A Guide to Successful Healthcare Software Development
By 2025, experts predict the digital healthcare market will be worth over $500 billion. As such, healthcare software development services have never been more in demand.
If we want to improve the quality of healthcare, we must find ways to make it more accessible to those who need it. We also need to reduce the burden on those providing it.
Software development is key to achieving both of these outcomes. The benefits of these digital products include:
- A reduction in time spent on administration tasks by healthcare providers
- Better data security
- Improved communication between healthcare providers, and between providers and their patients
- Making it easier for patients to manage their healthcare
- Providing support for patients with chronic health conditions
- Automating tasks, freeing up valuable resources for other labor
- Improved quality of care provided to patients
Popular Forms of Healthcare Software
There are many possibilities when it comes to healthcare software and it would be impossible to cover them all. The following ideas are some of the most popular based on recent market trends and industry needs.
In reviewing these examples, you’ll be able to identify software or applications that are best suited to achieve your goals.
Urgent Care Applications
Sometimes patients need access to care right away.
The global demand for urgent care apps is increasing fast. The market is expected to exceed $2.5 billion by 2023.
These applications include search functionality for patients to find nearby healthcare providers. They also provide patients with the means to book an urgent appointment so they can skip long lines when they arrive.
Mobile App Development for Patient Education
There’s also a huge trend toward projects and apps designed to educate patients. The goal of these applications is to provide people with the information they need to understand and improve their health. This includes:
- Evaluation of symptoms, helping them decide when it’s appropriate to seek further care
- Understanding test results
- Understanding and following treatment plans
- Understanding stages of conditions, such as pregnancy
- Checking for adverse drug interactions
What’s important to note here is that the right development company will be able to customize and tailor your mobile app to meet your exact needs. (Later in this article we’ve described specific mobile applications built by Jackrabbit and how they helped patients and medical companies.)
The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)
The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) connects medical devices and applications to a central network.
This enables healthcare providers to perform many functions, including:
- Monitor patients in their own homes
- Track medication
- Analyze data from wearable devices
With an annual growth rate of 26.2%, the IoMT market is set to reach $72 billion by 2021.
The Latest Tools for Healthcare Software Development
When it comes to providing safe and efficient healthcare, AI is leading the way.
According to one study, human error in healthcare is one of the leading causes of death in the US. AI can automate many tasks – even learning to make decisions on its own when provided with adequate data.
This means that the right AI can assist clinicians with day to day upkeep, reducing the strain on an already stretched healthcare service.
The Use of Blockchain
Blockchain is a rising trend in healthcare software development as it enables a large group of users to securely share data.
Data is shared centrally, meaning anyone who needs to access or amend the data can do so – and it will remain accurate across the system. This is especially useful for:
- Managing the supply chain of medication.
- Storing patient data securely, but with access available quickly for anyone who needs it (e.g. in an emergency).
- Improving the integrity of data. Blockchain systems are notoriously difficult to hack into, which means the data can be relied upon.
Providing data effectively to insurance companies.
How UX Is Changing the Way We Make Healthcare Software
User experience (UX) is an important consideration during any software development project.
If we fail to determine the actual needs of the end user – both clinicians and patients – it’s unlikely the product will achieve the desired end result. As we learn more about what these users want, the way we make healthcare software is evolving to fulfill those expectations.
The key is to focus on what the user needs first – not what the technology can do.
The Benefits of Patient Portals
Patient portals are a great example of how UX has shaped software development. These portals exist to make it easier for patients to access healthcare and improve their health.
Patients can do all of the following with the right portal:
- Get instant access to their own medical records.
- Schedule appointments according to their own availability.
- Request repeat prescriptions without having to see a doctor.
- Communicate with their healthcare providers and ask simple questions without the need for an appointment.
- There are also clear benefits to the healthcare providers as patient portals reduce the workload of clinicians. In turn providers can reduce waiting lists and improve patient satisfaction.
Medical Projects Built by Jackrabbit Mobile
Here at Jackrabbit, we provide healthcare software services that deliver exactly what our clients are looking for. Here are a couple of medical industry projects we’ve recently completed.
Men’s Pregnancy Playbook
Men’s Pregnancy Playbook is an educational medical application that provides a guide for the pregnancy process with expecting fathers in mind including tracking the size of the baby, how to better support their partner nutritionally, and financial preparation guidelines.
Learn more about Men’s Pregnancy Playbook here.
eRelevance
eRelevance is a portal to facilitate communication between the provider and their patients. It enables clinicians to stay in touch with their customers between appointments, providing better outcomes.
Learn more about eRelevance here.
Sugar
Working with a local hospital, we developed SUGAR to help them understand and improve the performance of their facility.
Staff can create surveys and ask for feedback on services from doctors – with administrators actioning the results.
Pick the Right Development Agency for Your Next Medical App or Software Project
When choosing a healthcare software development partner, it’s important you choose a company that has both the skills and knowledge you’re looking for.
At Jackrabbit, we’re happy to respond to your RFP and have an in-depth discussion about your project before you make a decision.
If you need a piece of healthcare software developed, get in touch with us to find out how we can help.
Older posts