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As the mobile industry continues to progress with no signs of slowing down anytime soon, enterprises worldwide are taking advantage of this popularity to reach the masses. And the healthcare industry is no different. Some reports suggest that the mobile health industry will have a market size of around 100 billion dollars by the end of 2021. 

Clearly, mobile healthcare apps are revolutionizing this ecosystem by enabling the industry to improve communication, efficiency, and quality of service. The idea behind all this is to develop a patient-centered solution that allows the providers to reach the users even at remote locations. 

But what led to the change in the first place? 

Industry leaders suggest that the growing age of the population, increasing chronic illness cases, and increased demand for health information or self-care tips act as the key driver in the mobile solution growth. 

That's not all! This post will provide you with some insights regarding different aspects that led to the rise of medical apps in the healthcare space. 

Five Key Forces That's Driving Technological Innovation

The healthcare industry was the only industry where providers were enjoying the importance more than the customers. However, with so many technological advances, things are changing, and let's say for good. But that's not the only reason that led to a change.

Here are the five key reasons that are driving technological transformation in this space. 

• The industry was full of inefficiencies leading to quality challenges and poor customer experiences. These inefficiencies became a foundation for the innovation that reimagined the entire industry to deliver higher returns. 

• The rising number of healthcare investments focusing on patient engagement, data analysis, and agile care models inspires others to adopt new models.

• Various partnerships or acquisitions between health systems and technology companies reflect the integration of technology to improve healthcare costs with better patient engagement. Also, with the technology giants locking around a trillion-dollar battle to win a share in the mindshare, it's further triggering the investments in this space for a range of applications. 

• The regulatory changes are improving the potential for data sharing, including the interoperability of EHR data, thereby increasing the transparency and eliminating the data silos that have been the reasons for avoiding end-to-end analytics. 

• The rise in acquiring assets to extend data and analytics capabilities and customer engagement is driving the healthcare space towards a technological transformation.

The good news is that all this is changing the landscape for the better. But how? Let's find out!

Medical Apps Are Transforming The Healthcare Space For Better

The number of people using smartphones is increasing every day. This rapid adoption of new technology is driving the healthcare industry to adapt to the changing trends. Surprisingly, there are already more than 310,000 health apps in app stores worldwide. And more than 200 apps are getting added every passing day. 

If it goes like this, the healthcare apps market will generate more than 110 billion dollars by 2025. That's huge! 

But why is everyone inclined towards such apps? Keep reading, and you'll find out!

Instant Access to Healthcare 

Using a mobile app, a provider can offer various service offerings to their consumers/patients. The fact that the patients don't have to leave their house is making it even more popular. 

All they have to do is download a healthcare app on their app, create an account. They will be directed to the healthcare provider. This is how telehealth shot to fame in the last couple of years. Did you know that the number of virtual consultations increased by 60% within a matter of three months? 

Efficient Handling of Emergency Cases

Hospitals and healthcare providers using an app can effectively handle any emergency case. How? The application will notify the providers about any emergency and all the necessary information to prepare for the case better. 

Thus, allowing doctors to save time and prepare for the emergency in advance. The idea is to speed up the documentation process and treatment procedure for better patient outcomes. For example, an exciting finding was that a mobile health app was helping the providers in the emergency room with hydrocephalus patients. 

It provided the doctors with all the information related to their current condition, medical history, and other vital notifications related to the installed shunt. It helped them better understand the device for making a roadmap of their next steps. 

Better Coordination

Let's not forget that often the patient issues get past a department boundary. In such a situation, one needs to coordinate perfectly for better results. Using a mobile app allows us to streamline the process between diverse departments and staff.

Not only that, the same app allows doctors to share their prognosis with patients and prescribe medications. In short, it will alert the providers and customers at the same time about upcoming appointments or medication shortages. 

Let's Talk About The FDA Approved Health Apps

Since these mobile apps directly impact patient outcomes, the FDA is making sure to step in and mandate certification. Many believe that this step will encourage the development of new products while keeping the patients at the center of the entire development process. 

For now, below are some of the apps backed by the FDA. 

• AliveCor: It is an app that turns a smartphone into an electrocardiogram. All the user has to do is press the device against their skin near the heart, and it will read any irregular heart rhythms.

• Diabetes Manager by WellDoc: This device allows the user to get blood-glucose information in real-time. It analyses the data and offers various tips to enable patients to manage their condition better. 

• Gauss Pixel App: This app allows doctors and nurses to keep track of blood loss during surgical procedures. 

• Mobile MIM: This is the first-ever medical app included in the iTunes stores. It allows the user to share images from radiology, neuroimaging, and so on to enhance the physician's access to scans and help them consult with their peers when dealing with complicated cases. 

Wrapping Up

Technology is bringing a change to every aspect of the health industry, like wellness, fitness, healthcare, and medicine. It's awe-inspiring as to how it is quickly transforming the healthcare space. 

So, are you up for the transformation? Or are you still using the same old concept to reach your patients?