After reviewing the branded mHealth apps listed in Part I of this series, we were surprised to find that, two years after Accenture released its report on Digital Health and the features requested in an app for hospitals, mHealth app features still fail to deliver on the core functionalities patients are coming to expect in an app. These features include: Access to electronic medical records Appointment scheduling and changes Prescription refills Those apps that do provide these features only …

In Part II of this series, Limited Functionality for mHealth App Features, we described the different types of functionalities implemented in the mHealth apps assessed and found that significant shortcomings still exist in the healthcare app development market. After downloading the apps and analyzing them, it became clear that the functionalities promoted in the app descriptions – whether in iOS or Google Play – are treated equally whether the feature is delivered in the app, linked out to a browser …

Only 11% of healthcare apps offer at least 1 of the 3 functionalities patients want most. Pick up the cell phone of any of your friends or family members — or even your own — and you have nearly a 60% chance of finding at least one healthcare app. Mobile device apps have taken consumer-driven economics to an entirely new level, giving a new level of autonomy to individual consumers. In the wellness space, mHealth applications have grown …

The fundamentals of UX Design and UI Design are ideas that were around long before the internet, but what do they actually mean? In simple terms, UX Design (user experience design) refers to how a person feels when interacting with a system (this could be a web or mobile application, website, or desktop software). UI Design (user interface design) refers to how everything fits into a device with which a human being can interact (such as a display screen or …

Mobile applications have never been more popular than now. As every industry becomes more fast-paced and tech-dependent, each is advancing to provide services at the highest level of efficiency — and healthcare is a perfect example. Currently, there are over 165,000 apps related to mhealth in the Apple App Store. If you’re not thinking about healthcare application development, you should be. Finding the right company to manage your medical app development can open doors, increase the efficiency of …

Healthcare internet marketing is an industry that is constantly growing and changing.  Staying on top of what’s effective will help your hospital or healthcare organization successfully market itself with the highest earning potential. 1. Build a Brand. Creating a unique identity for your healthcare organization can set you apart from the competition, helping to grow your patient base and encouraging existing patients to seek care in-network.  Building a brand helps solidify your position in the market and communicates clearly …

As a provider of patient portal, SaaS (software as a service) applications, and hosting solutions to the healthcare industry, we get asked this question a lot. Before we can answer it question correctly, we must first understand how HIPAA relates to software and hosting, and what is involved in HIPAA compliant IT. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was enacted in 1996 to address the growing use of technology in healthcare, specifically the transaction of health information …

For background on the mHealth app study, and the utilization of apps in hospitals and health systems , please be sure to read Part I of this series: Healthcare App Development Market is Not Meeting Patient Needs. Why Hasn’t Hospital App Development Been Able to Overcome this Major Hurdle? Perhaps one of the most important findings from our research is that similar functionalities can vary greatly from one health system to the next; hospital app development is not …

Healthcare website design is a unique field in that visual appeal and excellent UI/UX aren’t the only considerations. Websites must also be HIPAA compliant. To avoid penalties, it’s important to recognize that attention to the protection of personal health information (PHI) is as important in healthcare web development as it is in securely storing and transferring patient records. Whether you are developing a brand new HIPAA compliant website, or simply want peace of mind regarding your current website and …

Despite regulations surrounding the use of social media within the healthcare industry, there are enormous gains to be made from utilizing social media, from increasing patient engagement to acquiring new patients. Here, we look at why the role of social media is growing in healthcare, and how to make the most of this channel within healthcare internet marketing while still ensuring HIPAA compliance. Healthcare Social Media Perks Research data repeatedly indicate that patient outcomes improve when patients are involved …