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How To Develop Telemedicine Applications for Healthcare

January 12th, 2023

Introduction

Telemedicine is a term that is now widely used for the use of telecommunication technology in the healthcare industry. There is an exponential rise in the use of technology like the Internet and electronic devices. It helps solve some of the most common problems and allows doctors to care for their patients in a better way. The global pandemic has helped everyone realize the true value of a good healthcare app. There are several other factors that have contributed to the increase in awareness of using technology, especially mobile apps in the medical field. 

Both doctors and patients can benefit from an app like this. It can help transform your healthcare business by ensuring you do not keep patients waiting for very long, offering patients a more convenient option for quality healthcare and reducing costs. This article provides more information on telehealth app development.

What Is a Telemedicine Application?

Almost everyone is familiar with the concept of telehealth which involves administering medical care from a distance using a phone, mobile app, or website. There are several technological advancements that help in an accurate diagnosis of the health issue and allow patients to gain detailed information along with the type of medicines they require.

The market trends are currently in favor of telemedicine making it the ideal investment opportunity for businesses. There have been several surveys conducted which also suggest that this is the ideal solution which also solves the problem people living in remote locations tend to face. Here are several statistics that suggest the same:

  • 60% to 70% of adults in the USA prefer using telemedicine.

  • Telemedicine market value might rise to $175.5 Billion by 2026. 

  • This market generated USD 40.20 Billion in 2020.

Common Applications of a Telemedicine App

Telemedicine is a boon to everyone concerned and there are several applications for this evolving technology. It allows patients to consult with doctors remotely in a safe, secure, and effective manner. It has several other applications like managing a clinic remotely as well as managing medical appointments.

Telemedicine is beneficial to both patients as well as doctors hence the number of applications continues to rise. It can be used in the field of medicine in many ways as listed here:

  • Diagnostics: There has been sufficient advancement in technologies to allow patients to use smartly designed apps for the purpose of diagnosing their medical problems. Doctors can use the mobile application to gather information on the patient. There are also several additional hardware attachments that can be used for this purpose. It helps eliminate the need for the doctor to personally visit the patient; this is done using several technologies like AI, AR/VR, cameras, and by referencing a big database. 

  • Monitoring: This is the ideal tool to use in cases where patients are recuperating at home. It allows doctors to remotely monitor the patient's condition on a regular basis. It is also simpler for the patients to get in touch with the doctor when there is an issue. This is especially useful for the elderly recovering from an illness. Doctors can either be contacted or they can provide assistance based on the data received by monitoring the patient. 

  • Emergency healthcare: Patients can receive the initial diagnosis and follow the advice of the doctor. The doctor can care for the patient during the entire course of the illness. In case of an emergency, the patients can use the app to gain emergency assistance. This includes instant advice from the doctor, important information on the treatment to provide, etc. 

  • Nursing: Having a nurse by your side when you are down with sickness is invaluable. However, technology can come to the rescue as well. Nurses can provide expert assistance remotely; they can examine the patient and also give them vital advice on self-care or discuss a treatment. 

  • Surgery: Surgery is something that cannot be performed remotely however, it is possible for the doctor to provide assistance both before and after the surgery. The doctor can help the patient prepare for the surgery and also help with post-op care. A patient can seek assistance, get answers to their important questions and receive advice from the doctor. It is also a good way for the doctor to proactively monitor the patient's recovery and step in to assist as and when they think it is necessary. 

  • Psychiatry: Those visiting a psychic usually consult during an extended period of time making a telemedicine app a useful tool. An app like this is useful since it allows the patient to seek help from the doctor in dire situations and also conduct some of the consultations remotely.

  • Rehabilitation: This is one of the important stages of the treatment of any patient which involves the recovery stage of the patient. The patient can use the app to gain information about the relevant experiences, to perform, and treatments to take. They can also have active sessions with the doctor to help them recover faster.

  • Education: Medical students are already using several advanced technologies during their studies. An app like this eliminates the need for the students to be physically present at a hospital while a doctor is performing surgery or autopsy.

