Since the release of Telehealth services, people can now communicate with doctors and get their medical documents signed through a mobile app. This has made healthcare apps increasingly popular and they are now leading the new era of healthcare services. Healthcare apps have made healthcare services more affordable and safe, helping the prevention of diseases. And most importantly, It saves time for us! As we no longer have to wait in long queues at clinics. Instead, we can receive medical attention from the comfort of home and wait for the doctor to call.
How popular are healthcare apps in 2023? Let’s look at the statistics.
- The healthcare app industry generated $3.43 billion in 2023, a 9.9% increase on the previous year.
- Noom generated the most revenue in 2023 at $500 million, followed by WeightWatchers digital subscriptions.
- There were 311 million healthcare app users in 2023.
- Healthcare apps were downloaded a total of 379 million times in 2023.
- The Telehealth industry is experiencing rapid growth, valued at $87.41 billion in 2022 and expected to soar to $286.22 billion by 2030.
Source: Health App Revenue and Usage Statistics (2024)
The market for healthcare apps is expanding quickly, and along with it, several key trends in healthcare apps are emerging.
1. Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Apps
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is making significant progress in the healthcare app market. AI-powered apps are now able to analyse medical data, and usage statistics and provide real-time diagnosis support. This technology can assist doctors in creating a personalised treatment plan quickly, which can be used in conjunction with personalised medicines.
There are several AI-powered apps in the market that analyse data and provide real-time diagnosis and responses:
- SkinVision is an app powered by artificial intelligence that focuses on raising awareness about skin cancer and offering medical help to its users.
- Noom, which generated 500 million in revenue in 2023, uses AI to give professional recommendations based on the user's weight, age, height, and objectives.
- Sensely stands out as a top AI-driven app for diagnosing disorders, allowing patients to speak with an AI "Nurse Avatar" instead of typing out their symptoms.
2. The Rise of Telehealth & Telemedicine
Getting your doctor's certificate signed in just 10 minutes, without leaving your bed? Telehealth apps have become increasingly popular since the pandemic, especially in rural areas where healthcare is inaccessible. With virtual consultations becoming more common, patient monitoring and data collection can be seamlessly done remotely through apps.
Top 3 Telehealth apps in 2023:
- Simple Practice Telehealth: This popular service for on-demand doctor consultations facilitates telehealth through video calls, enabling both healthcare providers and patients to communicate easily from anywhere.
- Healow: Recognised for its on-demand call services, Healow also includes features like activity monitoring and the gathering of health data.
- Teledoc: Its core purpose is to link users with specialists for medical care, providing services such as electronic prescriptions, video conferencing, billing services, and integration with Healthkit.
3. The Cloud-based Technology
To effectively support remote doctors, healthcare apps need a powerful cloud-based system that can provide storage for data sharing. Cloud-based technology has the advantage of providing easy accessibility to data for patients, doctors, and healthcare workers. It empowers remote healthcare delivery and strengthens healthcare EHR systems.
Healthcare apps that integrate with cloud-based EHRs can improve data accuracy, enable instant information sharing, and streamline administrative tasks. By eliminating the need for filling and submitting paperwork, it can significantly reduce time and effort. Imagine how much faster it would be if users could directly submit their forms to the database with validation checks. Healthcare care workers will no longer need to input their spidery handwritten information on paper into a digital system.
4. Big Data Analytics in Healthcare Apps
Wondering why every time Google ads “pops” relevant fitness and health meal content when you search for fitness products? Well, this is because Google and many fitness apps use app tracking or big data to track users' browsing history, workout frequency and exercise preferences in order to provide personalised fitness plans.
Although it may seem a bit intrusive, big data is widely used by many apps to offer personalised services to their users. As it says “You could lie to your doctor, but you can't lie about your daily activity on an app.” Healthcare apps use big data techniques to gather raw user activity data and analyse it to predict future behaviour. This helps healthcare apps to retain their users and potentially improve their app functions through these analyses.
One such famous fitness app that utilises big data to provide personalised services is MyFitnessPal.
5. Self-learning Healthcare Apps & Wearable Technology
We have previously discussed how fitness apps take advantage of Big Data. Now, let's delve deeper into the potential that self-learning healthcare apps hold for the industry. With the pandemic forcing gym closures and lockdowns, fitness apps have become increasingly popular. In fact, fitness apps generated $3.58 billion in revenue in 2023 alone, marking a 9.1% increase from the previous year. These apps have transformed the way people approach a healthier lifestyle by providing easy access to workout plans, medication plans, nutritional advice, training programs, and more.
Self-learning healthcare apps have made health more affordable and accessible to everyone, paving the way for a new era in public health. By integrating with wearable devices and collecting data, most users will no longer need to physically visit specialists. But yes, in response to the growth of self-learning healthcare apps, many doctors, nutritionists, and medication specialists have moved their practice from physical clinics to virtual app consultations.
6. The Use of Blockchain
Last but not least, incorporating security and privacy is crucial for the success of any app, especially for healthcare apps. Blockchain technology has the potential to secure record management. In the healthcare industry, there are several challenges such as fragmented data, security and privacy concerns, and interoperability issues. Blockchain technology can offer potential solutions by ensuring secure and tamper-proof storage across multiple network nodes, improving interoperability, and protecting patient privacy.
It is crucial to always prioritise security and data privacy when building healthcare apps. Treat your users with the same care and consideration as you would patients in a physical setting.
It is Not Late To Create a Your Own Healthcare App
Healthcare apps have become increasingly popular in recent years, offering convenient and affordable access to medical services. With the rise of Telehealth, artificial intelligence, cloud-based technology, big data analytics, self-learning apps, and blockchain integration, the healthcare app market is expanding rapidly.
These emerging trends are transforming the healthcare industry by enhancing patient outcomes and changing the way healthcare services are delivered. It's not too late to create a healthcare app and become a part of this transformative industry. Whether you are a clinical business, private hospital, or well-being business, developing a healthcare app can help you increase exposure and stay competitive. Consider integrating the discussed trends into your app development for the best results. And don’t forget, it is important to collaborate with the right professionals.
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The healthcare industry is evolving rapidly, and it's essential to stay current with the latest trends to remain competitive in the market. Get in touch with us now! Through fonseka.com.au/contact. We're excited to meet you and explore how we can help grow your business.