The healthcare industry is constantly changing. Technology has now become an integral part of this industry. Since the very beginning, doctors and other healthcare providers are in search of better ways to treat patients and heal them faster. Without any doubt, technology has fastened the pace of treating people better. When it comes to the contribution of technology to the healthcare industry, it will be unfair if we do not give room to the best Telemedicine App Development practices. 

Over the years, people are habituated to visit a doctor physically in order to get healthcare advice. It is also true that at the very beginning a lot of people were reluctant to use telemedicine. We know that when something revolutionary takes the place, a lot of people need some time to get accustomed to that. And in the case of Telemedicine App Development, there is no difference. 

What is telemedicine? 

The telemedicine process is actually the exchange of medical information between users via electronic communication. Without any doubt, such a service helps people to get emergency support. With the help of this service, offering emergency healthcare to rural places has become possible. Even a lot of governments have welcomed the Telemedicine App Development process. 

During the starting of the COVID-19 pandemic, the telemedicine service is getting a bit extra attention. But it has been in the practice for over 40 years. In order to make this practice more superior and more accessible, telemedicine apps have entered the genre. 

Telemedicine app development is quite a beneficial thing for both users and owners. These applications are just a perfect blend of convenience and healthcare mobility. If you are a digital-centric entrepreneur or running a health start-up, a Telemedicine App Development will be profitable for you. 

Today, we at Vyrazy Labs, are going to share A-Z details about the telemedicine app development. Or we can say that being a leading healthcare app development company, we are going to share our experience and development process of the best telemedicine apps. 

How do we do Telemedicine App Development?

When it comes to developing a telemedicine app, we go through a long process. We do not skip any short step ever. We have seen that some developers from other settings try to skip the short steps. But skipping the short steps results in a greater mess later. And that’s why we go step by step and keep the entire process mess-free. 

Steps we follow to develop the best telemedicine apps

Step 1: We make a solid app plan

When we start developing an app irrespective of the type, at the first move, we work on the app idea. In order to ensure the success of the app, we need to evaluate the app idea also. I mean the app idea is really going to bring any change to the genre or not. Offering something average is not a good idea especially when the app market is getting filled with lots of new apps on a regular basis. 

So, we first check the app idea of the client/our and then try to modify it with our business experts. After finalizing the app idea, we start designing the project plan. In order to complete the task within the promised time with high-quality, making a project plan is important. How many days to invest, which development team to engage, working shift, sprint review, and so many other things we plan and organize in this step. 

There is another most important task that we complete in this step and that is selecting the feature set. Without any doubt, the feature set is the kind. The right set of features can offer amazing user retention. On the other hand, the wrong set of features can make your users uninstall the app. We will discuss in detail the best features that a telemedicine app should have in 2020. 

Step 2: We give them quotes

In the second stage, our clients generally ask for a quote. We also feel that offering a quote before starting the actual app development task is important. In this way, both clients and app development companies can do better budget management. 

Our quotation service is super easy as all you need to do is just fill the quote form available on the contact us page and hit the submit button. There you can share the details of the requirements and we will be eight back to you as soon as possible. 

Based on your requirements and app idea, we may have a detailed discussion with you before offering the final quote. 

Step 3: Decide the action plan

After finalizing the project plan and budget, in the third step, we decide on the action plan as well as the terms of the app development project. In this step, we need to discuss the project management tools, MVP project scope, and sign an NDA for the proper safeguard arrangement for the application. By the end of the third step, we ensure that we have completed all the paperwork and recheck the terms and conditions of the client. After successfully completing all these tasks, finally we move to the actual development task. 

Step 4: Start the app development

In the 4th step, we actually start the application development task. In order to develop the best telemedicine apps, we start with developing app frameworks, mockups, and design prototypes. When the client approves the design, we start the coding task. After completing coding, we do proper testing and bug fixing. In this way, we ensure that our developed telemedicine app will be fully functional and offer an amazing user experience. 

During the testing procedure, we make sure that all the discussed features have been implemented properly. Along with this, we also check that the app and its features are working accordingly on various platforms and designs. 

Generally, when we perform such tasks, we keep the client in the loop so that we can get valuable feedback and instructions at the right time and do the needful. 

Step 5: Prepare the app demo

When we get ready with the app and mentioned features for the telemedicine app, we offer the client a project demo. If the client asks to do some changes we do that instantly. After getting approval from the client, we start with the paperwork for the app publishing and soon we publish that app on the best marketplace. 

Step 6: app deployment

According to the choice of the client, we either deploy the app on the Apple app store or Google play store. We follow all the guidelines that these application stores provide for successful app deployment. Along with the app, we also publish the required details of the app and the owner so that the client can get the maximum benefits as well as recognition. 

We follow these 6 steps with care and dedication so that we can offer the best telemedicine apps. After the steps, it is time to explore the features that a telemedicine app should have to ensure the best service and ease of use to all end users. 