Does this seem like something you wish to build?
We can help with the development process.

Tips To Develop Patients and Healthcare App Solutions

It is vital to have good knowledge about the requirements of your medical institute prior to setting out to develop one. This is also useful when contacting professionals and explaining what you need to develop. It is a good idea to perform extensive research on how technologies can make life easier for doctors, nurses, other care workers as well as patients. Listed here are a few tips on how to develop a telemedicine application:

  • Perform detailed research based on the business objective and prepare a requirements specification document. Seek help with the documentation if required.

  • Several decisions need to be made at the very start of the project like UI/UX design, interface, features, functionality, and future use.

  • Establish the project goals and research the technology stack most suited for this project. The technology stack you select will largely depend on the main platform for the app like website, mobile app, etc. 

  • The research you conduct prior to starting the app should ideally also involve checking the existing apps and how your competitors have approached the problems.

  • It is also a good idea to research the cost involved for such a project and budget in advance.

  • Selecting a good development team is not an easy task however avoid doing so solely based on the cost of the project.

  • It is a good idea to opt for an MVP (Minimal Viable Product) to start with especially for start-ups, small businesses, and those on a low budget. It is the ideal solution to save money and reduce risk. 

  • Creating a prototype and testing it for feasibility is also a good way to gain vital information on how well your project will be accepted. 

  • Communication is key when using an app like this hence it should be well-integrated into the app and easy to use. 

  • It should also ideally consist of detailed information about the doctors like their qualifications, specialty, etc. Doctors too should be able to gain access to patient information easily. 

  • Ensure the app is well-tested prior to it being released to the market to ensure it is free from bugs. 

  • Develop the app with future requirements in mind. Ensure the professionals you hire offer maintenance & support. It should ideally be a scalable app that allows the integration of new features and technologies.

Main Features

  • Doctors have the ability to configure the app to ensure that patients can view their schedule for a consultation.

  • The app allows doctors to check the status of their patients and also actively check it in real-time.

  • Doctors can use the advanced features of the mobile device including additional peripherals to monitor the patients from a distance thus eliminating the need for the patients to travel to the hospital or clinic. 

  • The number of medical devices operable using the technology IoT is on the rise. Doctors can now monitor multiple aspects of their patients to get a better picture of their health. 

  • Both the patients and doctors will receive important alerts and notifications using the platform built. 

  • The payment process is simplified with the help of an online payment gateway thus eliminating the long queues at the hospital or clinic for payment. 

  • Patients can prepare their detailed profile which is made available to the doctors to be able to make a better diagnosis. Doctors too can make information about their specialty and timings available for the patients to choose the right doctor.

  • Besides being able to book an appointment using the portal the patients can also opt for remote consultation. This can be in real-time using an active video connection or using images or audio. 

  • The platform can provide detailed information to the patients on several treatments for self-care and a detailed FAQ section as well. It also allows users to contact the hospital in several ways like via email, instant chat, or phone call.

  • Patients with questions that are not urgent or not pertaining to an emergency can use the AI chatbot to gain answers to their questions without having to wait using the smart chatbot that is developed using AI.

  • Patients can have access to a custom diet as per their medical condition. 

  • Patients can use this platform to set their health goals and gain essential advice and information regarding it. This also includes information regarding workouts and more.

  • The patients can also perform some of the basic tests themselves at home and send the results to the doctor. At the same, they can view the results of any tests they conduct on the platform. The doctors can also view it, analyze the reports, and advise the patients, thus eliminating the need for the patient to visit the hospital. 

  • Patients can register themselves on the portal, make their inquiries, consult a doctor, or schedule a meeting with a doctor.

  • The online platform will maintain a record of the patient; thus allowing patients to have a complete medical history. This is also useful for the doctors who are diagnosing the patient.

  • The process of prescribing medicine to patients is also simplified with the help of this system 

  • Patients can also consult with psychiatrists using advanced technologies like virtual reality.

How it works?

