Telemedicine App is a type of application that helps patients to connect with their doctors who provide them consultation via video chat. This article will dive into the details about Telemedicine App development. The areas covered by the article include advantages, types and outlining cost of Telemedicine App Development.

Types of Telemedicine App and its Benefits

Health has always been considered a priority in Maslow's Hierarchy of needs. Every human being is concerned about their health and health of near and dear ones. Despite the ongoing crises this fact has never proven to be wrong and mankind has invested to provide better health facilities from time to time.

Telemedicine applications have become a medium to fulfil the ongoing gap between doctors and patients. Moreover, even in normal situations, Telemedicine can aid patients to enable consultations from remote doctors. It has tremendously promoted medical efficiency and helped patients to get assistance in their health conditions even when they were affected by a chronic illness or by Novel Coronavirus.

Below given are some of the merits of Telemedicine Application in the Healthcare enterprise:

1.  Increased Cost efficiency

A developed country like the United States spends more than 3 Trillion Dollars on their healthcare every year and this number keeps on getting steep in the curve. Out of the complete cost, approximately 200 Billion of it is unavoidable and can sound drastic in many ways. Telemedicine Apps, if implemented in a correct manner can be a solution for eliminating problems such as unnecessary ER visits, and medication non-adherence. By saving these visits at the doctor can indirectly save the operational cost.

2.  Better Patient engagement

Keeping up with the patients for a follow up has always been a hassle and it requires an appropriate system and process that could fit in the cost. With Telemedicine App development, healthcare providers are able to keep a check on their patients, making sure that they are taking the right medications and are improving in their conditions. Also, it helps in comparing the medical history of the patient. Although Telemedicine App is not a cookie-cutter solution but different healthcare providers according to their requirements and budget can get their customized Telemedicine App, tailored for their business.

3.  Widespread availability

According to NHRA, there is a lack of healthcare personnel, such that the ratio of doctors is very low per 100,000 people in urban and rural areas, respectively is 54 and 39 physicians. Telemedicine App is a solution that allows the professionals to provide their expertise to areas that cannot be accessed physically. It promotes the spread of healthcare access and eventually save lives.

4.  Increased Quality of Healthcare

In a typical scenario, the extended healthcare ends when the patient walks out of the Emergency Room. But in the case of Telemedicine App, this issue of providing appropriate care is solved and allows medical professionals to keep a tab of their patients’ progress. It ensures that the patients are having better health in the long way. Telemedicine App uses radical technologies with which healthcare professionals can log critical vitals of the patients and video conference for remote monitoring. This technology unlocks the potential of a quality healthcare infrastructure along with encouraging patients to be mindful and careful for their health.

5.  Time management efficiency

Since there is a lack of an appropriate number of healthcare professionals and doctors in the world. It can lead to depression and burnout. According to various studies done by doctors, extended working hours is a major contributors of depression and burnouts in the medical personnel. With the help of Telemedicine App, and new technologies healthcare people are able to manage and adjust their time more effectively and efficiently.

The additional benefit of Telemedicine Application

Along with the above-stated advantages, Telemedicine App enhances the potential of earning a typical medical professional by enabling them to effectively examine a greater number of patients in less time.

Below enlisted are some of the major disadvantages of Telemedicine solutions:

Demerits of Telemedicine Application

After reading numerous advantages of Telemedicine App for healthcare professionals, a question arises that is it able to eliminate all the hindrance in healthcare society? With all the transformative technology, there are some disadvantages that can be counted.

1.  High technical training requirement

Whenever a new technology is implemented, the requirement for rigorous training of people involved becomes necessary. Similar is the case with custom Telemedicine App solutions that besides enhancing your business will also ask for an investment of capital in upgrading infrastructure and to provide essential equipment. With this upfront cost project, the fundamental training aspect is also important. This additional training can add to the higher costs.

2.  Expensive Implementation

The initial investment in developing custom Telemedicine Apps for business is huge. It supports the fact that healthcare is not cheap. Also, the implemented application is required to be tested again and again by time which involves investment.

3.  Decrement in the face to face interaction

There is a common saying that digital is for the young and Telemedicine solutions have proved in attracting the young but it might be difficult for older adults to adapt in this digital healthcare enterprise. One of the major downsides of digital healthcare is lack of human interaction although the technology can mimic human behaviour, it can do only to an extent. Moreover, there have been times when potential outrages occurred and created a domino effect that resulted in system failure despite extensive advancement in healthcare and technology.

