There are many on-demand apps available in the app market. One such app is a doctor on demand app that allows the app users (usual patients) to communicate with the doctor without having to visit them physically. The doctor’s appointment takes place either by phone or video. In the place of a desktop with a webcam, you can view patient scheduling from the smartphone using a telehealth app. Hence, doctor on demand app development is gaining popularity post-pandemic.
Even though telemedicine was helpful years ago in today’s time, especially post Covid, it has become imperative for hospitals and doctors. It has now become a crucial aspect of our everyday lives.
Also, take a look at – Telemedicine App Development
After speaking of the importance of telemedicine and doctor on-demand apps and their features, we explore the many challenges faced in telemedicine. But before that, let’s emphasize the numbers.
Market Statistics of the Doctor On-demand Mobile App
In 15 major cities, a U.S. report called the Merritt Hawkins Survey found that a fresh patient has to wait for about two-three weeks to get an appointment with a doctor. Around 70 percent of those surveyed would prefer an online visit over a simulated consultation.
More than 75 percent would like to get a choice to text their doctors. The telemedicine industry has registered tremendous growth since the pandemic, and as per Statista, this market is expected to reach around 460 billion USD by 2030. A report by McKinsey reveals that telehealth usage has increased by 38X more than the figures before the pandemic.
What are the Benefits of Developing a Doctor On demand App?
Some of the benefits of telemedicine apps are:
- Reduces healthcare cost
- Minimizes time lost owing to traffic congestion or other issues
- Efficiently reacts to emergencies
- Increased Patient Satisfaction
- Allows better control of the daily schedule
- Prevents losing patient data
- Many Specialists are available
- Additional income for doctors
- Maintains overall work-life experience among the physicians
Challenges faced while developing a doctor on demand app
Here are some of the doctor on demand app development challenges faced while creating this app category:
1. Data Security
Security is a significant concern for an on-demand Doctor app. Everyone wants their details and other data to be safe and secure, and the same is for patients. It can be a challenge for app developers to ensure the safety of the Doctor on-demand app regarding patients’ details. To deal with this issue and make mobile app development a safe process, the developers must send and receive encrypted data and use third-party servers that comply with rules & regulations.
2. UX/UI Implementation
When creating an app for patients and doctors, it is essential to have an impressive UX/UI design. More so, a doctor app’s UX/UI development will differ from one niche to another. So, each doctor on-demand app has two main components, one is for the patient, and another is for the physician. At times, keeping both elements separated can be challenging for the developers. So, when they overcome this challenge, it will make a massive difference in creating a powerful doctor on-demand app.
3. Compliant with Healthcare Legislation
It’s one common challenge faced by most developers while creating healthcare apps. As they develop an app, laws related to data collection, storage & processing must be subjected to rules & regulations for the different regions. Like creating a doctor appointment app for the U.S., ensure that it is HIPPA compliant within that region. You must pick a doctor appointment app development firm adhering to laws and build an app that complies with regulations to protect the patient’s information.
4. Payment & Billing Practices
A doctor’s on-demand app that is securely developed must offer patients a safe and secure payment method, whether credit card, debit card, or any other payment mode. Ensure that your app supports all kinds of payment & billing practices without any breach of the privacy policy and ensures security. After all, it is a secure app that is likely to attract patient engagement compared to an app with insecure payment methods & gateways. Hence, to make the app a success, try enabling safe & secure billing practices as that helps in gaining patients’ trust.
5. Performance
Even after creating a successful on-demand doctor app and offering customers a seamless app experience, most developers fail at ensuring remarkable app performance. It can result in facing failure & loss in the healthcare sector. Developers can deal with this challenge by focusing on the design performance at the initial doctor appointment app development stage. A mobile app with astonishing performance offers a fantastic audience and brings in high ROI and profit. So, give immense importance to this factor.
Also, Read – Doctor Appointment App Development – Cost and Key Features
6. Development Approach
With so many programming languages, development platforms, and frameworks present out there, often making the right decision gets challenging for doctors. Often, they get perplexed in picking the ideal programming language. However, to make the app a hit, be sure of the development approach and set a realistic development timeline. Before the app development, think about the nature of your business and put down your plan to choose the development type, whether it’ll be native, hybrid, or web-based. The right steps will decide your app’s success, so plan out with the professionals and begin doctor on-demand app development.
7. Backend Integration
Communication transparency is crucial to ensure the on-demand doctor app’s success. To achieve this, ensure that both app versions consist of backend integration. This separately built-in server seeks to arbitrate data sharing between the patient and doctor to ensure smooth communication. At the same time, protect your patient’s data through a HIPAA-compliant app.
8. Monetary Compensation
Many countries decided to enact a healthcare parity law based on billing mechanisms for remote patient treatment by healthcare professionals. So this makes payment procedures for both parties hassle-free, mainly when developers add secure card payment, medical insurance, modifiers, and codes into the app’s usage. Hence, enabling compensation for the doctor on-demand app development simplifies the process for all parties and results in app success.
Read More: Healthcare Software Development – A Detailed Guide
Final Note
These are some of the challenges that come in the way of developing an on-demand healthcare app. If you want to create such an app, our team of experts at Octal IT Solution can help you. We have adept developers and designers experienced in creating successful doctor-on-demand apps. So if your challenges on demand doctor app development is bothering, you can always feel free to contact us for the .
Frequently Asked Questions
The major challenges in developing and sustaining a DoD app are:
1. Data Security
2. UX/UI Implementation
3. Compliant with Healthcare Legislation
4. Payment & Billing Practices
5. Performance
6. Development Approach
7. Backend Integration
8. Monetary Compensation
Other than these, compliances and regulations of the local government is another aspect to consider. Building a database with the best information and verifying user profiles is also significant.
Some of the most critical factors in implementing a successful telehealth system include:
– Availability and Access of the Medical Practitioner
– Calendar Revisions and Easy Rescheduling
– Cost and Sustainability of the Work
– Medical Compliances and Regulations
The major goals of developing and implementing a Doctor on Demand app are:
– Easy medical assistance
– Save time and energy in contacting the doctor
– Schedule and check the availability of doctors
– Save money and time
– More accessible healthcare services