2020 has been an unexpected year to say the least, and it has plunged us into a world where we find ourselves dependent on technology now more than ever before. Being in such challenging times, it is crucial to have reliable resources. Covid-19 has been eye-opening, the restrictions due to this disease have fueled a need in most to come up with ways to cope during this pandemic. It is simply just too much of a hassle to go to the hospital or get in touch with a doctor, even for the most as trivial as a fever.
That’s where healthcare app developments have become critical. Instead of having to go to the doctor and potentially risking oneself to the virus during this global crisis, staying home and getting concrete results sounds like a dream come true. The global digital health market is reported to reach $200 billion by the end of 2020, and amongst Asia, India has quickly grasped the straws of app development services in the healthcare sector. The Government highly encourages healthcare apps as they believe it is crucial to keep everyone safe during this global pandemic. Nearly everyone possesses a smartphone, which is why healthcare apps have started to become increasingly popular.
Healthcare App Features and Their Importance
Now that we have stated the importance and progress of healthcare app development, let’s move onto the criteria that healthcare apps should meet. Previously, healthcare apps would only display general facts regarding diseases or certain sicknesses. They wouldn’t be specific to the user of the app. Or there would be apps that would have the patient’s medical records on it but wouldn’t be able to aid the patient in any way. While these two app types were fundamental to the amazing developments made today, they didn’t suffice.
However, ever since the pandemic, there have been apps notifying the person if they were near a corona-infected patient. This has been one of the best features that apps have included and was deemed a necessity by the Government of India. Being a densely populated country, this feature was believed to be a step forward in spreading awareness to its people.
Healthcare apps in India now come with a plethora of built-in features. Listing a few below:
Appointments:
This allows patients to schedule an appointment with the doctor through a few taps as opposed to going to the hospital in person or having to call their offices.
Finding doctors:
This allows patients to find doctors in particular specializations, specific to their needs. This is really beneficial when a patient knows their conditions and wants a consultation.
Pill reminders:
They send notifications to the patients when it is time for them to take their pills. This hugely benefits the elderly.
Telemedicine:
Telemedicine has allowed doctors to monitor their patients and prescribe them medication based on their health condition. The importance of this is unparalleled. During times of an emergency, say an allergic reaction, this could be the barrier between life and death.
Electronic Health Recorders:
While this feature has been present for some time now, there have been a few modifications to suit the patients’ needs better. The health recorders record everything about the patient starting from sex, age, blood group, previous medical history, and even go as far as family history to note genetic factors. The health recorders now come with an option to directly send the patient’s records to their doctors or hospitals. This not saves the patient from carrying around a bunch of paperwork, it also reassures that history will be recorded no matter what. The data won’t be lost. All the patient needs to do is send it to their medical professional with a few taps.
All these improvements have been huge. More and more people are finally slowly embracing this new system. Matters related to health are usually huge stress, but the endless papers and the fear of having to go to the hospital and not finding an available doctor make everything ten times worse. These healthcare apps could be lifesaving during a crisis.
The Challenge and The Solution
However, technology can be challenging for many. There are questions regarding the privacy of a patient’s records or the authenticity of both doctors and patients.
Over the last few months, a lot of modifications to the security of the apps have been made. Focusing on data security using blockchain, just to name one.
While building healthcare apps can be a bit expensive, it is undoubtedly one worthy investment. To have the population embrace, this change could be very life-changing, and it could be what gets us through the global pandemic itself. During emergencies, people want the simple way out. Healthcare apps are a simple way out, find out here how to start one yourself.. They are vital to the healthcare industry and they are now a necessity as opposed to a luxury.