4.  Navigating Online can be tricky

State and healthcare policies keep on changing and are always on a constant flux. Although the spread of a disease is not an easy affair, every nutrient demands a variation/manipulation in the state or country’s reimbursement policies.

With the rise of Novel Coronavirus, this fact has been proven. Many healthcare professionals are using Telemedicine solutions with basic charge as convenience fee along with their regular consultation fee. Despite being an affordable amount, many studies have stated that patients do not mind paying an extra amount for better convenience.

Types of Telemedicine Apps

Deciding to invest in a Telemedicine app is a big decision but before coming to any conclusion, one must look into factors which kind of service you want to provide to the public? what is your healthcare niche? will it benefit remotely? what permissions do you have in order to run the business?

Depending upon these factors, there are a plethora of telemedicine app solutions that can be beneficial for your healthcare business:

1.  IoT based Telemedicine

IoT or Internet of Things is one of the industries that has grown exponentially. The industry has validated its growth such that according to Gartner, the IoT industry is estimated to grow more than 6 billion by the end of 2020. IoT is not limited to a single sector and is making its way to RPM (Remote Patient Monitoring).

RPM?

Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is the amalgamation of latest technologies to collect, store and then analyze data of patients outside the healthcare.

One can easily uniquely customize their Telemedicine App to automatically collect this data or to allow their patients to input this crucial data manually and to update their medical records. There are a plethora of benefits such as one can be aware of minute changes and it becomes easy to identify patterns that affect patient health in the long term.

2.  Click and Send Telemedicine App

Telemedicine solutions come with major benefits but installing all the features can be expensive for individual practitioners of a particular healthcare niche such as Dermatologists. Apart from video conferencing features, clicking and sending Telemedicine App allows the patients to send their issues either in the photo, or video format.

3.  Interactive Telemedicine

In such Telemedicine solutions, medical expertise is extended to patients remotely through an audio or video consultation. Many cases where such Telemedicine solutions work best are nursing consultation, post-injury monitoring, post-discharge follow-ups, and CBT and other mental therapies.

Developing Telemedicine App

One cannot go easy on the development of a Telemedicine App as it directly deals with the health of your patients. For getting a unique, custom Telemedicine App development, you can connect with our software experts and they will happily take you through the complete Telemedicine development process. It eventually translates into benefits for your healthcare practice. However, if you want to invest in a fully functioning Telemedicine App, it is better to highlight the key stages of any Telemedicine App development carried by our experts.

1.  Evaluation of Ideas

A successful application fulfils all the pre-defined set of criteria such as the app must be advantageous and fulfil customers demand. Moreover, the application must satisfy the developers as they must be well versed with consumer needs and current topics. One of the easiest ways to know whether or not your Telemedicine App completes the criteria is by asking a simple question: why one wants to create a Telemedicine App? If you are able to give an appropriate reason for this question, then you are ready to move forward to other processes

2.  Business Analysis

The business analysis must be at the centre of one's Telemedicine strategies. It is the identification of buyers requirements and making a strategy for an identified set of the target audience. After the identification of buyers requirements, you will be able to cater to their needs by solving their problems after creating a Telemedicine App that solves those particular problems. After the launch, you will be able to sell and promote your app in the desired market.

3.  Market Analysis

Undoubtedly, remote healthcare service's demand has grown exponentially. For making a unique Telemedicine App, in order to beat the competition, it becomes necessary to conduct market analysis. After searching for your Telemedicine App competitors, one must look out for their strengths, weaknesses, marketing platforms, proposed prices, and the difference between theirs and your offerings.

4.  Proposition for a unique value

There is a negligible chance of growth of your healthcare business if your Telemedicine App has nothing different to offer than your competitors. After developing the Telemedicine App, one must pay direct attention to every unique selling proposition (USP) and then highlight it. This will eventually bring profit to your business.

5.  Prototype and Testing

Before releasing a Telemedicine App solution, one must always create a low fidelity prototype to make understanding at basic level of your application.

6.  Choosing appropriate marketing channel

Many people skip this step but it is as important as evaluating your idea in the pilot stage. Selecting an appropriate marketing channel and enhancing App's profitability allows you to market your product in the correct demographic at the right time and right place.

