Healthcare App Development: Best Practices For Security And Privacy

Healthcare sectors are busier than before! Many individuals look for comfort and proper navigation by their doctors. To properly diagnose a patient, a doctor and patient must connect more effectively with relevant details, past medical history, and present data. However, how could all this data be safe and secure? To solve all issues, we are the leading healthcare app development company delivering custom healthcare solutions.

With the rise in technological advancement, protecting patient data privacy and security has become crucial in custom healthcare software development. 

In this blog, we’ll explore the top strategies to ensure healthcare app development manages security and privacy compliance standards.

Why Privacy & Security Is Crucial In Healthcare App Development?

The healthcare sector obtains a huge database from the patients they are serving. To ensure these data are safeguarded, healthcare software development establishes a software designed considering strict security regulations. This healthcare software can safeguard a lot of sensitive data such as financial information, medical records, and personal data. 

Safeguarding such data is not just required by law, but also by morality. Several regulatory systems such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability And Accountability Act) and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) impose strict guidelines in the USA and Europe. 

Impacts Of Security Vulnerabilities

Security breaches in the healthcare sector may have worse impacts. You might have heard about an incident Anthem Inc. hacked in 2015, which exposed the personal information of millions of individuals. Such disastrous occurrences may lead to financial reduction, identity theft, and a decline in patient trust in the hospital. Moreover, a significant decrease in security breaches is seen in healthcare software development provided security and privacy protocols are followed.

Top Strategies Ensuring Healthcare Privacy In Healthcare App Development

  • Clear Privacy Protocols

Users’ confidence and reliability increase with the simple and uncomplicated privacy policy. It ought to specify what information is gathered, how it’s employed, and with whom it’s shared. In addition to being required by law, getting express consent from users before collecting and using their data is also recommended practice that upholds their autonomy.

  • User-Controlled Information

Giving users authority over their data is essential. Transparency and trust are improved by features that enable consumers to access, move, and delete their data. This control is compliant with laws such as GDPR that demand data portability and the right to be forgotten.

  • Secure Data Storage

Data security is essential regardless of where it is kept–on local devices or in the cloud. Access restrictions, frequent security updates, and strong encryption are all part of cloud storage security. Encrypting data and protecting the device from unwanted access are crucial procedures for local storage.

  • Compliance With Regulations

Ensuring compliance with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA is extremely important. Should not be overlooked. HIPAA guidelines focus on the importance of implementing security measures – technological and physical – to safeguard patient data. On the other hand, GDPR primarily focuses on user rights, responsibilities, and principles related to data protection.

Top Strategies Ensuring Healthcare Security In Healthcare App Development

  • Data Encryption In Healthcare App Development

A key component of healthcare app development is encrypting data. Encrypting data both during transit and when at rest is essential. This practice guarantees that even if intercepted the data remains unreadable without the encryption password. Custom healthcare software development implements strong encryption standards to ensure solid security.

  • Secure Authentication and Authorization

Multi-factor authentication is essential to develop healthcare apps with strict security. It is required for users to submit two or more verification factors to get access. Moreover, an essential procedure is role-based access control or RBAC. It lowers the possibility of internal breaches by limiting access to critical data to only authorized workers through the assignment of roles and permissions.

  • Regular Security Audits And Penetration Tests

It is easier to find flaws in the system with the assistance of regular security audits. In particular, penetration testing resembles cyberattacks to find vulnerabilities before malicious hackers do. By taking a proactive stance, healthcare app developers can quickly resolve possible problems and protect patient data.

  • Minimizing Data 

One strategy to lower the danger of exposure is to only gather the data that is essential. Furthermore, patient privacy may be preserved by using data anonymization techniques such as deleting personal identifiers. Thus, developing hospital management software considering this procedure is particularly important when working with massive datasets in research and analysis. 

Upcoming Trends In Custom Healthcare Solutions

Blockchain Technology For Data

Blockchain is a decentralized security solution that makes data alteration more difficult for hackers. Blockchain technology can improve data security in the healthcare sector by offering an unchangeable transaction ledger. When it comes to EHR software development, this technology may be very helpful in ensuring that medical records are unaltered.

AI In Healthcare App Development

Artificial Intelligence and machine learning may greatly improve security by detecting and averting risks in no time. AI, for instance, may detect anomalous behavior and analyze trends to notify managers of possible security breaches. AI may also be used to customize privacy settings so that individuals have more personalized control over their data.

