Quick Summary: This blog spills the beans on the importance of patient-doctor communication and how healthcare apps can help improve the same.
In the traditional healthcare system, patient-doctor communication often felt like monodirectional. Patients were passive recipients of information; they would share their concerns with doctors but the consultations used to quickly end with a prescription and the date of the next visit (if required).
The arrival and quick adoption of healthcare apps have transformed the entire scenario and how patients and doctors communicate. Today, patients don’t need to visit a doctor to discuss their healthcare problems and get treatment plans. They can simply download a healthcare application and connect with doctors.
Healthcare or telemedicine apps have empowered patients to foster open communication, with doctors, without hesitation or the hassle of visiting hospitals or medical facilities. Curious to know more? Let’s dig deeper into this blog that focuses on how healthcare apps improve patient-doctor communication.
Healthcare Apps for Patient-Doctor Communication: Popularity Statistics
Before we move on further, let’s check some interesting statistics about patient-doctor communication apps or telemedicine applications:
- The global number of users opting for virtual doctor consultations is projected to reach approximately 124 million by 2026.
- Worldwide revenue of virtual doctor consultations is forecasted to reach 35.83 billion by 2028.
- The global market size for telemedicine is anticipated to reach around 432 billion by 2032.
The aforementioned stat reveals the immense potential of healthcare apps for patient-doctor communication and getting personalized treatment plans.
Why Does Patient-Doctor Communication Matter?
Clear communication between patient and doctor is imperative for a lot of reasons; some of them are as follows:
Accurate Diagnosis
When patients clearly communicate about the problem’s symptoms, lifestyle habits, and medical histories, healthcare professionals can accurately diagnose the root and offer the right treatment.
Enhanced Treatment Plans
Having thorough information about the patient’s disease symptoms enables doctors to develop personalized treatment plans based on the specific requirements of a particular patient.
Increased Adherence to Medication
Getting the right treatment plan motivates patients to adhere to their medication to achieve better outcomes. When they have a healthcare app to connect with their doctor at any time, it also makes the doctor just a call or message away.
Reduced Medical Errors
Open communication prevents misunderstandings and errors in understanding the patient’s problem. It minimizes errors in designing a personalized treatment plan.
Enhanced Patient Satisfaction
When doctors properly listen to the patients, the patients feel heard and understood, which enhances their experience of getting healthcare services.
Improved Patient-Doctor Relationship
Open communication fosters a positive relationship between healthcare service providers and patients, which builds trust as well.
5 Ways How Healthcare Apps Improve Patient-Doctor Communication
Healthcare applications developed by a reputed healthcare app development company contribute to improving patient-doctor communication in the following ways:
#1 Increases Healthcare Accessibility
Telemedicine apps provide patients with a platform to access healthcare services without stepping out of their homes. It reduces wait times and the hassle of going to clinics and hospitals while improving healthcare accessibility.
#2 Enhances Information Sharing
Healthcare apps allow patients to easily share their symptoms, medical history, test reports, and more with doctors in no time. Patients can easily book online appointments via voice or video calls. It also reduces admin burdens and the need for manually maintaining records of patients.
#3 Secure Messaging
Patients can easily consult with doctors by sending them a message through the app. These messages can be anything, including a query related to the medication and sharing new symptoms of the problem. Messaging via an app also increases the confidentiality and privacy of the data and information shared with healthcare professionals.
#4 Brings Personalization to Treatment Plans
With the integration of artificial intelligence, telemedicine applications for patient-doctor communication collect and analyze patient data. Based on the insights provided by this data, the doctors can design tailored treatment plans.
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#5 Improves Patient Engagement
Healthcare applications can be a medium to educate patients about their health issues by providing direct access to educational materials and resources. They can also explore various treatment options by being a part of the community option given in the app. It increases patient engagement.
#6 Improves Symptom Tracking
Healthcare apps also improve symptom tracking by enabling patients to record their symptoms, severity, and other critical information. They can even share these symptom details with their healthcare providers, allowing them to diagnose and monitor health conditions.
3 Popular Healthcare Applications for Patient-Doctor Communication
Here are some of the popular and free medical apps for patients to enable them to connect with doctors.
#1 MyChart
Headquartered in Michigan, USA, MyChart is one of the recognized apps for healthcare professionals and patients. Patients can use the app to book appointments, store and access their medical records, and request prescription refills. They can connect with healthcare providers through video calls, calls, and secure messaging.
#2 ZocDoc
It is one of the trusted apps for doctor-patient communication with its headquarters in New York City. ZocDoc provides patients with a platform to connect with doctors for dental and other medical consultations. Patients can openly communicate with medical experts by booking an online appointment. They can choose a healthcare provider based on their location, expertise, and insurance.
#3 HealthTap
HealthTap is one of the reputed healthcare mobile apps for patients and doctors that allows them to connect for virtual consultations. By booking an online appointment with a doctor of their choice, patients can openly discuss their health problems and receive personalized recommendations or treatment plans. Besides telemedicine services, Healthtap also offers seamless access to a library of health information and articles.
How to Build a Healthcare App for Patient-Doctor Communication?
Now that you know enough about how telemedicine apps transform patient-doctor communication, let’s check out the development process for a healthcare app for professionals and patients.
Define Your Requirements
The first step is to prepare a list of the app requirements, including the tech stack for development, telemedicine app features, functionalities, deployment platform (Android or iOS), and monetization strategies.
UI/UX Design
Design an intuitive and interactive user experience and user interface with navigation that users of any age can understand. It will also reflect your brand’s vision to your users.
MVP Development
Create an MVP or minimum viable product for your app with core features and USPs. Launch it among your target audience or investors to validate your app idea and ensure the chances of your app’s success.
Development and Testing
Based on the feedback received on the MVP, create a full-fledged application with advanced features and functionality. During the development, ensure the app is HIPPA and GDPR compliant and implement robust data encryption techniques. Thoroughly test the app at each milestone to make sure there are no bugs and the application functions as expected.
Launch and Maintenance
Launch the app on Android and iOS or both platforms by adhering to the submission guidelines. Continuously monitor the app for users’ feedback, technical glitches, and updates. Keep on adding new features to make your app competitive and enhance user experience.
To make your app stand out, add exciting features such as secure messaging, appointment scheduling, medical record keeping and sharing, symptom tracking, telehealth capabilities, and more. In case, you don’t want to build a healthcare mobile app for patient-doctor communication on your own, connect with a reputed telemedicine app development company.
Read More: Healthcare App Development: A Detailed Guide
Conclusion
The growing popularity of healthcare apps and the increasing trend of remote or virtual consultations have revolutionized how doctors and patients communicate. These apps break all geographical boundaries, enabling patients to connect with any medical professional worldwide. Patients can openly communicate with them to discuss their health issues and get treatment plans.
Read this blog to understand how apps built by a recognized telemedicine application development company improve patient-doctor communication for accurate diagnoses, personalized treatment, increased healthcare accessibility, and secure messaging. In case, you are interested in a patient-doctor communication app development, check out the stepwise process given in this blog or connect with an experienced healthcare app developer.