Savings for Patients: The introduction of virtual healthcare apps even helps patients save money on consultation fees and travel expenses. A research study indicated that telehealth consultations can help patients save an average of $100 per visit when accounting for transportation costs and lost wages.
- Appealing Affordable Care Options: A constant rise in healthcare costs has been witnessed in the past few years, but on the other side the financial savings offered by virtual clinics become increasingly attractive to consumers.
3. On-going care and Medical Control
Once you have full control of your health with virtual clinics, you hold the ability to maintain the continuity of care.
- Better Continuity of Care: With virtual clinics it becomes much easier to take follow-ups with the healthcare providers, allowing patients, particularly those managing chronic conditions. They can receive consistent monitoring and timely adjustments to their treatment plans.
- Seamless Communication: The virtual clinics or healthcare mobile applications include features that enable quick communication between patients and providers. It fosters ongoing dialogue that can address questions or concerns promptly.
- Improved Health Outcomes: Virtual clinics facilitate patients with continuous interactions encouraging better adherence to treatment plans, ultimately leading to improved health outcomes for patients.
Key Features and Functionality of Telemedicine Apps
Now after understanding the benefits of using virtual clinics, let’s understand the features and the core areas that can be transformed. You can also get customized features by partnering with an app development company in India.
1. Scheduling Appointments
With a dedicated healthcare application in your hand, you can wave goodbye to the multiple visits you make to schedule just one appointment. Using telemedicine apps, patients can see the available time slots for their particular healthcare specialist to book an appointment. This telemedicine not only helps patients achieve a smooth booking process but also keeps on pushing reminders so that you never miss it.
2. Connect Securely with the Health Care Providers
Few catch-ups don’t require in-person visits and telemedicine apps have become an ideal platform for these situations. These apps offer secure messaging or chat features to communicate directly with doctors. Patients can share messages, photos, or videos that are related to their medical issues or conditions.
3. E-Prescriptions
One of the major applications of virtual health care services is E-prescriptions. These e-prescriptions can be shared with the pharmacy to get the medicine delivered to the doorsteps. This whole process eliminates the need and hassles of traveling to collect prescriptions and medicines.
4. Easy Access to Health Records
Telemedicine application eliminates the need for paper-based records. It becomes easier for patients to access their personal health records, test results, and everything related to their health through mobile applications. These records are securely saved for the patients to view, download and share health information in real time.
Challenges in Adopting Virtual Clinics
Be it for Android applications or iOS, healthcare organizations would surely require a dedicated team of experts having experience in Android app development services. Without the right team developing a healthcare app is challenging. However, there are certain sets of other challenges that organizations and patients need to overcome.
- Privacy and Security Concerns: It becomes a challenge for patients to share their medical health information. For healthcare organizations, it’s crucial to comply with theHIPAA-compliant app development measure to ensure safety and security.
- Trust Issues: The choice to opt for virtual clinics depends from patient to patient. Some of the patients prefer in-person visits and interaction. For them, it can be a tough choice to opt for virtual healthcare services.
Conclusion
Incorporating all the features and benefits of telemedicine apps in a single write-up can be challenging, but with the above guide, you might have realized how virtual healthcare services are transforming the medicare facilities for both patients and professionals. So as a medicare professional you are still not working on your plans to develop a top-notch, secure, and highly-functioning mobile app, then surely you will do this after reading this write-up.
However, one thing you must keep note of is that to develop a secure and seamless functioning healthcare application you would be required to coordinate with a healthcare mobile app development company holding some specialization in creating similar apps. With the right team of experts, you will be able to launch a telemedicine app that fulfills all the criteria, be it security or purposes.