Wednesday, 30 January 2013

Mobile Applications and Their Role in Healthcare Industry

Mobile applications are redefining the healthcare industry and improving the doctor-patient relationship. Healthcare providers as well as consumers are using their smartphones and tablets to stay connected.

mHealth or mobile health is the name given to the practice of using mobile devices for healthcare services. A large number of medical institutions and healthcare centers have recognized the potential of applications & are encouraging their usage in day-to-day activities.

mHealth App Users

Both, healthcare service providers and patients are using mHealth applications. Doctors, clinicians, and nurses are using apps to access patient's history, schedule appointment, and for other practice related information. Patients on the other hand use apps to know more about a disease and for seeking medical advice.

Medical institutions are also finding mobile applications helpful in circulating course material, research matter, and other information related to healthcare industry.

Benefits of Mobile Applications for Healthcare Industry

It is the advantages offered by mobile healthcare apps, which are making them popular in the industry. Here are some of the benefits of the mobile apps:

  • Healthcare practitioners get real-time access to medical records of patients. These records contain information about physical state indicators of patients, disease symptoms, drugs prescribed etc.
  • Hospitals and clinics use mobile applications to organize the procedure of billing, appointment scheduling, drug interaction checking, and more.
  • Users can get information about nearby healthcare centers and doctors, which is a time saving thing.
  • Applications can improve the communication between doctors, nurses, patients, and other healthcare professionals. Cases can be discussed through application, which is a quick way of providing immediate relief instead of scheduling an appointment.
  • These applications can be used to promote healthcare education and spread wellness awareness.
  • Disease surveillance and collection of data remotely are the two other areas where mobile healthcare application can turn out to be useful. Moreover, organizations can use the data in the period of epidemic outbreak.
With technological advancement, mobile healthcare applications are getting more sophisticated. Research shows that by 2015, more than 500 million people will be using healthcare mobile apps. In the US alone, the total revenue generated by healthcare market in 2011 was $718 million. The figures show how mobile applications are becoming an integral part of healthcare industry.
 
Seeing the immense potential mobile healthcare applications have and the benefits that can be derived from them, enterprises are looking out for ways to create innovative apps. There are specific firms working on healthcare apps for enterprises.
 
When it comes to choosing the developer for healthcare app, enterprises have to get really specific. If you want the perfect app that would benefit the healthcare industry, it is important to get in touch with an expert. App development companies like Copper Mobile has created applications specifically for the healthcare industry, which further adds to the credibility of the firm. Mobile application development is an expensive investment; therefore, businesses are suggested to hire an experienced and reputed developer who already has worked on healthcare vertical.
 
There are numerous unexplored areas where a mobile application can turn out to be of great help, provided you approach the right app development company. Growth opportunities in healthcare sector are tremendous and enterprises can leverage on the popularity of smartphones as well as improved network connectivity to create mobile apps beneficial for healthcare practitioners and consumers

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