Mobile apps have revolutionized the healthcare system by making diagnosis and treatment more accessible, affordable, and efficient. No longer do patients have to wait for an opening in a doctor’s schedule for an appointment. Video chats make getting help for some medical issues more effortless than ever.
Technological advancements in healthcare mobile apps benefit patients, doctors, pharmacists, and hospital staff, providing vital information at their fingertips.
Patients can use their smartphones and tablets to access high-quality healthcare, while providers are no longer bogged down with mountains of paperwork. Information becomes readily accessible to provider superior treatment.
There are multiple types of healthcare apps available today, including:
● Physician referral apps – provide simplicity in finding the right specialist through a review of doctor profiles and recommendations
● Urgent care apps – patients can reach out for rapid help during emergencies
● Telemedicine apps – provide virtual appointments
● Outpatient apps – helps improve the quality of care for patients and providers
● General hospital apps – patients can review services and quality of care
● Health management apps – allow patients to track their progress, treatment, and vital information
● Tracking apps – these apps benefit both the hospitals and patients as they can monitor appointments and medications
● Clinical reference and diagnostic apps – allow practitioners to manage their patients’ files and records
● Fitness and wellness apps – help patients with monitoring sleep, exercise, calories, stress, and other factors to improve their health and quality of life
What Are the Benefits of Healthcare Mobile Apps?
One of the best features of mobile healthcare apps is the ability for providers to customize it to their needs. Far beyond the simplicity of scheduling an appointment to see or speak to a doctor, patients now have vital information and medical records available whenever needed.
Medical networks allow providers to read reports from other providers, see test results, and check medications and medical records before issuing prescriptions.
⮚ Here are some of the leading benefits of mobile healthcare apps for providers:
▪ Quick and easy way to manage medical records: Providers can manage treatment through direct access to test results and reports from other professionals. Doctors can gather patient information from numerous sources to review, diagnose, and treat.
▪ Easy connection with patients: mobile apps allow healthcare providers to connect quicker with their patients, providing valuable information sooner than waiting for follow-up office visits. Communication is one of the biggest challenges for doctors, as timely responses can be complicated with busy schedules. Patients may forget information they want to provide during appointments. Mobile health apps close the communication gap allowing 24/7 access for patients to send messages to their providers. Doctors can work remotely, accessing patients’ records to provide superior treatment.
▪ Minimizes misdiagnosis risks: accurate report storage allows doctors to determine the diagnosis and create a personalized treatment plan. Healthcare professionals can use mobile health apps to quickly access laboratory reports, clinical guidelines, medical calculators, medication reference guides, and drug databases to make informed treatment decisions for their patients.
▪ Easy prescription ordering: doctors no longer have to write prescriptions or call pharmacies. Prescriptions are quickly sent through the app to the patient’s pharmacy on record.
▪ Convenient remote monitoring: the provider can monitor the patient’s progress through tracking apps, discovering in real time if a problem requires intervention or treatment. Doctors can also monitor patients following operations, improving postoperative recovery and facilitating faster discharge.
▪ Cost reduction: mobile healthcare apps reduce the cost of unnecessary diagnostic procedures by lowering the risk of developing preventable chronic illnesses and the risk of hospital readmissions.
▪ Improved coordination: mobile healthcare apps help medical facilities streamline processing and communications, especially between doctors and hospitals.
⮚ Here are some of the leading benefits of mobile healthcare apps for patients:
▪ Encourage patients to take a more active role in their care: patients using mobile healthcare apps take a more proactive role in their health. They have access to vital information, save time and money getting the help they need, and can provide easy follow-up information to the healthcare provider.
▪ Easy managing of medical records: for patients, having immediate access to medical records means they can share this information with other providers or print it out to take to other appointments. Patients can organize and store their medical records for better self-care.
▪ Finding a specialist: patients can search their areas for doctors, read reviews from other patients, and check insurance acceptance with a few clicks.
▪ Having better results in treatment: mobile healthcare apps provide easy access to information on topics that can improve treatment outcomes.
▪ Saves time: instead of waiting on hold to contact the doctor’s office, you can send a message directly through the app. Also, if the doctor is off the day test results come in, you can still access them through many healthcare apps.
▪ Video consultations: mobile healthcare apps that allow for video consultations mean you can “meet” with the doctor sooner than waiting for an office appointment. That rapid turnaround time allows for quicker treatment or answers to your questions.
▪ Minimize medical complications: patients can use mobile health apps for early warning detection.
▪ Saving money: patients spend less for virtual care services than in-office appointments. The cost savings can make it more affordable for people to seek medical treatment.
Examples Where Useful Apps Can Help:
Improving patient-doctor communications is a vital way where mobile healthcare apps are helpful. These apps simplify contacting the provider, receiving answers to questions, or accessing vital records. Mobile healthcare apps also add convenience in many ways.
⮚ Healthcare mobile apps can simplify your life in ways such as these:
▪ Prescriptions online: access to prescription medications used to require office visits. Now, with mobile healthcare apps, patients can utilize video or telemedicine for consultations to discuss various health concerns. Receiving prescriptions at home is very convenient, easy, and faster than it might take when waiting for an available in-office appointment. For example, if you have a hormonal imbalance, such as a growth hormone deficiency, you can get professional advice and an HGH prescription online (here). Such a relief! ▪ Setting an appointment online: waiting on hold over the phone can be tiresome and time-consuming. Now, mobile apps allow direct scheduling of appointments with the chosen doctor. Patients can select the date and time that works for them, including in-office and video chats.
▪ Easy messaging with professionals: sending a message to your provider is easier than ever through the app. The doctor receives this message in real-time, enabling faster responses than waiting to listen to phone messages.
⮚ Healthcare mobile apps can provide added convenience:
▪ Having your medical history on your device: mobile healthcare apps allow you to access your information from anywhere. This feature is beneficial if a new provider or specialist is not in your general network. At your appointment, you can pull up the necessary information on your phone or tablet.
▪ Easy access to your health information: instead of waiting for medical records to return your call and mailing the necessary information, everything is available on the app. You can often download or print the required documents that you need.
▪ Get reminders: healthcare apps allow for automatic reminders for appointments and prescription renewals, eliminating calls to the doctor’s scheduling or prescription line.
▪ Convenient payment access: online apps provide an easy and private way for patients to pay their healthcare bills. Secured gateway systems allow multiple payment methods, including debit and credit cards.
▪ Tracking your health status: healthcare apps today can detect changes in breathing, sugar levels, blood pressure, and more. These apps provide early detection of certain conditions, collecting vital data and recognizing changes before they become severe. Many mobile apps can be integrated with smartwatches, pedometers, and other wearable monitoring devices.
▪ Help you maintain a healthy lifestyle: mobile apps that focus on helping you stay or get in shape and improve your health and life are extremely popular. These apps can help you find the best diet for your body and track your body mass, sleep, blood pressure, heart rate, caloric intake, steps, and other vital information. You can use these apps to set goals and get support and advice.
Conclusion
Mobile healthcare apps continue to revolutionize the medical industry, allowing patients and providers better access and communication. From doctors to hospitals to patients’ homes, mobile healthcare apps are changing how we get vital information and treatment.
These apps benefit medical professionals by improving service and care to their patients. Providers can access crucial information, reduce wait times, and monitor patient progress.
Patients have improved access to providers, vital health information, and medical records. Making it easier for patients to contact their healthcare professionals can decrease the risk of hospital stays and chronic illness.
Mobile apps will continue to improve healthcare as technology progresses well into the future.