Take Action To Develop Healthcare App With Security & Privacy Protocols 

In addition to compliance, prioritizing security and privacy software development in healthcare is important in developing confidence and ensuring the protection of patient data. This article provides custom healthcare app developers thorough approach concerning data encryption, secure authentication, user control, and transparency in privacy rules. 

Strong security and privacy in healthcare software development will depend on developers being alert and relying on new technologies like blockchain and AI when they become available. 

We, at EMed HealthTech, understand how important it is for users and healthcare providers to ensure safe interaction and data handling. Our custom healthcare software development is done in compliance with stringent laws, protecting patient trust along with data. Contact us today for top-notch software development in healthcare.

Experts-Tips-and-Tricks-of-Doctor-Appointment-Booking-App-by-EMed-HealthTech

Experts Tips and Tricks of Doctor Appointment Booking App by EMed HealthTech

The COVID pandemic was our first brush with being forced to stay indoors due to health hazards. As a response, the health tech industry pushed solutions like mHealth and online consultations to the forefront to improve people’s access to safe and effective medical care. And the result has been eye-opening in how investment in digital health and virtual healthcare business models has skyrocketed.

In this post-pandemic period, we see healthcare practitioners implementing virtual healthcare services, like mobile health apps for booking doctors’ appointments. Healthcare facilities have recognized the upward trend and are developing their apps like doctors’ appointment booking apps, hospital management apps, pharmacy apps, etc.

This article delves into how a doctor appointment booking app can be developed and what you need to keep in mind. We also share tips and tricks from our experts for developing your doctor’s appointment app.

 

Digital Healthcare Market & Trends

The pandemic saw a sharp spike in the utilization of telehealth services. It was reported to be 38 times higher than pre-pandemic times. The spike to 32% has stabilized at 13-17% across all specialties.

A significant factor driving the trend has been the increased confidence of patients in digital healthcare. According to McKinsey, nearly 40% of consumers in their survey said they “believe they will continue to use telehealth going forward—up from 11 percent of consumers using telehealth before COVID-19.”

The better prospects in digital health have also increased investment in digital health. Innovation picked up speed with venture capitalist digital health investment in June 2020 tripled by June 2021, according to rockehealth.com.

Studies show that the global market for such healthcare apps is growing, with an estimated market value of USD 189 billion by 2025. Another study shows that 90% of physicians use smartphones for schedule management, EHR access, communication with the team, or reference information. From the patient’s perspective, there is high engagement with mobile health technology. A study by Boston Tech Corporation showed that 74% of patients use wearables and other mHealth tools to help them manage and cope with their health conditions. The recently presented Union Budget 2022-2023 strongly indicates that Telemedicine is a Must for Digital Health.

All studies and trends show positive growth for electronic health apps like those for booking doctor appointments. It also has many benefits that make patients want to have it. Let us take a quick look at the benefits of a doctor appointment booking app.

 

Challenges Faced Within the Industry

The healthcare industry faces certain challenges that stand in the way of providing proper healthcare. Doctors and healthcare providers are sometimes helpless due to barriers preventing patients from receiving timely attention and treatment. Here is a quick look at them.

Challenges-Faced-Within-the-Industry

1. Face-to-face meetings

Not every doctor’s consultation has to be faced with this. Certain illnesses and follow-up meetings could be done over the phone or virtually. With no such provision, the number of patients blocks up an entire day’s worth of appointments.

2. Time restraint

Doctors find it difficult to manage time if they have to attend to patients and clinics at different places. A lot of time is wasted traveling.

3. Access

Healthcare providers may find themselves wanted in places they may not have easy access. This may prevent timely healthcare from being provided.

4. Better appointment management

The lack of a proper system can make the consulting process tedious. Doctors’ offices are clogged with a lack of appointment booking systems.

 

Challenges Associated with Traditional Methods of Taking Doctor Appointments

The traditional mode of consulting a doctor is a long procedure. And we can all agree that many challenges in it make us begrudge the system. A doctor’s appointment app directly addresses these issues. Let us look at some of the challenges within the traditional method of taking appointments.

Challenges-Associated-with-Traditional-Methods-of-Taking-Appointments

 

  1. Long waiting periods: Say you are suffering from chronic joint pain. Only one ortho specialist in your nearby hospital is available for consultation only on certain days. These days will naturally have a lot of traffic too. Getting an appointment, braving the long queue, and finally seeing the doctor can be strenuous.
  2. Travel expenses: It is difficult to find doctors specializing in certain niches. You might have to travel long distances to get a consultation, which can be expensive, depending on the distance you have to cover.
  3. Skipped Appointments: There are several reasons one might skip an appointment with a doctor. Some patients may forget or skip appointments due to poor health or expenses.
  4. Safety from infectious pathogens: This is perhaps why telehealth solutions gained popularity during the pandemic. The need to be in a room full of ill people increases the chances of catching it.
    Consult from home for chronically ill: Patients who are not well enough to travel can find it even more challenging to make it to appointments. Without virtual consulting, they might choose to skip appointments.