There are many types of telemedicine apps that can be developed for the healthcare industry. Some of the most common ones are an interactive app that allows the patients to consult with the doctors remotely, an IoT-based telemedicine app that allows doctors to remotely monitor the patient using several advanced IoT tools, and one that allows patients to consult regarding a special issue like mental health and implement advanced technologies like VR to gain valuable assistance. 

Some of the common implementations of technology in the medical field include:

  • On-demand doctor: Request assistance from the doctor when required using the app and upload health updates and review reports.

  • Online consultation: Consult a doctor online via video, photo, or audio for remote medical assistance.

  • Online prescription: Consult doctors and buy your prescription to have it delivered to your door. 

The way telemedicine software solution works is that patients are equipped with either a mobile device, laptop, or PC and can access the system developed by a hospital or clinic to seek medical assistance. This typically includes consulting a doctor online using a video feature without having the need to visit the clinic. The doctors are able to access all details of the patient and request tests, and diagnose the issue. They can also monitor the patient remotely, accept payment and use IoT devices to get the real-time status of the patient.

Here are a few statistics to showcase the popularity of telemedicine in healthcare:

  • The telehealth market size is projected to rise to 558.52 Billion USD by 2027 by growing at a rate of 25.2% CAGR.

  • The main applications of telehealth include live videoconferencing, store-and-forward, remote patient monitoring, 

  • The concept of home medical care has been around since 1879. 

  • Radio was used to diagnose patients in 1925.

  • The global pandemic of COVID-19 has increased awareness about telehealth services. 

  • In the first quarter of 2020 in the USA; there was a 154% increase in telehealth visits.

Have you read enough?

Consult the experts at Acquaint Softtech to develop your Telemedicine application or healthcare software.

Benefits of Telehealth Software Solutions

Telehealth software is beneficial to both doctors and patients. Listed here are some of the benefits of building one:

  • It is a faster method of gaining the most needed medical attention. 

  • Patients with a minor medical condition can avoid having to visit the doctor to seek advice and get a prescription.

  • It is the most convenient method of gaining medical help. 

  • It reduces the waiting time at a clinic and having to travel to the clinic.

  • People living in remote locations needing expert advice from a specialist would normally have to travel a great distance for help. This can be avoided by using advanced devices and IoT devices. 

  • Telemedicine is fully accessible 24x7 giving patients peace of mind even when recovering at home.

  • Doctors can actively monitor the status of all their patients using IoT devices without leaving their desks.

  • A clinic will have a detailed record of the patient's medical history for expert diagnosis and treatment.

  • Patients usually find it easier to be at home during recovery, especially if it is from a major treatment. An app like this makes it simpler for such patients to recover.

  • There are several other ways one can benefit from developing a telemedicine solution. This is by charging a subscription to the doctors and patients to use the service, earning on advertisements, franchising, etc.

What is the Cost to Build a Telemedicine Application?

There are many challenges involved in the development of a telehealth app, and it also depends on several factors. The type of features you have, the technologies you use, and your choice of platform are all deciding factors when it comes to the development of such an app. Listed here are some of the factors affecting the cost of developing such an application: 

  • The more effort is spent on making the user interface friendly and creative the more chances are that it will be accepted by the users. At the same time, a more creative & innovative UI/UX design can also influence the cost. 

  • A huge amount of data is generated by using this type of application. The type of storage your choice can affect the cost & performance of your app; some of the common solutions include local and cloud storage.

  • Investing a little more time into research and development will ensure you have a better idea of the future requirements, and the features to include and develop a scalable app that can also be useful for future applications.

  • One of the most important requirements of a software solution like this is good security. It is a good idea to spend more time and money on ensuring the app is highly secure.

  • The development process of such an application includes the initial idea validation, performing business analysis & market research, developing a prototype, the UI/UX design, testing the final release, and launching the app. Additionally, the maintenance and support of this software will also cost more.

Acquaint Softtech is the best software solution provider when it comes to telemedicine solutions. We have an experienced team of developers with good training and skills to take on the toughest project. We offer a cost-effective solution using some of the most advanced technologies. Get in touch with us for a custom telemedicine application that includes all the features of your choice.

