Tag: Telemedicine App

Common-Challenges-of-Telemental-Health

The Seven Challenges of Telemental Health and How to Overcome Them?

Posted on | by Ami Kothari

The mental health scenario in India is a bleak one, with one in every seven people suffering from a clinically diagnosable mental disorder, according to a study by Lancet Psychiatry. There is also a huge disparity in the doctor-patient ratio. The required ratio, according to WHO, stands at 3 psychiatrists per 100,000 population, but India has only 0.75 psychiatrists per 100,000. This ratio is made taking into consideration that India is a low-income country.

However, with the entry of telemedicine into the mainstream, things are starting to look different. A virtual care system nullifies a lot of the geographical and physical barriers that keep a person from mental health services. With more access and awareness, the social stigma surrounding mental health issues also disperse. However, implementing a telemental health service has its challenges. We discuss some of the major challenges faced by Telemental Health and Telemedicine app development and how to overcome them.

 

Telemental Health Landscape in India

The telemental health landscape got a boost this year with the central government launching its National Tele-Mental Health Program (NTMPH).

The launch comes as a welcome change in the wake of the COVID pandemic. Having to withdraw from social circles, being forced into isolation, loss of loved ones, and threatened job security are post-COVID factors that have left a debilitating impact on mental health.

However, mental health issues are not just personal struggles. Studies show a deep connection between mental health crises and the economy of a nation. A simple explanation could be that poor mental health causes a loss of productivity, negatively affecting businesses and by extension, the whole economy. Not surprisingly, poor mental health is believed to have cost the world economy a whopping $2·5 trillion on average in 2010 — a number that’s about to rise to an unbelievable $6 trillion by 2030. India, alone, is estimated to face an economic loss of US$ 1.03 trillion due to mental health problems, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

While the new action plans and studies shed a ray of hope on the telemental health care scenario, it is not without its own set of challenges.

Challenges of Telemental Health

challenges

Privacy

One of the major challenges in making use of the telemental health care system would be privacy. While privacy is a must in every medical consultation, in the case of mental health issues, there is the weight of social stigma attached to it. If a person decides to reach out to a mental health professional for help, this is often done discreetly. The lack of a private space is also a concern given that most Indian households have joint family systems. A space that is private and safe is a must to ensure that patients can fully avail of telemental health services.

Preference for in-person care

Despite the availability of virtual care, some people prefer in-person care. This is because mental health issues are more sensitive. Being able to confide in the presence of another person provides the warmth of human contact while a virtual consultation might seem cold and distant. It is also important to consider that most people would be forced to stay in an environment that might be conducive to their mental health deterioration. In-person, care ensures that the patient is part of a support group and in an environment that acknowledges their issues.

This preference gets in the way of patients accessing mental health services as well as telemental health providers.

Digital Literacy and Networking Issues

Using telemental health applications means that the patient requires a certain amount of know-how about technology. India particularly faces a large demographic of digitally challenged people, which amounts to 80% of 1.4 billion people. Digital literacy gets in the way of the proper implementation of telemental health programs.

Another glaring issue is connectivity. While there is an equivalent of 81.3% of the total population, the internet penetration rate in India is still at 47% as of 2021. This means that more than half of the population does not have access to the Internet. Because most telemental health services take place over the internet, a large portion of the people is not able to access this due to low connectivity.

Strategies to Overcome the Challenges

The challenges faced by the telemedicine industry in implementing its services are often broad. Here are a few strategies we can adopt to battle the challenges.

Awareness and Education on mental health

A developing country like India has its own set of social stigmas when it comes to dealing with mental health issues. Myths and superstitions get in the way of proper diagnosis and treatment. Creating awareness through campaigns to all people of all ages, introducing mental health issue awareness in school curriculums, and breaking the myths surrounding mental health treatment can help tackle this challenge to a large extent.

Better connectivity

India is a developing country and is only slowly pacing towards a fully networked society. Creating better connections is a slow process, but one that can create significant changes. With better connectivity, mental health services can reach remote areas and persons with restrictions on mobility.

Digital literacy

India’s statistics on digital literacy, as mentioned above, are bleak. While there are a lot of mobile phone users as per the statistics, not many may be literate on anything beyond the basic functionalities. Inculcating proper digital literacy into the school curriculum, and through social channels to reach the older crowd can help better the digital literacy rate. Updating to smartphones is also important to avail advanced services of telemental health.

