How to Create an On-Demand Doctor App
Mobile apps have greatly changed the healthcare field, making it much easier for people to get medical help whenever needed.
One type of mobile app that is getting more and more popular is the on-demand doctor app. With these apps, you can contact a doctor without having to see them tet-a-tet.
If you’re thinking about creating your own on-demand doctor app, this guide will help you understand the different kinds of remote healthcare apps, what features to embed, and how much it might cost.
Types of On-Demand Doctor Apps in Healthcare
Before you start creating your app, it’s important to know the different kinds of options on the market. Normally, they include the following:
Synchronous Apps
Synchronous solutions let patients talk to their healthcare providers right away using video calls, voice calls, or chat. So, you can get medical help instantly without having to go to the doctor’s office, which is really helpful in emergencies.
Asynchronous Apps
Asynchronous apps allow patients to send their medical questions, symptoms, or pictures whenever it suits them. Doctors can review these messages and respond when they’re available without needing to coordinate schedules for a live discussion.
Remote Monitoring Systems
Remote monitoring systems help keep track of the body’s condition all the time. They can connect to wearable devices or sensors to check a heart rate, blood sugar, or how much a person moves.
This information then goes to a doctor so they can see what aspects need improvement and help if anything needs attention.
Mental Health Solutions
Mental health apps offer support for issues like anxiety, depression, or stress. They let you talk to a licensed therapist through video or text or give you tools to help manage your mental health better.
Specialty Software
Specialty software is designed for specific medical needs like skin care, heart health, or women’s health. It connects patients with specialists in these areas, allowing them to receive expert advice and treatment no matter where they are.
Platforms for Healthcare Institutions
Platforms made for hospitals and clinics make it easy to add telemedicine services to their existing systems. They offer features such as connecting with electronic health records, scheduling appointments, and handling billing processes.
Key Features for Doctor Appointment App
Creating a telehealth application involves including key features to make it easy for both patients and practitioners to use.
- Sign Up and Profile: This feature lets users create accounts within the platform and enter simple personal info like their name, email, and password, as well as add more complex details, such as medical history, insurance number, and payment options.
- Booking Appointments: Appointment scheduling helps patients pick up meetings with healthcare consultants when they’re free. Users can see when slots are open, pick dates and times they like, and get confirmation messages.
- Messaging and File Sharing: Secure messaging and file-sharing capabilities let patients and doctors discuss any issues or share any necessary files between visits.
- Video Calls with Live Chat: This feature helps people talk to specialists through live video. And if needed, they can also chat in real-time during the video call to quickly discuss any worries or questions they have.
- Access to Medical Records: Connecting electronic health record systems allows doctors to see all of a patient’s medical history, lab results, medications, and other important info during appointments.
- Getting Prescriptions: These features enable specialists to send prescriptions to recipients electronically through the app. Users can handle prescriptions, refills, and dosage info and get reminders, which helps them take medications correctly.
- Payments and Bills: Secure payment processing functionality allows users to pay directly through the app for medical aid, prescriptions, and other healthcare services.
- Reminders and Updates: Push notifications and alerts pop up on your device to remind you about upcoming sessions, prescription refills, or other important updates. Users should be able to choose how they want to be notified to stay on top of their healthcare.
- Telehealth Marketplace: A telehealth marketplace is a part of the app where patients can search for doctors who match their needs and schedule appointments. Doctors, in turn, can list what they offer, set when they’re free for consultations, and handle patient bookings.
- Tracking and Analytics Tools: These tools help practitioners keep an eye on important stuff like who their patients are, if they show up to appointments, how long consultations last, and how happy visitors are. By looking at this data, providers can make their services better and work more at their best.
The Process of Doctor Appointment App Development
If you want to make the most of your on-demand doctor app, you need good planning, thoughtful development, and attention to what users want. Here’s a guide to walk you through it step by step:
Step 1: Specify Your Needs
Start by figuring out what you want your on-demand doctor platform to do. Think about who you’re making it for, what features it needs, and which medical services you want to provide through the software.
Also, decide on whether you need MVP (minimum viable product) development to test your idea in real-world circumstances.
Step 2: Choose the Right Tech Tools
When selecting the technology to build your software, make sure it can handle growth, keep information safe, and work well on various devices and systems.
Step 3: Design Easy-to-Use Screens
Make your application convenient for both care-seekers and healthcare providers. Keep things simple, make it easy to switch between the screens, and make sure everyone can use it without any trouble.
Step 4: Create a Strong Backend
Create a strong backend system that can manage user details, time slots, payments, and messages.
Step 5: Add Important Features
Don’t forget to include all the important features like video calls, messaging, setting appointments, managing prescriptions, and linking electronic health records (EHR).
Step 6: Follow Healthcare Rules
Follow the right healthcare rules and data protection laws, like HIPAA, to keep patients’ data safe and never violate the law.
Step 7: Test and Approve
Test the app well to find and fix any problems, like bugs, errors, or usability issues, before you start using it.
Step 8: Launch Your App
Put your on-demand doctor app on app stores and use marketing plans to get people and healthcare providers interested in using it.
Step 9: Keep Improving
Keep an eye on how well the system works, listen to what users say, and make changes based on improvements they want and what’s happening in the market.
The Cost of On-Demand Doctor App
The price of creating an on-demand doctor software depends on factors like what features you want to embed, how difficult it is to create, where the team is located, and what tech they use.
Usually, you pay for things like designing, building, testing, putting it out there, and keeping it up.
On average, a telemedicine app costs around several thousand dollars. But spending money on a truly outstanding solution with solid features and security is essential for keeping users happy in the long run.
Conclusion
Developing an on-demand doctor app is a great way to make medical treatment more accessible and improve patient care.
If you follow the steps in this guide and include the essential features, you can make a telemedicine platform that people will like and can change how health services work.
Looking to build your own on-demand doctor app but don’t have the right experts? Consider using IT outstaffing. At SCAND, you can hire skilled professionals who can work on your project. We can speed up your project without spending too much money or taking too long.