 

Advantages of Developing a Doctor Appointment Booking App

A doctor appointment booking app has a lot of advantages, making it highly sought after by medical professionals for their clinics and healthcare facilities. Patients use it to get the best medical services, and there are plenty of options in the market. Healthcare facilities are competing to be the best on the scene.

Both healthcare providers and patients can benefit from a doctor consultation app.

Benefits to the hospital/clinic/healthcare provider include:

  1. Manage appointments via online channels.
  2. Avoid overbooking by accurately calculating and managing time slots.
  3. Lessen skipped appointments as the hassles and expenses of physical travel are some of the primary reasons patients skip.
  4. Streamline processes of the clinic/hospital, and increase efficiency.
  5. Automate administrative tasks and free up more time for staff for productive work.
  6. eHealthcare reports to analyze performance and make relevant adjustments to make improvements.
  7. Reduce chances of errors that may occur due to human causes.

Benefits to the patients include:

  1. Patient’s can book an appointment anytime from the comfort of their home.
  2. They can use the services of the app 24/7.
  3. Pay medical bills, and access medical records from a single app.
  4. Communicate with the healthcare providers in real time.

Three Tips for Successful Implementation of Doctors Appointment app

Now that you know the advantages of the doctor appointment app development, you may not have any doubt as to whether or not you need the app. As much as the app is helpful, it takes a careful approach to make it truly work. Many different apps launch and then fizzle out due to small mistakes or because they overlooked one or the other thing.
Here are some tips you can keep in mind, so you do not have to make the same mistakes as others.

Take Wearables into Account

Wearables have an immense market. People from all age groups increasingly use them. It is also easily accessible and affordable. The amount of data a wearable health tech generates is immense. It is also a great way to monitor patients who are under chronic illnesses.

Compliance and Regulations

This is perhaps the trickiest part of a doctor’s appointment app. Since it is relatively new, few users know the privacy policies, how the information is used, and more. Regulatory bodies also keep a tight leash on companies for collecting, storing, and processing patient data. These regulations change over time and may prove hard to keep up. You must make sure your app is compliant and follows all regulations.

Managing Doctors Listing

The doctor’s appointment app will require a doctor’s listing. You can manage the doctor listing on your own via an admin panel. Or you can use a second app for doctors where they can edit details on their own and manage their appointments.

When doctors have an app, they can manage it themselves, taking a load off your head. Patients can also get accurate data directly from doctors.

Development Tips: Features You’ll Find in a Great Doctor’s Appointment App

A well-developed on-demand doctor app is marked by the features it has. Here are some features you need to include in a doctor’s appointment app.

  1. Customization: Each healthcare facility has its own needs. A good app is marked by its ability to be customized to the client’s needs.
  2. Video consultation: A doctor appointment app has the primary facility to conduct a virtual consultation, which will significantly organize a doctor’s office.
  3. Multi-Language patient app: Considering the patients and doctors of various ethnicities using the app, the app should support English and other regional languages.
  4. Separate Mobile App for Patients and Doctors: Ideally, a doctor’s appointment app will have separate apps, one for the patient to make appointments, make virtual consolation, etc. The doctor’s app will have provisions to schedule visits, access EHR, organize consultations, etc.
  5. Own payment gateway: The app should provide the convenience of a payment gateway so that patients can make secure payments.
  6. Professional Profile: Doctors should be able to maintain a professional profile, which the patients can look up before choosing to consult them.
  7. Patient History and Electronic Medical Records: The app should integrate the patient history and previous medical records so that doctors and patients can easily access and manage them.
  8. Appointment Management: The star feature of an appointment management app is this feature. It enables patients to easily make appointments with the doctor they need according to their availability, and doctors can manage appointments and schedule their work around it.
  9. Digital Medicine order: Doctors can make digital medicine orders within the app so that the patient gets it on their profile. There is no mix-up or confusion, they simply have to show it to the pharmacy.
  10. Home Delivery of Medicines Based on Medicine order: Patients can also order medicines online, which will be delivered to their homes if they use the online pharmacy module.
  11. Peer-to-peer support: Patients can find support groups and communities to discuss their treatment journey. The feature to make communities makes the patients connect to the app intimately.
  12. 3rd Party software integrations: The app should be enabled with 3rd party software integration to enable different services. Accessing EHR, maps, calendars, etc., requires provisions to integrate.