All the best features we should consider while a telemedicine app development 

In order to prepare the feature set properly, we have divided it into two categories such as features for the patient’s app and features for the doctor’s app.

Features for patient’s app: 

Registration

This is the first as well as an important feature for all kinds of apps out there. While telemedicine app development, we enable this feature for the patients. We prefer to keep the registration procedure as easy as possible. Sometimes, we also enable the one-tap registration process with the help of the third-parties. I mean users can use their social media or email account to do registration successfully. 

If the client does not want the one-tap registration benefit, we design a simple registration process for the app. Keeping the registration process simple is actually beneficial. Users do not prefer to share a lot of details in the very first step. So, we will suggest you ask for just a name and email address/phone number from your users at the time of registration.  

Patient profile

After the successful registration, a user should get a short-view of the entire app. The app should have space where the user will be able to add additional information for the ease of the future. The patient profile option will help patients to store all their required information such as age, sex, email address, diseases, location, and so many other things. 

Appointment booking

This is one of the most important features that you should include during the Telemedicine app development. Appointment booking is one of the most important tasks that all the patients or patient parties need to do to get the required healthcare advice from a professional doctor. 

There can be various types of patients. I mean people with minor to major health issues. And that’s why we prefer to keep the appointment booking feature as simple as possible. In order to schedule an appointment, no patient should pour extra attention or spend hours or go through a lot of steps. All they will do- search the doctor, check the calendar to find the available dates, and book an appointment. Just within 5-6 clicks, the entire procedure should complete.

Video calling

The telemedicine app should come with secure two-way communication support. In order to make it possible, we suggest adding the video calling feature during the Telemedicine app development. Video call benefits will successfully connect the doctor with the patients. In this way, both patients and doctors will be able to better convey the message. This feature will completely eliminate the need of visiting a doctor physically. 

It is not that all the diseases can be treated via video call without even visiting the doctor physically. But there are some diseases that can be treated fast through such a feature. In this way, a patient will connect with a doctor faster and get the required advice without traveling for hours. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for such apps as well as features has increased at a jaw-dropping level.

Chat

When it comes to offering medical treatment virtually, we cannot skip the need for chat features. The chat feature not only lets the users connect with the required healthcare provider but also adds a room of convenience. Sometimes, voice or video calling cannot be possible due to poor internet connection or lack of a suitable environment. For that kind of situation, we implement the chat feature during the telemedicine app development. Sometimes, video calling seems a big thing for both end-users. There are some requirements that can be well-satisfied via the chat function. 

Sometimes speaking rightly becomes hectic for a patient during fever or cough. So, it will be better if we give them a choice to write down his/her health issues and send the doctor to get the advice. 

Health information store and track

Patients should get an option to store their medical information on the app. There are some patients who go through long medical journeys. For them, organizing and tracking health information are true needs. 

So, during the Telemedicine app development, we should also design a feature to let the users store their medical records. It will help them to properly organize everything and track particular information whenever they want. Sometimes, a lot of development companies skip this feature as it is not directly related to communication. But we will suggest implementing this feature for sure to offer the users an amazing user experience. 

Easy Prescription sending

Making things in an app seamless is one of the most vital things that we should consider for the success of Telemedicine app development. An automatic prescription sending option does not only save time for both end-users but also keeps the process error-free. I mean after having a consultation with a doctor, all the patients will get a prescription with details. 

In order to generate a prescription, some common information can be taken from the user profile, and the medicine and other things will be prescribed by the doctor. It will also help the patients to get medicines fast from a nearby pharmacy. 

Payment 

After or before the consultation with the doctor, patients need to pay the consultation fees. You know that when it comes to payment, we need to take additional payment protection while designing the payment feature. 

With the help of this feature, patients will be able to pay the consultation fees at the time of appointment booking or just after having a consultation with a particular doctor. When we design any payment feature for the telemedicine apps, we enable all the possible protections so that patients can continue their journey with the telemedicine app without facing any error. 

Notifications

It is another most common yet powerful feature for nearly all kinds of applications out there. Notifications not only update a user about a particular task but also ensure the coming back of the users. 

Generally, after booking an appointment with a doctor, it gets confirmed only when that particular doctor approves it. A patient can forget about the appointment. With the help of the notification feature, reminding the status of the appointment and other factors will be possible. And that’s why we suggest all our clients never skip this simple yet powerful feature during the telemedicine app development. 

Rating and review

It is the last but not the least feature that we should consider while developing a telemedicine app. Enabling the rating and review feature is actually a great help for the owner to understand how the app is actually working. It is a great reflection of the user experience. 

Apart from this, there should be another review section for the patients where they will be able to share their experience with a particular doctor or healthcare provider. 

In 2020, almost all the applications come with this feature. So, while developing telemedicine apps, we should not skip it. 

