Healthcare applications for doctors, patients, and health institutions are a growing trend, intensified even more after the boom of coronavirus. From video call consultations to pharmaceutical apps, the healthcare industry is using technology to improve its services and keep everyone safe. Naturally, technology and mobile apps are playing an essential role here.
If you're interested in technology in healthcare and how the digital world is evolving, this article is for you. We'll review some of the top latest medical apps, and you'll discover how these apps are adding value to patients, medical providers, and other heath institutions. Spoiler alert: some of them will blow your mind!
What is an App in Healthcare?
There are diverse types of healthcare apps. For example, doctors and other medical professionals can use the apps to expand their knowledge, host virtual consultations, schedule their agenda, transcribe consultations, manage patient health records, and more. Patients can use the apps to have virtual consultations, request medicine, manage prescriptions, test their health, find medical providers, etc.
An essential factor that distinguishes healthcare apps from regular apps is that they must meet all the established safety and privacy standards and regulations for each country. These rules are particularly strict since these apps manage sensitive patient data. For example, in the US, healthcare apps must be HIPAA compliant.
10 Best Mobile Healthcare Apps
MySugr | For Diabetic Patients
This app allows patients with any type of diabetes to smoothly track their health data, such as blood sugar, carbs, bolus, and estimated HbA1c. Their motto is to "make diabetes suck less"; it uses gamification to motivate users to log their data, complete challenges, and analyze their diabetes with valuable charts and statistics. The app has already had a huge positive impact on its users' lives, and it keeps on evolving and including new functionalities.
MDacne | Personalized Skin Treatment
MDacne enables users to get a personalized skin treatment supported by dermatologists quickly. The app uses innovative technology to monitor skin. By answering some questions about their skin and taking a photo, in less than 5 minutes, the patient gets a tailored treatment. The app recommends products that can be crafted just for the user and sent directly to their home, and it can also share natural remedies. The user can also initiate chats with Dermatologist.
Figure 1 | For Medical Practitioners
This medical app helps doctors, radiologists, and other specialists recognize diverse conditions in their patients. It is the largest global community of medical minds, and the app allows them to work together and improve patient results. Figure 1 has the most extensive library of medical cases globally, managed in real-time by healthcare professionals. Doctors can discuss visible health conditions in patients' pictures. They can also access medical knowledge and join discussions, podcasts, newsletters, and more.
Teladoc | For Virtual Doctor Consultations
Teladoc is a virtual consultation app that connects patients with the right certified doctor. Teladoc is 24/7 and usually connects you with the proper specialist in less than 24 hours, and the appointment is via phone, or video call. Doctors can prescribe medication and request it to the pharmacy. Teladoc also integrates with the Apple Healthkit to offer a more personalized experience.
Generis | Healthcare Empowered by DNA
Generis is a health platform that uses the user's DNA to build highly personalized wellness action plans. The user uploads its DNA information from Ancestry or 23andMe, sets goals and lifestyle preferences, and Generis will suggest the food, exercise, and supplement plans that work for him.
Medscape | Healthcare News for Doctors and Medical Students
Medscape is a healthcare news app. It keeps doctors and medical students updated with the latest medical research articles, clinical trials, expert perspectives, practice guidelines, FDA announcements, and more.
Better Help | Therapy on Video Calls
This app offers patients fast, affordable, and accessible appointments with mental health professionals. It's a handy way to get help from licensed therapists and counselors via video chat and messaging. There are over 3000 qualified counselors with different specialties, such as family counseling, depression, anxiety, etc. The patient is connected with a therapist that matches his needs the most. Betterhelp, also has group webinars.
Drugs.com | A Medicine Encyclopedia
Drugs.com is a helpful web and mobile application for medical providers and patients to get information on medicines and their side effects. It works as an encyclopedia; the user can browse for up-to-date and comprehensive drug information, identify pills for their shape or color, find interactions, discover if it's safe to take with alcohol or during pregnancy, and even see users' reviews and rates.
First Aid and Emergency Techniques | Healthcare Tutorials
As the name suggests, this app offers all the essential information to provide first-aid assistance. The app has tutorials and instructions to confront emergencies, attempt to prevent major injuries or conditions, and even save lives.
DynaMed | Medical Reference App
DynaMed is a medical reference application. It's a search engine with validated medical content reviewed by physicians. The user experience is super smooth, as it functions just like Google. The tool covers all specialties and includes descriptions, recommendations, images, graphics, and more.
Conclusion
Healthcare mobile apps are enhancing the experience of patients, medical practitioners, and medical institutions. It's important to consider that these apps don't substitute annual checkups or physical appointments when needed. Still, they can be super practical and helpful in many situations. During the pandemic, they played an essential role in avoiding the spread of the virus due to medical appointments. According to IQVIA, more than 318.000 healthcare apps are available in app stores globally, and around 200 healthcare apps are launched every day. It's unquestionably a hot market, and the expectation is for it to keep on growing.
Developing a Healthcare App
Are you interested in building a healthcare app? Check out this blog post on how to find the right healthcare app development company.
Josefina Ruiz