Plan Your Budget: What Is The Cost To Make A Doctor’s Appointment App?

A doctor appointment app might cost between $40,000 and $50,000 to develop on average. The price range for adding sophisticated features like artificial intelligence is between $100,000 and $150,000.
Additional factors like the features and functionalities, app categories, UI and design, and development time also vary the cost of developing an app. The company you choose to develop your app also decides how much you will have to spend on the app.

Instead of spending money on developing a highly advanced full-fledged doctor appointment booking app, we advise starting with an MVP to gauge market acceptance before expanding to include other healthcare app features. By doing this, you could avoid giving users everything upfront and having the same medical app features for all time, ensuring that you are constantly adding value to their lives.

Our Top Tech Tricks to Remember While Developing the Doctor Consultation App

There are several ways in which you can make your doctor app or Telemedicine app development process easier. Since other products are already on the market, you can thoroughly research and find the shortcuts and tricks to improve your app.

There are several APIs that are extremely useful. You can use them to make your app much more polished and feature-rich. Here is a quick look at some of them.

  1. Manage and maintain booking via 10to8’s API. It is a great tool that saves you a lot of time developing from scratch.
  2. Symptom Checker API has a repository of symptoms by which the patients can be allocated to the doctor most apt to treat those symptoms.
  3. BetterDoctor API shows data about doctors, helping you find the best doctor for your needs.
  4. SimplyBook.me API can be used to schedule appointments with the doctor of your choice.
  5. Doctoralia API has a detailed listing of doctors with reviews from other patients so that patients can make better bookings.
  6. Payment portals like Stripe and Braintree SDKs are a necessity for managing payments.
  7. Third-party integrations to make your app packed with features like Twilio for video calling, Tawk.to for chatting, etc. Payment integration for national and international payments like Paytm, PayPal, and Razorpay.

The Perfect Monetisation Strategy for your App

There are many ways to monetize an app and create a paying customer out of your users. Some of these strategies offer the user to experience your services, evaluate them, and then buy a paid service. Others utilize traditional methods of monetization, like advertisements. Let us look into it.

  1. Freemium: This strategy utilizes two versions of the same app. A free version of the app has limited functionalities, while the premium version requires you to pay an amount to unlock all the services. Your users will likely shift to premium to enjoy the advanced functions.
  2. Commission-based model: This model is where you provide a platform for the doctors and patients to interact to make appointments. You can get a fee from the doctors to display their availability.
  3. Local Ads: Healthcare brands often show interest in placing advertisements in your apps. Keeping the relevant ads adds value to your customer’s experience.
  4. Paid Listing: This is another way to earn revenue from doctors. In this way, you offer the doctors more visibility and patients by placing them higher on the list of doctors for a fee.
  5. In-app purchases: This offers the patients to buy services through your app. The app is free, but you earn a commission when the patient pays for medicines, services, and visits through your app.

Building the App with Experts

A doctor consultation app is a great way to improve the patient inflow for hospitals and clinics. Its features and advantages give apps an upper hand over traditional methods. Ultimately it comes down to the quality of your app and how well it is built. A doctor appointment booking app development can be the most crucial step in your journey.

You should hire experts like EMed HealthTech for your app development. EMed HealthTech offers custom healthcare software development services at affordable prices. We use emerging technologies to make sure you get only the best. Our software is richly featured with a robust UI. We also have a healthcare-integrated platform for pharmacy, telemedicine, and lab. Reach out to us today to get an estimate. Our experts are happy to help you.

 

10-Benefits-of-5G-Launch-on-Healthcare-in-India

10 Benefits of 5G Launch on Healthcare in India

The advancements in modern technology have always been a boon for the world of healthcare. The latest 5G rollout is no different. At the outset, faster internet services and better connectivity bring immense potential to be explored in the healthcare sector.

First, let us look at the new technology that we call 5G and how it is different from its predecessors. Also, we take an in-depth look at what this means for the health sector in India. For a nation speeding its way towards development and modernization, the healthcare sector can benefit significantly from this new technology. Finally, we look at what it means for healthcare app development, which relies heavily on the speed and quality of the internet connection.

What is 5G?

Let us shed some light on what 5G is. In simple terms, 5G refers to the Fifth Generation of wireless network technology. For the previous generations, 1G focused on improving voice quality, which was picked up and improved upon by 2G. 3G is what opened the avenues of the internet to mobile users. 4G immensely increased the speed of wireless internet and data sharing.

