We all know how much COVID-19 changed many aspects of our lives — ranging from shifts in business, travel, and education to even social interactions. Of course, the healthcare sector was most affected, serving as the frontline of this unfolding drama.
The pandemic highlighted how the technological side of healthcare is a promising avenue for digitalization, addressing the high demand from clinics and expanding the horizons of care and the methods by which it is delivered to patients. And here comes healthcare app development as a connecting link.
According to Statista, in 2024, the digital health market hit $172 billion with strong growth anticipated. This year, more than 1.3 billion people have been using these solutions.
And this is not just a local, temporary trend, but a global phenomenon: clearly, technology is becoming essential in how we manage our health.
Natalia Ivleva, Lead Business Analyst at SolveIt
Healthcare app development market overview
When discussing the interaction between government or private organizations, and the actual consumers, the healthcare app development market is increasingly focused on two critical areas: clinical and preventive medicine.
The healthcare app development market is rapidly expanding, driven by increasing demand for remote patient monitoring, telemedicine, and personalized health management
Key trends include the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning, enhancing diagnostic accuracy and treatment plans.
From the other side, market growth is fueled by rising smartphone penetration and a growing emphasis on health and wellness. Regulatory support and investment in health tech further bolster this sector.
As consumers prioritize convenience and accessibility, healthcare mobile app development is becoming essential for both patients and providers.
Computer vision-based medical imaging, speech recognition, medical chatbots, AI virtual assistants, and ML-powered predictive analytics have gone far beyond simple workflow automation. So if you’re still thinking about how to develop a healthcare app, now is the best time!
Healthcare development: app types
Healthcare apps encompass three key parties: the healthcare provider, the healthcare organization, and the patient. App development for healthcare can be tailored to meet the needs of each group individually or serve as effective tools to enhance their interaction.
Telemedicine apps
Such applications facilitate remote consultations between patients and healthcare providers. Features often include video conferencing, chat functionalities, and secure messaging, making it safer and easier for patients to access healthcare services from the comfort of their homes.
Examples: Teladoc, Amwell
Patient management systems
Electronic health record solutions are designed for healthcare providers and help manage patient data, track treatments, and streamline workflows, allowing for quick and secure access to essential information while ensuring the confidentiality of personal data.
Examples: Epic Systems, Cerner
Appointment booking apps
These healthcare apps streamline the scheduling process for medical appointments, allowing patients to book, reschedule, or cancel visits 24/7, enabling clinics to combat customers’ no-shows and giving patients complete control over their own schedules.
Examples: Zocdoc, Healthgrades
Medication apps
E-prescribing apps assist patients in managing their medications by providing reminders, dosage information, and refill alerts. They ultimately reduce the risk of missing and improve adherence to prescribed regimens, becoming an essential part of everyday people’s lives.
Examples: Medisafe, MyTherapy
Chronic disease apps
Targeted at patients with chronic conditions, these apps offer tools for tracking symptoms, medication adherence, and communication with healthcare providers, empowering users to take control of their state and facilitating timely interventions when issues arise.
Examples: MySugr, HeartWise
Wellness apps
Focused on proactive health management, wellness apps promote healthy lifestyles through features like fitness tracking, nutrition monitoring, and personalized health insights, including mental health support, community engagement, and sleep tracking.
Examples: Lifesum, Nike Training Club
Health education apps
These apps provide educational resources on various health topics, empowering users with knowledge about their conditions and wellness strategies. They help patients to make informed decisions related to their health and provide on-demand info to their practicing doctors.
Examples: HELF, WebMD
Woman health apps
These apps focus specifically on women’s health issues, offering resources and tools tailored to their unique needs. Features may include symptoms, pregnancy and cycle tracking, personalized health tips, and community support, enhancing overall wellness.
Examples: Flo, Amma
Healthcare app development: benefits
The healthcare application development offers numerous benefits for all stakeholders involved. Let’s clear them up:
Benefits for businesses
- Increased revenue: An effective healthcare application can reduce no-shows, attract new clients, and boost service sales by providing convenient features.
- Cost efficiency: By automating scheduling, billing, and patient communications, providers can reduce staffing costs and minimize operational inefficiencies.
- Data and analytics: Healthcare apps collect valuable data that aids in market analysis and improves medical establishments’ business strategies.
- Competitive edge: Innovative solutions help businesses stand out among competitors and capture the attention of their target audience.
Benefits for doctors
- Burnout prevention: Applications enable doctors to easily reduce the administrative burdens like managing schedules, patient records, and medical documentation.
- Access to information: Physicians can access complete and reliable medical data anytime, f.e., with the help of EHR solutions, facilitating more accurate diagnoses.
- Improved communication: The ability to chat or call with patients through the app helps to structure the conversation and minimizes the time spent on follow-ups.
- Lower liability risks: Enhanced workflow ensures comprehensive records and documents are maintained, which can protect doctors against potential legal issues.
Benefits for users
- Convenience: Patients can book appointments, receive test results, and consult with doctors anytime and anywhere, which allows for saving time and money.
- Personalized experience: Healthcare apps can offer individualized recommendations based on medical history and user preferences tailored to their needs.
- Access to information: Users gain access to valuable health information, promoting a more informed approach to their well-being and informed decision-making.
- Better quality of care: Applications free up doctors’ time and streamline clinics’ processes, allowing them to focus more on providing direct patient care.
Healthcare app development: most essential features
App development for healthcare has specific requirements since the industry sets strict ethical and legal standards. Any feature included in your solution must comply with the key regulators of modern digital healthcare — GDPR (in Europe) and HIPAA/CCPA/NIST (in the USA).