Technologies used in Telemedicine

The infrastructure of Telemedicine App is built on the cutting edge Telecommunication and It tools. It can also employ and act as new-age technology which includes the following:

Blockchain

There is no doubt in the fact that keeping records, especially medical records in the paper is of a great nuisance. Moreover, there is a great possibility of loss by theft and many other reasons that can create hindrance in medical processes. With Blockchain implementation, Telemedicine App allows your health enterprise to form, store, send and access all the medical records and data securely.

IoT

IoT can be advantageous for a Telemedicine App exponentially and brings many benefits to Telemedicine applications. With the amalgamation of Telemedicine hardware and smart IoT software skills such as prognosis suggestion, tracking vitals, and medicine adherence will provide a better healthcare ecosystem.

Artificial Intelligence

It is a pathway through all the industries that have been paved for good reasons. Artificial Intelligence is not a foreign concept for Telemedicine as a plethora of Telemedicine Apps work on different AI tools which includes NPL, Voice recognition and ML to amplify users experience.

 

Our experienced team can provide you with robotic process automation in Telemedicine App and enhance the application's capabilities to multifold.

On-Demand features of Telemedicine application

There are three components of Telemedicine App that highlight specific users' needs. These components are listed below:

1.  Doctor’s App

Telemedicine Doctor’s App allows doctors to provide the following:

• Authentication services
• Share Prescriptions
• Schedule Appointments list
• Profile doctors
• Recording of video sessions
• Instant payment collection and so on.

2.  Patient’s App

Telemedicine Patient's App allows patients to the following:

• Filter medical issues
• Easy registration
• Schedule appointments
• Browse doctors' catalogue
• Cloud storage for storing reports
• Recording communication
• Get audio/video/text consultation, and so on.

3.  Admin Panel

In the admin panel of Telemedicine App, a healthcare professional is able to do the following:

• Manage users
• Overview patients
• Medical records
• Access analytics dashboard
• Review user management
• Get detailed insights on users, and so on.

Difficulties associated with Telemedicine App Development

Every new technology, when introduced comes with a new set of challenges, this is similar to Telemedicine App development. Despite having multiple advantages, there are a few barriers in the development of Telemedicine App. Along with physicians, patients also take concern when they are asked to use a Telemedicine solution.

Below given are some of the major challenges that are faced during Telemedicine App Development

1.  Physicians’ Licenses

Generally, a Physician's License allows a healthcare practitioner to conduct their practice and then provide healthcare services across state or countries. But extending medical services beyond state or country lines is different. If a physician plans to offer medical services across states, then he might need to apply for a license that allows the physician to practice across different state and country borders. This process can be both expensive and time-consuming.

2.  Design and Development

While creating a mobile-web application, there are many factors that you need to take care of, which includes navigation, layout, logic, functionality, and so on. Both UI and UX of doctors' and patients' Telemedicine App are different. Hence, it is necessary to make a study of Telemedicine documentations, in relevance to industrial design, and check compatibility with your systems.

3.  Security Concern

According to WFA, digital Ad fraud will become the biggest market for an organised crime which is worth 50 billion in 2025. Telemedicine App works on telecommunication technologies but every digital medium of communication is not safe. Hence, along with healthcare professionals, patients hesitate in employing Telemedicine solutions for their remote medical assistance. Despite all these hindrances, there are a few measures that can be employed such as, employing biometrics for accessing the App, end to end encryption protocols, and using multi-device authorization.

4.  Regulatory Compliance

Telemedicine App helps doctors to connect with patients and treat them. It needs to cover various regulatory and medical standards. Below given are some of the country-specific regulations that Telemedicine Apps comply with in order to be functional and providing valuable service to patients:

• In Canada, Telemedicine App must be compatible with PIPEDA.
• In the USA, Telemedicine App must be compatible with HIPAA regulations.
• In Europe, Telemedicine App must be compatible with e-Privacy directive 2002/58/EC/IEC 62304 and data protection directive 1995/46/EC.

These regulations are put so that technicalities consider them as set by Gold International standards for medical processing App like Telemedicine.

History of Telemedicine:

Ever since its existence, Telemedicine has gained attention. But it is not a foreign concept as it dates back to the 19th and 20th century when many hospitals who were trying to test rudimentary measures in order to reach their patients in remote locations.