Telemedicine App Development for Telemental Health

Telemedicine applications are software built especially for dispersing virtual medical care. It is a multifaceted application that is intended for multiple types of users. It has particular interfaces for patients, doctors, healthcare staff, pharmaceuticals, and administrative staff. Each interface has its functionalities, all of which when working in tandem provide a seamless user experience.

The telemedicine app or doctor appointment booking app has features like AI-powered automation which enables chatbots and other day-to-day activities. Data analytics and business intelligence provide valuable insights that can help make informed decisions. ERP capabilities in the telemedicine app help with management and business activities. When built to the specific need of a healthcare facility, a telemedicine app can become a powerful platform for virtual medical care.

Final Words

Building a telemedicine app is a significant business step. The ideal telemedicine app development company will provide the necessary features for your specific need, 24*7 SLA customer support, and will have experience and proven mettle with a seasoned team of experts.

EMed HealthTech is a leading name in providing scalable, cost-effective, and customized telemedicine app development services for healthcare facilities of all sizes. Our healthcare apps have a proven track record of optimizing operations. Talk to us today about your telemedicine app development needs.

Top-5-Reasons-to-Develop-A-Telemedicine-App

Top 10 Reasons to Develop a Telemedicine App

Posted on | by Ami Kothari

The concept of telemedicine apps has been around for a long time. The COVID pandemic forced us to resort to telemedicine out of the restrictions imposed on movement. It has highlighted the need to integrate a functional telemedicine system that runs alongside regular healthcare.

Connecting patients and healthcare providers via technology are being increasingly implemented worldwide post COVID. The onset of COVID also warmed up the users to the benefits of telemedicine. Post-COVID, there has been a stark increase in the number of virtual consultations via doctor appointment booking apps. Studies show that there has been a triple increase in the investment made to telemedicine in 2020 than it had in 2017.

It is an area that has the potential to change the way we see medical care. Here is all you need to know about telemedicine, its implementation via telemedicine app, why you should invest in it, and the challenges faced in the process.

What is a Telemedicine App?

telemedicine

A telemedicine app is a software that functions as a platform to avail various healthcare services. It serves the patients to determine the nature of their ailment, find the apt healthcare provider, and provide virtual consultation, and follow-ups. It is also an avenue to cater to pharmaceutical needs, and avail services of testing and lab facilities.

Telemedicine apps also provide the platform for healthcare providers to connect to patients, organize data and schedules, manage visits, and more.

It is a holistic platform that has a wide range of functions. When developed properly, telemedicine software can create the ideal network of healthcare providers and patients. The healthcare industry is adopting this technology to enmesh its services with the needs of the day.

If COVID showed us telemedicine was indispensable, we are making a stronger case for it. Here are some very compelling reasons why you should be investing in a telemedicine app today

1. Better access to healthcare: Healthcare has often been inaccessible to people who live in rural areas. Sometimes a specialist we need is not available in a country. This challenge of distance and access is neutralized when there is a virtual set-up that enables the meeting of people from whichever corner of the world.

2. Maintain social distance: This is the first and foremost reason telemedicine was popular during the COVID pandemic. It serves the purpose later too, as contagious diseases will spread less when more and more people opt for virtual consultations.

3. Steady care for chronic health issues: Patients who battle chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart diseases, or lifestyle diseases need not travel to the doctor for every consultation. A virtual care system enables the patient to stay in the comfort of their home.

4. Reduces patient waiting time: Access to healthcare is hindered majorly by waiting time. The availability of doctors in a particular area, the number of patients seeking the same doctor, and the lack of a proper system in place contribute to the cause of the patient.

5. Lower treatment costs: The cost of the treatment is seen to be significantly lower when it comes to virtual care. This applies to both the hospital and the patient. The hospital could save up to $24 per patient and the patient saved an average of $50 in travel expenses, a study showed.

6. Gain an edge over competitors: The telemedicine system allows healthcare providers to have an advantage over their competitors who have not adopted the technology. It also gives them access to patients who would choose a remote consultation over being physically present for one.

7. Save infrastructure costs: The first advantage of a virtual care system is to be free of infrastructure costs. Compared to the hefty architectural investment required, a telemedicine app development costs significantly less. This automatically makes healthcare more affordable.

8. Balances the doctor-patient ratio: One of the biggest advantages of telemedicine is how it negates geographical barriers to bringing services to customers. While a particular place may be constrained due to the lack of doctors in proportion to patients, another place may have an abundance.

