The healthcare and telemedicine sector in the mobile app market is at its peak and has been growing steadily in the last few years.
The sudden pandemic called out the need for more healthcare apps and telemedicine apps, which will allow users to connect with doctors at their desired time and convenience.
Such an online app platform helps individuals to get in touch with doctors and healthcare professionals by maintaining all the guidelines issued by the government during this pandemic.
In general, there are now 318,000 health apps on the app and Google Store across the world. Around 200 health apps are added to the stores on a daily basis.
Health apps can be broadly categorized into:
A. General health and wellness apps:
- Apps such as nutrition tracking apps help individuals track their calories, blood pressure, and the things that they count on a daily basis.
- The apps for stress, sleep, heart, and pulse rate can also be counted in the same category.
B. Telemedicine apps:
- Telemedicine apps are the kind of apps that facilitate patient care by an authorized doctor on a virtual platform.
- The virtual podium for dealing with patients is an exciting concept that helps doctors and patients get in touch remotely, where doctors can monitor the patient without any physical appearance.
C. Health management apps:
- Health management apps can allow individuals to keep track of their own health problems and conditions, such as healthcare, pregnancy, and much more.
- It permits healthcare providers and professionals to work and share the latest updates of an individual’s health records remotely.
- Helps in keeping track of medications.
All these 3 categories have one thing in common: they help us live a healthier life, which an individual wishes for.
In this article, we will further discuss the merits of healthcare apps and how they help an individual to be a better version of themselves.
1. Reduction in healthcare costs
An increase in the number of chronic diseases shakes down the pillars of the economy in a particular country and can cost millions of dollars per year.
About 60% of the people are living with one chronic disease, and the remaining 40% of the people are in the direction of developing one.
The costs on the country’s economy and the number of patients in this industry are prodigious.
The chronic diseases which can be prevented are costing millions of dollars in the healthcare systems.
And the great news?
Healthcare apps are anticipated to make a reduction in the overall health costs for both providers and seekers.
In a study by IQVIA they conducted a study to evaluate the whack of consumer-focused health apps on the healthcare system in the year 2015 and even concluded that the potentiality of savings in healthcare savings would be noteworthy in the near future.
Another study that was conducted in the USA figured out that the use of healthcare app and such wearable devices can save up to $ 7 billion of the US economy.
This particular analysis focused on Diabetes- prevention, care, asthma, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation and they came into the conclusion that healthcare apps can be made into use for all the diseases.
The healthcare app system has the potentiality and can save up to $46 billion dollars at its annual cost.
That’s superb right?
Nowadays there are healthcare apps that help an individual to manage such conditions and many more conditions.
Why it is needed?
At the end of the day, these apps further help in reducing the healthcare costs for both the service providers and seekers as more individuals are looking for ways to remain fit and healthy.
2. Improved Efficiency and speed of healthcare delivery
Healthcare apps are making it easier for individuals to procure, review, and manage their health information.
There are apps that are specially designed to keep an eye on calories and track the food habits and such apps help in maintaining the perfect balance of sugar and other nutrients in the body.
Such apps help individuals to get back in the shape of their choice and customized healthcare is now available at its fingertips.
3. Ease of data collection for healthcare professionals
On the other hand where healthcare professionals use such apps to provide professionals with ease of access to collect and review the information on particular patients at their desired time without searching for files and documents.
Hospitals using these apps facilitate them to make the perfect use of patient’s information, medical history, vitals, prescriptions, and other results from a distant place.
Apps provide a platform where patients can review the individual report and all the clinical data of the patient gets accessed by the physicians through a smartphone.
Instead of writing down the test results or filling out endless forms, such apps can directly implicate test results and involuntarily prepare the paperwork for professionals.
Such apps can also facilitate advice which is to be provided to the doctors and even the reminders which further helps a physician to avoid testing and extra costs for patients.
Health apps make it easier and convenient for patients to observe overall fitness and wellness as well as it provides ease to doctors and professionals to treat patients more efficiently and effectively.
4. Increasing convenience for patients
Got tired of sitting quietly and wait for your turn in a waiting room?
There are several apps that provide a patient to see a doctor on-demand. The patient can ask and seek a doctor according to his time and convenience.
There are enormous telemedicine apps that provide convenient pay-per-visit or subscription plans.
Such memberships can be enjoyed by the individuals as they are available at an affordable rate.
It is but obvious that having a doctor on-demand is the most convenient way to seek and get advice from a doctor.
Patients can sign up and register themselves right from their smartphones and devices to get diagnosed for their health problems and can get their treatment plan.
Even after consulting the doctors, the prescribed medicines can be sent to their home.
All such things occur without leaving the comfort of the home and in a remote manner.
Epilogue
The chronic diseases which can be prevented are costing billions of dollars every year.
Such technological advancements in the health care sector can reduce the frequent visits to the emergency room and neighborhood clinics and save a huge amount of money which was likely to get spent on such clinics and hospitals.
Whether you are a healthcare expert or professional, the healthcare industry provides vital assistance to both the concerned parties.
Telemedicine apps facilitate patients with substantial satisfaction.
This new technology is helping doctors, pharmacists, nutritionists, psychologists, and much more to improve their workflow and provide a service that is fast and efficient.
Overall, health apps motivate an individual to live a better and healthy life and are expected to bring new innovations that improve the lives of the people in the coming years.