The spread of wearable gadgets and the global pandemics are fuelling the growth of the need for healthcare apps such as telecommunication tools, online workouts and tracking apps. To tap into the industry, you should first learn how to develop a healthcare app and here is a set of steps you can take.
Make sufficient market research
Modern mHealth apps are highly diverse but all of them can be categorised by their target users.
Apps providing healthcare, fitness or wellness assistance are dedicated to patients. Medical professionals are using apps helping them to offer such services to patients while medical institutions rely on tools designed for management and organisation.
Remember to study the products offered by your competitors which will help you to create a unique app and avoid the flaws of the existing projects. Note that successful healthcare apps are focused on very specific niches rather than aiming to tackle all possible healthcare issues.
Consider how to develop a healthcare app compatible with innovative technologies
Depending on the exact purpose of your mHealth app and its target group, you will need to use some of the modern technologies which will depend on the age, gender, geographical location and income of your audience.
Choosing a platform and proper functionality for your app, such as GPS or a camera is the first step. For mHealth apps integration with other technologies, for example, with wearable devices is also significant. Additionally, your audience might benefit from some innovative approaches including IoT, blockchain, AI, AR and VR.
Pick your model for monetisation
Of course, not all of the apps can be or should be monetised, for instance, it is untypical for the products created for medical institutions. Yet, in many other cases, you can successfully adopt one of the strategies for monetising, even if your app will be free. In any situation, it is better to think about this point before you start developing your product.
Respect the expectations of your target group
Since you are wondering how to develop a healthcare app which will be popular among users, its design should meet their common expectations such as high usability and great user experience designed in the compliance with WCAG. Pay great attention to the users with possible disabilities who are one of the major groups of mHealth app users.
Provide your users with security and encryption necessary for payments and processing sensitive information. Add helpful functionality such as tracking, scheduling, charting and reporting as well as generating reminders and push notifications.
Conclusions: let your MVP grow
Work on smaller and more specific apps to provide the best solution for a well-defined problem, however, do not wait for creating a perfect product. Develop your MVP and launch it as soon as possible. Its first users will guide you through the upgrading process and help you to understand their needs better.