9. Access to healthcare during epidemics/disasters: Telemedicine proved to be the best option to cater to the healthcare industry during the COVID pandemic. If this proves anything, it is that telemedicine is the most effective form of providing medical service during times of such crisis.

10. The advantage of technology: A telemedicine system puts the doctor and patient in a position where they can use technology to their benefit. For example, the doctor can refer to biometric readings taken from wearable techs to monitor the health of the patient.

To know more about how to develop telemedicine apps check out this link.

Telemedicine App Development Challenges

The world of telemedicine is a sophisticated one that focuses on making accessibility easier. However, it is not one without challenges. It has its unique challenges. Here are some of them.

features-telemedicine

1. Glitch-free UI/UX: The healthcare industry has no room for error as it could prove even fatal. A telemedicine app has to remain glitch-free and very user-friendly. The patient and the doctor must be able to navigate the app with the least difficulty.

2. Two separate apps: A telemedicine app has two significant users – the doctors and the patients. Both users have different apps. These call for two separate fronts that are integrated seamlessly.

3. iOS and Android Native Apps: Telemedicine apps must be designed to be compatible with iOS and Android OSes. This requires a larger development team.

4. Data Security: The data shared via a telemedicine app is sensitive and confidential. It requires high-level security from being leaked by hackers.

Take Advantage of High-Quality Telemedicine App Development

Creating a telemedicine app has its benefits and small challenges. But in the end, it benefits all. It creates a world of equal access and opportunity. If you are convinced that you need to create an impeccably designed telemedicine app, look no further than EMed HealthTech.

At EMed HealthTech, we deliver quality healthcare software services and solutions to all your needs, garnering the trust of the healthcare industry. Choose EMed HealthTech for your telemedicine app development services. Reach out to us today for a custom quote.

 

Telemedicine App Development: How To Develop A Telemedicine App?

Telemedicine App Development: How To Develop A Telemedicine App?

Posted on | by Ami Kothari

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020 and the resulting lockdowns and restrictions brought in a new set of challenges for the healthcare sector. While several hospitals closed down altogether, in-person consultations became greatly restricted in others to prevent the spread of the virus. 

Many rightly termed telemedicine as the “silver lining of the pandemic” owing to its widespread acceptance as a means to continue the delivery of essential healthcare services around the globe. While digital health technologies have been gaining momentum over the past few years, they have become mainstream, with Telemedicine app development emerging as lifesavers to thousands of patients worldwide. Nowadays Telemedicine becomes a must for the digital healthcare ecosystem.

What is a Telemedicine App?

Telemedicine apps help patients to connect with healthcare professionals remotely with the help of advanced digital technologies. While you might think that these are useful only for remote consultations between a patient and their doctor, in reality, these applications can do a lot more. The wide range of services accessible from telemedicine apps includes virtual care and treatment, patient monitoring, remote counseling and therapy, follow-up, medicine order renewals, and so on.

Besides being more convenient for patients, health consultations done via telemedicine apps are much quicker. Patients do not have to travel long distances or wait for hours to meet their doctor — they can get expert medical advice and treatment right from the comfort of their homes.

 

Who Can Benefit from Telemedicine Apps?

Before you dive into Telemedicine application development, you need to first identify the different user categories of the application. With the adoption of Telemedicine applications, every healthcare user can have benefits. Within the telemedicine app platform, you have the following users:

Telemedicine for Patients – They are users with permission to book online consultations with a doctor.

Telemedicine for Doctors – Doctors should have the features available to view patients’ profiles, conduct online consultations with patients, schedule appointments, and request diagnostic reports.

Telemedicine for Lab Technicians – These users need permission to view and process lab test requests and share lab reports with doctors and patients. 

Telemedicine for Admin – These are users with permission to assign sub-admin roles, and security levels, and perform other administrative tasks within the app.

 

Types of Telemedicine Apps

Telemedicine apps can be of multiple types, each offering a select range of services. The major types of telemedicine apps offered by Telemedicine app developers include the following:

Remote monitoring Telemedicine apps: Remote monitoring telehealth apps are used to monitor the health of patients suffering from chronic diseases remotely. These have attained popularity due to several benefits like lower costs, continuous and efficient monitoring, and high patient satisfaction. Patient monitoring is usually done using smart devices such as health sensors and wearables.