Telemedicine in the 19th century

With the onset of various telecommunication technologies such as radio, Telemedicine was born. In World War 2, multiple casualties, essential information, general medical knowledge and need for medical supplies grew and were conveyed over services like radio to the general public.

Telemedicine in the 20th century

Telemedicine first experience was noted in 1948 in which radiologic images of the patients were directly sent and then discussed through telephone between two medical staff. After a decade, in 1958, multiple physicians at the University of Nebraska performed neurological examinations across the campus with the help of interactive television screens.

A basic concept that started with the interchange of medical information was now developed into a complex integrated care system to benefit doctors and patients across the world.

Future of Telemedicine

Undoubtedly, the future of the healthcare industry is Telemedicine. Also, with the ever-growing number of doctors and a sheer amount of population that is currently using telemedicine app solutions as a rising trend.

But if you are wishing to invest in telemedicine apps for your healthcare centre, this time is the best and can not get better.

 

Below given are some of the specifications that our telemedicine software experts foresee future of telemedicine apps:

1.  Cross Border Medical Expertise

With the evolution of technology, new functionality has been introduced in the telemedicine app solutions which make it easier for doctors to communicate with patients across the set of borders.

Although getting a license for practising across borders has become feasible now that allows doctors to help patients across the state and country borders.

2.  Constant Rise

Multiple studies have proven that many people have started using telemedicine applications which includes both doctors and patients and has been benefiting both sections for receiving and providing accessible and improved healthcare services.

After the introduction of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the demand for telemedicine applications has grown drastically.

3.  Adaptable and Scalable

Time is one of the costliest currencies. Undoubtedly, with evolution in the last decade, the world has come closer and is available on fingertips, no one wants to wait in long queues and get into the hassle of scheduling appointments. Telemedicine app solutions help in eliminating wastage of time along with making applications customized. The decrease in timelines and increment in revenue have made the option of telemedicine apps appealable to both the parties.

Top 5 Telemedicine Application in 2020

Recently there has been a rise in search numbers for telemedicine apps in the year 2020. Below given are some of the top searched apps in the world:

1.  Plushcare

Plushcare has a unique feature of providing a complete catalogue of doctors ranging from psychiatrists to paediatricians, to general physicians. It has a USP of being intuitive and intelligent along with its user-friendly interface.

Google Play Rating:4.8

Apple Store Rating:4.9

2.  Doctor on Demand

Doctor on demand is one of the leading Telemedicine platforms that are available for both healthcare practitioners and individual medical practitioners. It allows users to consult the doctor whether or not you are insured.

Google Play Rating:4.9

Apple Store Rating:4.9

3.  Amwell

Amwell is a great application for people finding solutions for acute diseases, paediatricians, medical emergencies, and so on. As they are one of the reliable pack of medical practitioners.

Google Play Rating:4.2

Apple Store Rating:4.9

4.  Doxy.Me

Doxy.Me is a browser-based telemedicine application that does not involve additional downloads. It is easy to configure for unique healthcare clinics. It is one of the easy-to-use applications that is directly integrated with existing PM (Practice Management) and/or EHR (Electronic Health Record).

Google Play Rating:4.9

Apple Store Rating:4.7

5.  MD Live

MD Live is one of the best telemedicine applications that connect doctors to patients. This works on extending the medical services in non-emergency situations.

Google Play Rating:3.3

Apple Store Rating:4.7

Is it beneficial to invest in a Telemedicine solution?

Investing is a big question as it involves your capital. The future of telemedicine applications is bright in the healthcare industry as stated above in the article. A major highlight of telemedicine application is that it is a non-exhaustive process that fascinates many people.

There are a plethora of options available to monetise the healthcare solutions, especially in the current scenario when people have become more concerned towards their health and also because of this pandemic, there have been growing in the concept of social distancing as it is now considered as the new normal.

Wrap Up

In a nutshell, telemedicine is the future as it is an amalgamation of latest technologies. It has a competitive edge since it is a struggle to meet the needs of both the parties, that is doctors and patients. Hope this article catered your requirement of complete knowledge of Telemedicine App Development. It will be great if you comment down. Moreover, our team is always present to serve you and clear your doubts regarding Telemedicine Applications.

Bottom line, telemedicine is the way to the future.

You can either implement new technologies like this, and RPA to have a competitive-edge or struggle meeting with the rising demands.

Whatever you choose, be sure to follow it through- for good things take time.