Mobile apps for telemedicine: all the benefits and challenges

by Ashish Sharma Digital Marketing Expert

In today’s world, people are using mobile application for easy accessibility and convenience. The advancement in the technology and introduction of internet has sprawled to increase in the number of Smartphone users.

With technological development in all the sectors, the healthcare sector is also embracing the application of new techniques. The patients also anticipate convenient care and accessibility to healthcare services from home. Mobile apps for telemedicine bridge the gap between patients and doctors with easy access to medical services and patient monitoring.

What do you understand by telemedicine?

Telemedicine is the practice of delivering medical care to the patients situated in remote locations with the use of telecommunications and information technology. The mobile device needs to have an internet connection for the services. Elderly population and patients with chronic disease are able to take convenient care as it is difficult for them to visit hospitals regularly for checkups. Earlier it was used just to render services in remote areas, but now it is used by the population to save time and for immediate care in minor medical conditions that need immediate attention.

Benefits of telemedicine for the patients:

· Convenient care: The telemedicine applications enable patients to reserve an online appointment. It saves time by eliminating the need to visit hospitals for meeting in-person meeting with the doctors. The patients can communicate with the doctors through video calls, sending text messages or forwarding medical records that can be reviewed by the doctors later.

· Saves time: It provides faster consultation and results to the patients. The appointment can be started straight after connecting on video conference. The patients do not need to spend time in the waiting rooms of the hospitals. It also saves the cost incurred in traveling.

· On-demand care: Telemedicine offers the patients an option for on-demand medical care services. It is for the patients who are in remote locations and don’t have access to the medical services also the patients who cannot take time off from their work to visit hospitals.

· Medical records: The patients can have access to electronic medical records all the time and at any location. The applications allow the patients to review their records and also to share among the Family.

· Access to a specialist: The telemedicine enables the patients to seek the services of the specialist from any location. They can reach the specialist through video calls and text messages.

Benefits of telemedicine apps for healthcare providers

· Flexibility: The telemedicine app allows the doctors to provide services from any locations, even from home. It enables them to maintain a balance between work and professionals life. It also allows them to see more clients after the business hours of hospitals and clinics.

· Less administration work: most often, the doctors time is spent on administrative work. The telemedicine application allows the doctors to see more patients with less burden of the paper works.

· Increased revenue: As the doctor is able to see more patients, they earn increased revenue. Along with better patient care, the doctors consult the patients on video conferencing and also on text messages. It enables doctors to monitor patients remotely. It allows fixing more appointments and increases their reach to more patients.

· Increased patient engagement: The use of telemedicine has enhanced the rates of patients’ engagements and better patient care. The doctors can maintain the patients' engagements, meetings and maintain a schedule. The virtual care assures the patients the availability of the doctors and provides a convenient way to reach out.

Challenges in telemedicine app development

· Data Security: The prime concern is the security of data and records. The health data of the patient is very sensitive. The application stores and maintains all the records in electronic format and the developers have to be careful to design a secure app where data is protected against any breach and misuse.

· Reduced care continuity: The patients get connected to the different care providers at the meetings and there are chances that the provider cannot access all the records and medical history of the patient. The decreased care continuity also reduce the care quality of the patients

· Compliances and regulations: There is much compliance in the development of medical applications. The developers have to comply with all the regulations and HIPAA compliance in the development of telemedicine applications.

· Policies and reimbursement procedures: There are different policies of telehealth in different states. Still, there are no clear laws and policies for the implementation of telehealth. The doctors face challenges in reimbursement procedures. The rules are still in the development and there are only a few services that are liable to the reimbursement.