How are Mobile apps transforming the healthcare industry?

Mobile App Development has taken over and completely re-written the healthcare industry. According to Healthcare Mobility Solutions reports, the Mobile healthcare application market is expected to be worth more than $84 million by the year 2020. These mobile applications are not just limited to use by patients but are also massively used by doctors and nurses.

As technology evolves, it simultaneously opens up the possibility of being used in multiple ways. Similar has been the journey of healthcare mobile app development that has originated from the latest trends in technology and has made its way to being an industry in itself.
The technological trends that have helped build mobile apps for the healthcare industry are

Blockchain

You probably know blockchain technology, thanks to all the cryptocurrency rage in recent years. The blockchain is basically a peer-to-peer database that keeps a verified record of all transactions, or any other information that one needs to track and have it accessible to a large community.

The healthcare industry can use a technology that allows it to record the medical history of patients, and store it electronically, in an encrypted form, that cannot be altered or hacked into. Blockchain succeeds where a lot of health applications fail, in the secure retention of patient data.

The Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) is all about connectivity. It is a way of interconnecting electronic devices, software, applications, etc., to ensure easy access and management across platforms.

The loT will assist medical professionals in gaining access to valuable patient information so that doctors can monitor the progress of their patients. This makes treatment of the patient easier, and more closely monitored, as doctors can access the patient’s current profile anywhere and suggest treatment, medicine, and dosages.

Augmented Reality

From the video gaming industry, Augmented Reality has made its way to the medical sector. AR refers to the creation of an interactive experience of a real-world environment through superimposition of computer-generated perceptual information.

AR is increasingly used to develop mobile applications that can be used by doctors and surgeons as a training experience. It stimulates a real-world experience of diagnosis and surgery, and by doing so, enhances the knowledge and its practical application that all doctors must necessarily possess. This form of training is not limited in nature, and can, therefore, simultaneously train a large number of medical practitioners.

Big Data Analytics

Big Data has the potential to provide comprehensive statistical information, only accessed and processed through sophisticated software.

Big Data Analytics becomes extremely useful when it comes to managing the hospital’s resources and records in an efficient manner. Aside from this, it is used in the development of mobile applications that store all patient data, thus again, eliminating the need for excessive paperwork. This allows medical professionals to focus more on attending and treating the patients, rather than managing database.

These technological trends have led to the development of a diverse variety of mobile applications to be used for multiple purposes in the healthcare industry.

Listed below are the benefits of the mobile apps deploying these technological trends, for the professionals and the patients alike.

Telemedicine

Mobile applications can potentially play a crucial role in making medical services available to the masses. An example is an on-call physician on telemedicine duty. A mobile application will allow the physician to be available for a patient consult without having to operate via  PC. This will make the doctors more accessible and will bring quality treatment to the patients quickly.

Enhanced Patient Engagement

There are mobile applications that place all patient data – from past medical history to performance metrics, patient feedback, changes in the treatment patterns and schedules, at the push of a button on the smartphone application for the medical professional to consider and make a decision on the go. Since all data is recorded in real-time, it makes it easy for doctors to change shifts without having to explain to the next doctor the condition of the patient in person. The mobile application has all the data the supervisors or nurses need.

Easy Access to Medical Facilities

There are a number of mobile applications that allow patients to search for medical professionals in their area, read their reviews and feedback by other patients, and then make an online appointment if they are satisfied with the information that they find. Apart from these, they can also download and store their medical lab reports, and order medicines online at affordable prices.

Easy Payment of Bills

Like in every other sector, mobile applications in healthcare have made monetary transactions extremely easy. Patients or their family members, no longer need to spend hours waiting in the line to pay the bills. They can instantly pick a payment plan and pay bills immediately or add reminders to be notified when a bill is due.

Therefore, it can be safely said that the revolution that the healthcare industry is undergoing and has worked in the favor of all the parties involved – Medical Professionals, Patients, Hospital Management and the Mobile App Developers.

Author's Bio

Ritesh Patil is the co-founder of Mobisoft Infotech that helps startups and enterprises in mobile technology. He’s an avid blogger and writes on mobile application development. He has developed innovative mobile applications across various fields such as Finance, Insurance, Health, Entertainment, Productivity, Social Causes, Education and many more and has bagged numerous awards for the same. Social Media – Twitter, LinkedIn

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