What 5G brings to the table is high-speed connectivity, high data rate, low latency, and highly reliable communications. It also has aspects that increase energy efficiency, network efficiency, and spectrum efficiency.

When was 5G launched in India?

India launched 5G internet services on October 1, 2022. It was launched ceremoniously by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Indian Mobile Congress in New Delhi. It was flagged off and will be available in select cities across India. The 5G services will be progressively available throughout the country in the coming years. The Prime Minister called it a “knock on the doors of a new era”. The opportunities a technology like 5G presents to India are immense.

 

How does 5G benefit healthcare in India?

Previously 4G was used in the healthcare sector to improve the services, reach, and efficiency. However, 4G was not without faults. It was riddled with lags and would often fail its purpose. However, the new 5G improves upon 4G at incredible rates. Here are some of the imminent benefits of adopting 5G services in the healthcare sector in India.

Benefits of 5G Launch on Healthcare in India

1.  Connected ambulance

This concept could help improve emergency services, the quality of healthcare provided, and better outcomes for the patient. A connected ambulance would have means to transmit vital information about the patient, which can help better understand the patient’s condition, even before they arrive at the hospital. 5G’s better connectivity can also help doctors guide paramedics to conduct emergency procedures.

2. Collaborative surgery

Surgical procedures can get a boost with 5G procedures. While telesurgery is still a long way, collaborative surgeries are an attainable goal. With the help of AR/VR headsets, doctors can collaborate by watching in real-time and providing comments as another doctor performs the surgery.

3. Virtual consultations at HD quality

While internet connectivity already brought the facility of remote consultation, 5G takes it to a new level with its high speed and higher consistent quality. With 5G, the screening and assessments required for a consultation can be done online, thanks to the quality of the stream 5G ensures. Visual diagnoses can take a new definition with 5G assistance.

4. Faster image and records processing

5G offers better connectivity for transferring diagnostic images and reports at a stunning speed. What earlier took a long time can now in a surprisingly low amount of time. This gives patients faster access to treatment as they don’t have to shuttle between hospitals and diagnostic centers for results.

5. Remote patient monitoring with Telemedicine

Remote healthcare service delivery with a Telemedicine platform can be more efficient and proactive with 5G. With high speed, quality, and security, patients in far-off areas and those with chronic illnesses or mobility issues can use the services of 5G internet.

6. AR & VR for visually challenged

There are a lot of visually challenged people who suffer from impairment to different degrees. With the help of 5G-powered AR and VR tech, they can have a better sense of control over their surroundings with audio assistance from VR/AR goggles. Live advisors help them navigate their surroundings with high-speed 5G-powered tech.

7. Medication assistance through HD video

One of the innovative ways internet connections are used is to help those who may need help with medication assistance. This may be elderly or mentally ill patients who may not be able to have their medication in the prescribed amount or at the right time. Trained pharmacists engage them at the right time to consume the right amount of medicine. Thanks to 5G, this can be done in real-time and in high-quality streaming.

8. Innovative use in therapy

The use of AR and VR in rehabilitative therapy and distraction therapy has been implemented in different countries. It has potential applications in India as well. With the help of advanced 5G, this is possible. Patients can use AR/VR-assisted therapy.

9. 5G for medical education

The high speed, quality, and consistency 5G offers are a boon for medical students. With remote education a tangible option, 5G offers the potential to conduct in-depth training via high-speed connectivity. Students can watch AR/VR setup or live streaming procedures and collaborate.

10. Real-time transfer of data from wearables

Wearable tech has become a staple among our accessories. But when equipped with 5G tech, it becomes a powerful tool that transfers vital data in real-time. It can help recognize anomalies and connect to healthcare providers who can monitor your vitals remotely.

 

What does it mean for healthcare app development?

Healthcare software development is an area that is immensely benefited from the advancement of 5G technology. With 5G tech, healthcare services can be distributed more democratically and efficiently among people. Hospitals prefer to invest in custom healthcare software development as they see its potential in bridging the gap between healthcare services and the common man. Also, read A Guide to Custom Healthcare Software Development.

If you are looking for custom healthcare app development services, EMed HealthTech is a reliable destination for you. Our expert team of healthcare software developers specializes in building custom healthcare app and software that efficiently run on 5G technology. We will help you leverage technology to gain a competitive edge while delivering high-quality services to a wider group of customers. Book an appointment with us to get started today!