Store-and-forward Telemedicine apps: Store-and-forward telemedicine apps deal with collecting and forwarding patient information to the required specialists. These apps enable medical practitioners to store patient data, including medical history, test reports, imagery, etc., and share them with other experts. Medical fields like radiology, pathology, dermatology, etc., usually engage in this practice.

Real-time Interaction Telemedicine apps: These telehealth apps enable patients and doctors to interact in real-time from remote locations. This can be achieved by functions like phone consultations or video calling facilities. Like face-to-face appointments, patients can inform the doctor about their medical history and symptoms, based on which the medical professional can guide them with the right advice.

 

Why Would You Want to Build a Telemedicine App? 

The adoption of telemedicine in India has exploded over the last two years of the pandemic. Telemedicine apps have seen a giant leap of 35% in monthly active users from 2019 to 2020. The telemedicine market is booming, and this trend is likely to continue. The global telemedicine market is expected to reach a value of 460 billion U.S. dollars by 2030. Also, the government of India makes efforts in promoting Telemedicine and set out the budget for Telemedicine in 2022-2023

If you run a healthcare business and aren’t using a telehealth app, you could be missing out on opportunities. Here are a few reasons you should opt for telemedicine application development:

It is convenient: Using a telemedicine app makes it easier for patients to schedule an appointment with a doctor without going through the hassle of visiting faraway hospitals and waiting long hours for their turn. Remote consultations are also quicker and, in most cases, just as effective as in-person consultations.

Saves time: Delays are inevitable when it comes to in-person appointments – the patient can get stuck in traffic, or the doctor may have an emergency case. Remote consulting via telemedicine apps save you from such unforeseen situations, thereby saving time on both ends.

Easier to maintain patient records: With telehealth apps, storing and viewing the medical records of patients becomes much easier. Doctors across different departments can quickly access the necessary documents and paperwork from the app, saving time and ensuring a better treatment process. Moreover, the app makes it easier for patients to upload and share their medical documents with their doctors without leaving their homes for an online doctor consultation app.

More economical: Telemedicine apps enable patients to avail treatment while avoiding transport and other associated costs. This makes remote consultations more cost-effective. Hospitals and independent medical professionals can also benefit by saving on service and maintenance costs.

 

Steps to Build a Telemedicine App

If you want to build a healthcare app, it’s best to reach out to a Telemedicine app development company with proven expertise. But before that, there are some steps you need to follow:

Step 1: Identify the target audience for your app

Step 2: Determine the type and purpose of the app

Step 3: Decide on the essential features and functionalities

Step 4: Calculate an estimated budget for your app

Step 5: Get the app developed by a team of professionals

The final development process is crucial — you need to have proper planning when it comes to the development platform, UX/UI design, programming language, etc. This will ensure you have a high-quality application.

 

Key Features That Your Telemedicine App Should Have 

All telemedicine apps need to have dedicated patient, doctor, and admin panels. Below are some standard features that you need to include to make your app successful.

User dashboard: Patients and doctors can view and update information and access all other features through the dashboard.

Instant notifications: Real-time notifications to inform users about upcoming appointments, as well as rescheduling and cancellations.

Video, chat, and voice communication: Multiple modes of communication, including voice, video, and chat, help make the consultation and follow-up process more efficient.

Appointment history: Users can view their appointment history as and when needed.

Electronic health records: This feature keeps all patient data organized, helping faster retrieval during treatment.

End-to-end encryption: End-to-end encryption ensures the safety of confidential patient records.

 

Final Words

A telemedicine app can make high-quality healthcare services accessible to patients residing in far-off locations. And for healthcare organizations, this can bring in better profits. But, as the success of your app depends on its quality, make sure you go for only the best Telemedicine app development services.

At EMed HealthTech, we provide best-in-class telemedicine app development solutions to healthcare businesses around the world. With a strong focus on quality, we design effective telehealth apps customized to your specific requirements. Want to build an efficient app to boost your healthcare business? Get in touch with us today!

How to Build the Best Healthcare App for Online Doctor Consultation?

How to Build the Best Healthcare App for Online Doctor Consultation?

Posted on | by Ami Kothari

The healthcare sector has lately experienced rapid developments, thanks to the recent pandemic. With this boost, patients from all demographics have begun adopting digital technologies for personal healthcare. This evolution in the market has revealed the power of Telemedicine and online doctor consultation apps to the masses. After all, when apparel, groceries, and household items can be viewed or ordered online, why not healthcare services?