The type of telemedicine solution you chose will dictate your technology stack. Some of the popular solutions include a website, iPhone & Android app, etc. For extended functionality, it might be also required to use third-party integration and advanced technologies. Listed here are some of the popular technologies used to develop such a solution:

  • Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology that is useful in creating chatbots for developing software with customer service. AI along with other technologies like machine learning is useful for other features as well like natural level processing, speech recognition, self-diagnostics, etc.

  • An app like this generates a lot of data and makes use of a massive database for the purpose of diagnosing patients. Big data is the ideal solution to develop an efficient system; one that is high performing, fast and accurate.

  • Implementing blockchain technology can help increase the security of the data making it almost possible for anyone to access your data without your consent.

  • IoT technology is implemented to connect with the devices connected to the internet like fitness trackers, smart watches, wearable devices, and other special medical devices that can be paired with a mobile. 

  • Cloud storage is the ideal option for storing all the data and analyzing it. It is the ideal technology to access the data remotely. 

At Acquaint Softtech you can hire developers using a flexible pricing model like fixed price, part-time, or as dedicated developers. Our developers use technologies like Laravel, PHP, iOS, Android, Flutter, and React Native to create stunning apps. They also stay abreast with the latest technologies and can implement them in your application.

Build an affordable Telehealth solution with our help.

Why Hire Acquaint Softtech?

When you hire developers from Acquaint Softtech, you get more than just expert technical help. You get a partner to build the best application. We develop custom applications irrespective of whether you are a startup or a well-established company. Contact us for telehealth software solutions for your business.

We also have the expertise to develop an MVP app for your business to keep your costs down and lower the risk. Our developers are well-versed in various technologies both for mobile and web solutions. We follow a well-established software development cycle with a mobile-first approach. We believe in transparent communication as well. All the apps we develop are well-tested besides which we also offer technical support.

What is the Future of a Telehealth App?

Healthcare is already a very big market; in fact, it is a trillion-dollar industry. The use of technology is on the rise in many different industries. The medical industry has also benefited from the use of technology in many ways. The technological advancements are here to stay and are expected to evolve and only improve the level of treatment and care. Hence, hiring professionals to build an app might be fruitful now as well as in the future.

Conclusion

Developing a telemedicine software system is harder than you might imagine. It requires in-depth technical knowledge and also extensive knowledge of the medical field. A lot of research goes into getting this right and creating the ideal solution. Telemedicine is a thriving industry and is expected to remain so in the future as well. It is essential one opts for such a solution to remain competitive. 

FAQ

What is a telemedicine app?

Telemedicine apps are used by doctors to offer remote healthcare services using advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things(IoT), virtual reality, and more.

What is the importance of telemedicine apps?

More people now trust using technology, electronic devices, and the Internet. The advancements in technologies have made it possible to implement the concept of remote medicine which has been around for a very long time. It is highly beneficial for both doctors and patients and has the potential to save lives as well.

How is telemedicine the solution to common problems?

Telemedicine helps solve several common problems patients tend to face like long queues to wait to see the doctor, having to travel a great distance in traffic to the clinic, being unaware of the doctor's schedule, dealing with the discomfort of leaving home, especially for the elderly, patients having to spend time in the hospital while they recover from their treatment.

Mukesh Ram

Founder and CEO, Acquaint Softtech

I love to make a difference. Thus, I started Acquaint Softtech with the vision of making developers easily accessible and affordable to all. Me and my beloved team have been fulfilling this vision for over 15 years now and will continue to get even bigger and better.

Table of Content
  • Details

  • What Is a Telemedicine Application?

  • Common Applications of a Telemedicine App

  • Tips To Develop Patients and Healthcare App Solutions

  • Main Features

  • How it works?

  • Benefits of Telehealth Software Solutions

  • What is the Cost to Build a Telemedicine Application?

  • Popular Technologies

  • Why Hire Acquaint Softtech?

  • What is the Future of a Telehealth App?

  • Conclusion

  • FAQ

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