Doctor On-Demand App Development: A Voypost Crash Course in Telemedicine

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live, work, and access healthcare. Telemedicine has become a necessity, and doctor on demand apps have seen an exponential increase in demand. In fact, a report by Grand View Research predicts that the global telemedicine market will reach $559.52 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 25.1% from 2020 to 2027. This growth is due to the ease of access to healthcare, cost-effectiveness, and convenience that telemedicine provides. With the growth of the telemedicine market, there is a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs and healthcare providers to develop doctor on demand apps.

A doctor on demand app connects patients with healthcare professionals through a secure and user-friendly platform. The app allows patients to book appointments with doctors and other healthcare professionals, receive consultations, and even order prescription medicines. The app should be easy to use and provide access to a wide range of healthcare professionals, including general practitioners, specialists, and mental health professionals.

The success of a doctor on demand app depends on its features. Here are the top 5 must-have features for a doctor on demand app:

Easy appointment scheduling: Patients should be able to book appointments with doctors and other healthcare professionals easily and quickly.

Video consultations: The app should allow patients to have video consultations with doctors and other healthcare professionals.

Secure messaging: Patients should be able to communicate with healthcare professionals securely through the app.

Prescription orders: Patients should be able to order prescription medicines through the app, and healthcare professionals should be able to approve and send them to a pharmacy.

Electronic health records: The app should allow patients to view their medical history, test results, and other relevant information.

Developing a doctor on demand app can be challenging, but following these 4 tips can make the process easier:

Conduct thorough research: Understand the market, competition, and target audience before developing the app.

Focus on user experience: The app should be easy to use, intuitive, and provide a seamless experience for patients and healthcare professionals.

Ensure security and privacy: The app should be secure and comply with relevant regulations, such as HIPAA.

Test and refine: Regularly test the app and analyze feedback to improve its functionality and user experience.

Do not miss a business analysis (discovery phase)

Before developing a doctor on demand app, it's essential to conduct a business analysis (discovery phase). This process involves identifying the target audience, market trends, competition, and defining the app's features and functionality. The discovery phase helps to ensure that the app meets the needs of the target audience, is unique, and stands out in the market.

Design intuitive (understandable) UI

Designing an intuitive UI is crucial for a doctor on demand app. The UI should be user-friendly, easy to navigate, and provide a seamless experience for patients and healthcare professionals. The app's design should reflect the brand's values and be visually appealing to users.

Ensure the accessibility of your application on various devices

Accessibility is essential for a doctor on demand app. The app should be accessible on various devices, including PCs, smartphones, and smart TVs. Patients should be able to access the app from anywhere, at any time, and on any device. This helps to increase the app's user base and make it more convenient

Testing and analyzing the feedback

After the development of a doctor on-demand app, it is crucial to test it thoroughly before launching it in the market. The testing process will help you identify any bugs or glitches that might affect the user experience negatively. It is essential to gather feedback from users and analyze it to make necessary improvements. Analyzing the feedback will help you understand the areas that need improvement and enhance the user experience of your app.

Developing a doctor on-demand app can be expensive, but there are ways to lower the costs. The first step is to prioritize the features and functionalities you need in your app. Starting with an MVP (minimum viable product) and then gradually adding features as per user feedback can save you a lot of money. Outsourcing development to a skilled offshore team or using an IT outstaffing model can also help reduce costs.

Start with MVP to save costs

An MVP or minimum viable product is a simplified version of your doctor on-demand app that includes only the essential features. Starting with an MVP allows you to test the market and gather user feedback without investing a lot of money in app development. Once you have feedback, you can then prioritize the features and functionalities that users want and build them in the next version.

Choose the right development model

When it comes to developing a doctor on-demand app, there are various hiring models for development to choose from, such as in-house development, outsourcing, and IT outstaffing. The right hiring model depends on your specific needs and budget. In-house development provides complete control over the development process, but it can be expensive. Outsourcing development to a third-party company can reduce costs, but it might affect the quality of the app if the team wasn’t selected properly. IT outstaffing offers a cost-effective and flexible solution, and it provides access to a team of skilled professionals.

IT outstaffing is better than in-house hiring

IT outstaffing is a model that involves hiring remote professionals who work as part of your team. The professionals are based in another country, and they work remotely for you. IT outstaffing offers several advantages over in-house hiring, such as cost savings, flexibility, access to a large pool of talent, and lower risks. With IT outstaffing, you can hire skilled professionals from all over the world and get quality work done at a lower cost.

Finding the right team to develop your doctor on-demand app can be a daunting task. Voypost Talent Pool is a special tool that can help you find and hire top telehealth app developers. The platform has a vast pool of talent that includes skilled developers, healthcare UX designers, project managers, and QA engineers. Voypost Talent Pool offers a cost-effective and reliable solution for finding and hiring the best talent in the market.

Choose a team with experience in doctor on-demand app development 

Developing a doctor on-demand app is a complex process that requires a skilled and experienced team. Choosing a team with experience in doctor on-demand app development can make all the difference. Voypost is a leading IT outstaffing company that has extensive experience in developing telehealth and doctor on-demand apps. The company has a team of skilled professionals who can help you build a high-quality app that meets the needs of your users and healthcare professionals.

The telemedicine industry is booming, forcing businesses to decide between a prefab solution or a bespoke app. We studied major players in the telehealth sphere to determine a set of unique benefits that custom doctor-on-demand app development offers compared to ready-made solutions.

Safety Worries

An alarming 39 million healthcare app users experienced data leaks in the first half of 2023, as revealed by the Office for Civil Rights portal. Custom platforms offer more control over data safeguarding than third-party ones. Bespoke apps open the door to the top-tier protection strategies like data encryption, access management, and HIPAA compliance.

Lack of Tailored Experience

Generic solutions target a wide demographic, often missing the mark in offering a custom-tailored experience that resonates with a healthcare entity's core values. This can result in diminished patient loyalty. Custom platforms, however, are capable of showcasing an organization's essence, enhancing trust and rapport.

Branding Obstacle: Zero Distinctiveness

On-the-shelf SaaS platforms are accessible to rivals, which makes it challenging for your audience to tell your app among competitors. Plus, operating under another's brand umbrella can stifle your brand's growth. Custom on-demand-doctor app development helps to build a unique brand image fostering patients’ trust.

Scalability Insight

As you flourish and cater to more patients, the ability to scale becomes non-negotiable. Ready-to-use solutions might falter under heightened demand, presenting issues like limited storage, device incompatibilities, or API barriers, potentially stunting growth. 

Vendor Update Reliance

With SaaS, you're at the vendor's mercy for tweaks and enhancements. This unpredictability can lead to hiccups if the vendor’s vision misaligns with yours, making it difficult to mold the software to your operational needs. Personalized doctor-on-demand mobile app development, you’re getting exactly what you need, helping to adjust app’s functionality to evolving users’ needs.

Regulatory Hurdles

Rigorous norms bind the medical sector. Off-the-rack software might need to meet the mark in terms of compliance, exposing businesses to potential legal responsibilities, as well as financial and image loss. Custom on-demand teleconsultation app development starts with defining regulatory norms for telehealth in your area which minimizes risks related to non-compliance.

Wrap-Up

Tailored apps are the answer. They address security, enrich the user experience, guarantee smooth scalability, offer autonomy, and allow compliance with stringent medical norms. Custom solutions lay the foundation for a thriving telehealth venture while countering the pitfalls generic solutions present.