However, like most other rapidly growing digital industries, only the best would survive in healthcare as well. In this piece, we explain how you can get the best digital application for doctor appointment booking built for your healthcare business and solidify your space in the market!

Understanding the Need for Online Doctor Consultation App

Online consultations are not a recent phenomenon – businesses have been taking advantage of the internet for decades. However, healthcare was a sector that lagged behind. The average consumer is used to one-click services and doorstep delivery these days. 

While most, if not all healthcare businesses are online, the ones winning the game focus on the quality of user experience! Realizing that people value easy access to timely and high-quality consultations is the key to success in the digital healthcare space. 

Doctor Appointment Booking App For Patients 

The foremost feature that an online doctor consultation app/Telemedicine app requires is peer-to-peer video calling, regardless of the device. This is especially beneficial for the elderly and patients suffering from critical conditions. If the patient can set and engage in a video consultation with ease, there is nothing like it. 

With a smooth-flowing interface on a doctor consultation app, patients would not just be able to book an appointment, but also follow up and see their medicine orders on their smartphones, laptops, or tablets. 

Doctor App For Healthcare Professionals

Features like group calls, screen sharing, and real-time chat let doctors connect with each other for virtual discussions. Group calls are a great way to hold online meetings with stakeholders and peers. Text chats, on the other hand, let doctors talk to their patients one on one for better clarity on both sides. Secure lines of chat communication instill confidence in the patients’ minds and help doctors do their job better. 

An additional screen-sharing feature would help doctors connect with pharma representatives from their devices and see their offerings on new medications. 

Doctor App For Healthcare Companies

Besides the usual data-sharing routine, in-house applications can do a lot for your business. If you are a doctor, hospital, or pharmacy, doctor consultation app development can be a complete game-changer for your enterprise. Bespoke development would allow multiple features integrated into the app according to your preference. 

Share your files with the group or even third parties directly through the app – no need for other file-sharing applications. Say goodbye to the risk of data theft or unauthorized access! 

 

How Does the Telemedicine/Doctor Consultation App Work? 

Pandemic or not, digital healthcare is the need of the hour! Digital healthcare is beneficial to every healthcare user. As more and more people interact with this technology, they would no longer feel the need to go back to the traditional ways. With a heightened level of interaction between doctors, patients, and stakeholders, these applications are paving the way for exciting opportunities for growth in the sector. 

Friendly User-Interface

Patients can get in touch with their preferred doctors in no time – all they need is a device and the internet! The application can be designed for personalized updates, tracking, and record-keeping, helping patients achieve their healthcare goals with ease. 

Increased Awareness and Retention

Companies that deploy cutting-edge applications into their healthcare business are reporting improved brand awareness that goes a long way. Add to that great service, and you have a winning formula for the retention of existing customers. The internet-based calling feature eliminates the need for cellular calling or text messaging. Why would patients go anywhere else when they have everything they need in one familiar place?

Improved Revenue

Increase your revenue with the inherent qualities of time management in the doctor consultation app. The application fosters anytime, anywhere communication between doctors and patients, saving time for both parties. With in-built medicine order ordering options, patients can order their medication in no time. All this inevitably leads to more revenue streams and hence, improved numbers for your business

Building the Doctor Appointment Booking App/Telemedicine

Building the right doctor appointment booking app requires a holistic approach that covers the requirements of both patients and doctors. Professional healthcare application development utilizes a well-calculated and step-by-step development methodology that keeps your business needs in mind. With an experienced app development company, you get a world-class application within a short duration. 

Online Doctor Consultation

It all starts with a detailed consultation that brings you and the development team on the same page about your goals, budgets, and timelines. Based on these factors, standard app features can be built along with additionally requested ones. 

The Interface of the Doctor Consultation App

Programmers code and bridge multiple app features like VoIP calling, file-sharing, and progress tracking in a synchronous application that works without flaws. Rigorous testing for bugs and incompatible features ensures a smooth user experience. 

Compliance

Professional application development also takes care of legal compliances that protect patient data. Patients are more likely to install trustworthy software which is compliant with the required regulatory guidelines. 

EMed HealthTech is a renowned doctor appointment app development company that specializes in developing customized healthcare applications such as Telemedicine apps, and doctor apps,  for all devices. We are proud to have worked with all kinds of healthcare businesses, right from local pharmacies to some of the largest corporations in the healthcare sector. Click here to contact us and get started on your journey to online success!