Therefore, you may need an extended discovery phase for your project and assistance from external professionals to ensure compliance.
Natalia Ivleva, Lead Business Analyst at SolveIt
1. User authentication
Secure user authentication in healthcare apps is vital for protecting sensitive patient information. Implement multi-factor authentication to enhance security and ensure that only authorized users can access their accounts.
2. Appointment scheduling
This is one of the most fundamental and critical features that allows users to easily book, reschedule, or cancel appointments while integrating calendar synchronization and automated reminders. Its proper implementation helps providers to manage their schedules effectively.
3. Telemedicine integration
Offering telemedicine capabilities empowers users to consult with healthcare professionals remotely if their physical state requires such measures. This feature should support video calls, chat, and secure file sharing for a comprehensive virtual care experience.
4. Prescription management
With the help of medication management tools, users track their prescriptions and set reminders for dosages. Integration with geolocation services and pharmacy management systems helps users find the nearest locations to purchase their medications and actual prices.
5. Symptom checker
A symptom checker is a vital feature in a healthcare app that allows users to input their symptoms and receive preliminary recommendations about potential conditions or actions to take. This can involve machine learning and artificial intelligence to improve accuracy over time.
6. Payment integration
Imagine how much the transparency of pricing for services and the operational demands related to transaction processing, cash flow, etc., on clinics could be improved if users could make payments seamlessly and securely directly within the app. This feature is a game changer!
7. Real-time chat and support
Instant access to healthcare professionals whenever you need help allows users to connect with providers 24/7 saving time for a consultation. Generative AI chatbots can provide quick answers to common questions, making interactions with providers even more efficient.
8. Wearable device integration
Users can monitor metrics like heart rate, steps taken, and sleep duration, which can be crucial for managing conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or sleep disorders. Sharing this information with healthcare providers allows for personalized treatment plans.
How to develop a healthcare app: a 7-step process
Healthcare app development requires careful planning and execution, prioritizing user needs and regulatory compliance. Here’s a structured approach to ensure your healthcare app meets market demands and enhances patient care.
- Step 1: Market research and planning
Start your healthcare application development journey with thorough market research. Identify your target audience: patients, healthcare providers, or both. At this stage, it’s also crucial to understand the specific legal industry requirements of the region in relation to your project.
Expert tip: Collaborate with healthcare professionals during the discovery phase to ensure your app addresses real-world challenges and complies with necessary regulations.
- Step 2: Define features and functionality
Build your Minimum Viable Product (MVP) with a focus on essential features that really make a difference. Consider functionalities like appointment scheduling, telemedicine capabilities, symptom checkers, and prescription management. Prioritize intuitive navigation and robust security measures to protect sensitive health information.
Expert tip: Clearly outline the technical scope for future updates, allowing for scalability as healthcare needs and patient databases or clinic branches evolve.
- Step 3: Choose the right technology stack
Select a technology stack that supports the specific needs of healthcare applications, emphasizing security, scalability, and interoperability. For an experienced healthcare app developer, a combination of React for web interfaces and Flutter for mobile applications, alongside Node.js or Django for the backend, is an excellent choice.
Expert tip: Opt for a stack that simplifies third-party integrations (storage, payments, EHR, etc.), enabling your app to adapt to new technologies and services over time.
- Step 4: Execute UI/UX design
Healthcare mobile app development requires a careful design approach. UI should be not only engaging but also accessible to a diverse user base, including older adults and disabled individuals. If we talk about web solutions, UX/UI has to reduce the time required for staff training and adoption. Focus on intuitive navigation, clear visuals, and responsive design.
Expert tip: At this stage, we recommend creating a clickable prototype to visualize the user journey and gather feedback early on.
- Step 5: Develop and conduct QA
During the development phase, maintain close collaboration between front-end and back-end teams. Implement rigorous testing protocols to ensure functionality and compliance with healthcare standards. Use unit, integration, and user acceptance testing, with a specific focus on security vulnerabilities and data protection.
Expert tip: Include a compliance audit as part of your testing process to ensure that the app adheres to relevant healthcare regulations and industry standards.
- Step 6: Define a monetization strategy
Establish a clear monetization strategy that aligns with the market and your business needs. Consider options such as subscription models for patients, pay-per-use services for telemedicine, or partnerships with healthcare providers for integrated solutions. Ensure that the chosen strategy supports the app’s value proposition while remaining accessible to users.
Expert tip: Analyze competitor pricing and user willingness to pay to refine your strategy, ensuring it balances profitability with user satisfaction.
- Step 7: Launch, support, and update
Once your healthcare app is live, the real work begins. It’s crucial to establish a responsive support system that can quickly address any technical issues or user concerns. Providing comprehensive training materials for healthcare staff is vital.
Expert tip: A dedicated development team can help address issues quickly and efficiently, allowing for rapid fixes and updates.
Healthcare app development cost
Healthcare application development demands a significant investment, influenced by multiple factors.
Healthcare apps must comply with regulations, which can influence hosting choices. This often necessitates using secure cloud platforms that offer compliance support.
The issue of security is also a pressing factor, so it is essential to implement solutions with data encryption and secure access controls, which can also potentially increase costs.
Natalia Ivleva, Lead Business Analyst at SolveIt
Medical organizations or healthcare startups typically face two main scenarios: creating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) or developing a comprehensive, feature-rich application.
MVP healthcare app development cost
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You can find the actual cost of an MVP and a full-fledged product here.
