In the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, two things about the healthcare industry have become extremely clear. Firstly, adequate, accessible healthcare is essential to ensuring the survival of global citizens in the face of an unprecedented and pervasive illness. Secondly, technology has played and will continue to play an integral role in improving people’s access to healthcare and relevant knowledge during the crisis. For instance, technologies like chatbots and virtualized patient care platforms have offered a method to triage and distribute care at a wide scale.
In a world where both healthcare provision and technology are of an utmost priority, there has never been a better time to develop a healthcare application than 2021. If you’re considering pursuing such an endeavor, read on to discover three tips to facilitate your healthcare app development.
- Define Your Healthcare App’s Function With Patients In Mind
When it comes to developing a healthcare app, the patients are the priority, and it’s important to remember that in the initial stages of development. Throughout the process, consistently ask yourself: what do patients want? Research suggests that most patients look for the following three key functionalities in a healthcare app:
- The ability to schedule/reschedule/cancel appointments
- The ability to request prescription medications
- Easy access to their own medical records
By keeping patients’ needs and wants at the forefront of your mind when defining and developing your healthcare app, you will ensure it serves them better.
- Properly Research Privacy and Compliance Laws
Given that medical records contain personal and sensitive information, privacy is another concern that needs to be prioritized when developing a healthcare app. As a result, healthcare apps are subject to strict legislation to protect patients and practitioners alike. Firstly, your app will need to be certified under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). You will also need to consider the security risks and benefits associated with iOs (Apple) and Android devices, create a comprehensive privacy policy, and establish encryption on mobile devices to increase protections. Such practices will reduce the risk of a data breach and thus provide patients with added peace of mind.
- Ensure the Accessibility of Your UI/UX Design
When creating any kind of healthcare tool, accessibility needs to be at the forefront of its development. Given the vulnerability of many patient demographics and the hurdles many people face in receiving medical attention, it’s vital to prioritize accessibility when developing your own healthcare app. As a result, be sure to carefully consider user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) designs when choosing the structure and layout of your app. When crafting your healthcare app’s UI and UX designs, remember to remain consistent across the entire app, deliver salient information early on in the user’s journey through the app, and opt for simple layouts.
Clearly, the healthcare market is set to undergo a significant amount of transformation in 2021 and beyond. Given the interwoven nature of the technology and healthcare landscapes, developing a healthcare app in 2021 is one of the smartest and most innovative business journeys you could embark upon. By implementing these simple tips, you will ultimately ensure that your app serves its patients in the most effective way possible and improve the accessibility of healthcare for all.