Features for doctor’s app

After the features for the patient, now it comes to the features that we should implement for the doctors and other healthcare service providers. So, let’s explore what an ideal telemedicine app should have in 2020-

Doctor profile: this is the first step or feature that a doctor will experience with this app. Here, the doctor needs to create an account with all the required information. It will also go through the registration procedure. From one-tap easy sign-up to adding the professional details, this feature will take care of everything. Professional details must include degrees, university, area of specialization, and so on.

This feature should ask doctors to add all their professional details so that patients can search for the best one based on the requirement. 

Accept and reject the appointment

When a patient will book an appointment, the doctor should get a choice to either accept it or cancel it. There will be another calendar feature. It will help the doctor to quickly check the dates and times he/she can take more appointments with patients. If an appointment does not match with the free time, the doctor will be able to cancel it. 

This appointment accepts or rejects feature needs to be easy. We know that doctors and other healthcare service providers continue with a hectic working schedule. So, it will be better if we design an easy option for the doctors to instantly check the calendar and accept or reject an appointment accordingly. 

Video calls

This is one of the most important features of telemedicine apps in 2020. It will help the doctors to connect with their patients at the right time. Neither doctors nor the patients have to travel for miles to have a face to face consultation. 

According to doctors and the government, with this feature and a great telemedicine app, offering medical advice to people from far has become possible. It not only saves time for both patients and doctors but also helps in getting some emergency medical help. 

Chat

Just like the chat feature for the patient’s app, the in-app chat feature for the doctor’s app will also do the same task. I mean it will help the doctor to connect with the patients and give them medical advice and other information easily. 

It is a common fact that both doctors and patients cannot be available always for a video call at the same time. In that kind of situation, the chat option will help them to connect and discuss. It will help the doctors to discuss brief medical history, review test reports and treatment plans, and instantly resolve any query regarding the prescribed medicines. 

Appointment calendar

We have already mentioned that healthcare providers or doctors continue with a very hectic schedule. Telemedicine apps can help the doctors to schedule all the appointments and plan their own schedules. 

With the help of the appointment calendar, a doctor will be able to keep track of all the appointments daily, weekly, or monthly via the app. Before accepting a new appointment request, a doctor will be able to check the available time and consider whether to accept or not the appointment request. 

EHR review

Based on the demand of the client, sometimes we prefer to prepare an EHR review feature. It helps the doctors to quickly access the medical records of a patient and make a wise decision. Sometimes, reviewing all the medical records offline takes a lot of time and the patient gets the medical treatment in delay. But with the EHR review feature, record maintenance to access whenever it requires- everything is possible. 

If budget is not a bar, while developing telemedicine apps, we suggest everyone consider this feature. 

Medical prescription

This is another amazing feature on the list. It will save a lot of time by automating the process. In order to prepare a prescription, a doctor has to do a lot of tasks such as writing the name, age, sex, diseases, medicines, and complete it with a signature. With the automatic process, the general information of the patient can be filled automatically on the prescription along with the e-signature. The doctor has to fill in the name of the disease and required medicines, tests, etc. just after the video consultation, this feature will help the patient to get a prescription instantly. 

We have covered all the basic and basic + features that modern telemedicine apps should have in 2020 and in the coming years. Without any doubt, developing such telemedicine apps involves a lot of small to big tasks. For that, we can help you at the best level.

But maybe you are feeling a bit reluctant as you are not yet aware of the scope of telemedicine app development. We all know that the healthcare industry is a trillion-dollar industry and that is rising on a regular basis. According to research, in 2017, the telemedicine market generated $21.5 billion in revenue. By the end of 2023, it is going to reach $48.8 billion. It is progressing at a CAGR of 14.8% (2018-2023).  

How much does it cost for a Telemedicine App Development?

We know that before starting the app development together, it will be better for you if you can know a rough cost figure. It will help you to plan your budget and the next spending over promotion. 

The cost for developing an app depends on a lot of factors such as the number of features, platform, technology stack, and so on. Apart from this, the cost can be calculated based on the time that an app development company is spending on creation. In order to develop any telemedicine app, development companies generally spend 280-300 hours. 

Every company has its own development charges per hour. If you want to work with UK or USA based companies, you have to pay some bucks extra per hour. It will be a big amount in total. But if you choose any India-based development company, you can save some bucks and get quality service at the same time. Actually, due to the different currency rates, the charges increase or decrease. 

In the area of software application development, India has paved a great place in the international market. Already, thousands of entrepreneurs are enjoying the perks of applications made by Indian companies. It is not only a great place to get intelligent services but also it helps in saving a lot. 

Conclusion

After a long discussion over telemedicine app development, now it is time to conclude. From the best features to the approximate development time- we have discussed everything that an entrepreneur or investor should know before starting the development. 

The quality and the performance of the application depend on the app development company at a great level. So, it will be better if you do detailed research about the selected companies before finalizing one for your telemedicine app development. The growth of the telemedicine market is solid. So, we must say that pouring attention, time, and money will be a wise choice by entrepreneurs and healthcare startups.